Are you a serial sympathizer? Graphic by Anna Gritzenbach.
TESSA SPECCHIO | OPINION COLUMNIST | tspecchio@butler.edu
The true crime genre is seen across all forms of entertainment which focuses on real-life crimes that involve real-life people.
The “true crime girl” is a caricature across social media; She is the girl who may be too interested in the details of a horrific murder.
A 2022 survey found that 85% of true crime podcast fans — many of them young women — listen purely for entertainment. What does it mean when your amusement comes from the exploitation of trauma, violence and death?
What are the moral implications of being a “true crime girl”?
Stories of true crime have always captivated the public since the advent of the printing press. Historians have found publications from the 1600s that go into gruesome detail about capital crimes and punishment. True crime has always been an area of interest; however, it seems the genre has exploded in recent years — and in a time of mass media production — true crime has become a part of popular culture.
Steve Barnard, an associate professor and department chair of sociology and criminology, spoke on the nature of the true crime genre.
“It’s a bit voyeuristic,” Barnard said. “In a dark and even somewhat twisted way, what does it say about the psyche that at least a significant portion of the public use their free time to observe horrific acts?”
There seems to be a deep-rooted human interest in understanding the darker sides of social psychology. It’s true that this is not a new phenomenon invented by an unusually sadistic generation of consumers, young women today are not disproportionately involved in this genre.
However, the mass consumption of this type of media seems to have shifted from fascination to sensationalism and exploitation.
Using real criminal cases as a means of mindless entertainment creates a system where methods of showboating a particularly gruesome case are placed before notions of empathy and privacy.
Media that is based on homicide cases often focuses on the most sensational aspects of the case — often the brutality enacted — rather than the impact of that violence.
In 1992, Rita Isbell took the stand to confront Dahmer on the damage the murder of her 19-year-old brother — Errol Lindsey — had on her and her family, much like many before her. Her goal of reaching an international audience was achieved: Isbell’s testimony has remained the most memorable simply due to her outrage — she attempted to lunge toward Dahmer, which did not stop her screaming as she was ultimately dragged from the room.
However, in 2022, a series following Jeffrey Dahmer’s life and murders debuted on Netflix. In many ways, the series sensationalized Dahmer’s story, although it did include real-life depictions of his victims and their families. One of those depicted was Isbell, in a shot-for-shot reenactment of her testimony, complete with a recreation of her outfit and distress. Although accurate, this replication was entirely non-consensual and forced Isbell to relive one of the most horrific experiences of her life. On top of that, she also had to reconcile with the fact that this series — including her forced cameo — is the third most popular Netflix original series.
Netflix’s Dahmer series is one of many popular iterations of the Dahmer murders, which is one of many more recreations of history’s most gruesome moments. Sensational stories about cannibals and cults grab viewers’ attention like nothing else. However, true crime stories — especially recreations and dramatizations — are never made purely for education. A series following a serial killer’s life has to be entertaining in order to hold the viewers’ attention, and with entertainment comes writers creating narratives and character development. This forces the writers to find ways to make the viewer “fall in love” with the main character.
When the main character is a brutal serial killer, you cannot romanticize their story, no matter how compelling. It is unethical on the part of the writer, director, producer, actor and the viewer.
The truth is that involvement with true crime media causes true harm.
However, the ethics of using true crime as a form of entertainment does not equate to the potential positives that come from casually studying criminal psychology.
Skylar Ashcraft, a criminology and psychology double major cites true crime as a method of education, helping her pursue her degree.
“[True crime] has given me the opportunity to get background knowledge on the law,” Ashcraft said. “It’s been really helpful to read cases and see real-life examples outside of my classes and internship.”
A lot of women cite that their knowledge of true crime makes them feel safer. By consuming stories of horrific crimes, they feel more adequately prepared to deal with violence and quell their fears of victimization.
An interest in understanding criminology is not inherently unethical, it’s all about intent.
Gabi Mathus, a senior criminology and psychology major discussed how to engage in criminal history in an ethical way.
“I think the biggest thing that you can do as a consumer of true crime content is educating yourself on the actual facts of crime,” Mathus said. “Understanding the narratives of the victimized is infinitely more interesting and infinitely more important.”
Young women drive the economy and they decide what is profitable. So, if the “true crime girls” turn their attention to the victims of crime, rather than the perpetrator, true crime could evolve from an exploitative genre to one that educates and protects.
