Whether you’re watching a documentary on a murder case, listening to a podcast covering the top 10 American serial killers or scrolling through videos of influencers doing their makeup while talking about cold cases, you’re consuming some form of true crime content.Â
The shock factor, the drama and the internal questioning of “What would I do if that were me?” are all reasons we come crawling back to get our true crime fix, but what is it doing to us? What is it doing to victims and perpetrators of these crimes? The commercialization of true crime is hurting viewers and victims and funding unethical creators and perpetrators of real crimes.
When consuming true crime content, it can get cloudy when trying to remember that the events of these cases are real, happened to real victims and were caused by real murderers, all of them being physical human beings who are alive today or once were.Â
Heavy consumption of this kind of content can increase anxiety and hypervigilance. Cleveland Clinic psychologist, Chivonna Childs, explained that consuming this kind of media can increase anxiety, making people more suspicious of their environment and watchful for danger. An example of this is the classic “white kidnapper van.” Many people see those blank white vans and assume automatically that they’re waiting for the right victim to capture.Â
Not only does true crime content harm viewers, but its sensationalization can dehumanize victims and can cause more harm for families. Research from USC Annenberg on true crime podcasts showed that murdered women may be represented in ways that can dehumanize them or imply in some way that they were partly responsible for what happened to them.Â
Victim blaming has become an unfortunate outcome to this cultural obsession. Sage Journals reported that people who are connected to true crime cases have stated their concerns with inaccurate reporting, sensationalism, their loss of privacy and unwanted attention that resulted from media portrayals of the events.Â
These concerns show that a real case should not be treated as material for profit without considering the dignity and privacy of the ones affected.
With all of these consequences, what are we supposed to do now? The answer to this can be a little complicated.
Completely erasing the existence of true crime and minimizing the vast amount of content that has been posted and published for years isn’t possible at the point we are at now, but there are ways to make things a little better.
Audiences can reward responsible creators and stop supporting content that exploits victims. Engaging with content that is respectful, accurate and transparent can give more platform to ethical true crime content, taking away spotlights from creators who prioritize clicks above education.Â
Before watching or sharing a true crime story, audiences can consider whether the creator checks their facts, separates confirmed information with speculation or conspiracy theories and avoids glamorizing offenders. If so, that is someone who deserves our support!
Viewers should stop rewarding creators who repeatedly sensationalize cases and/or spread misinformation about true crime stories. Unsubscribing, unfollowing or not liking or commenting on posts can minimize the amount of media that reaches people.
Responsible true crime content can help to accurately educate people, show respect to victims and families and ensure ethical practices are put into sharing and consuming these stories.
It’s not about ending the enjoyment of true crime, but rather encouraging higher standards for how real cases are represented.Â
The next time you watch that new documentary, listen to that podcast or scroll through social media looking for true crime stories, put into practice mindful consumption and keep your standards high. You deserve it!