True crime TV, films, and podcasts often dive into every detail of a case, covering everything from the psychology and motives of the killers to the unsettling specifics of the victim’s death.
People naturally take an interest in these stories, and true crime media plays a significant role in satisfying that curiosity. However, there is another side to this focus that doesn't receive as much attention — the families and loved ones the victims leave behind.
Let's take a closer look at how true crime media affects those who find themselves thrust into the public eye, not by choice, but under the most painful circumstances.
How True Crime Obsessions Affect the Victims’ Families
The stories presented in true crime content often leave a strong impression on viewers, but their impact runs even deeper for those directly involved in the events.
True crime may have shed light on the horrors of serial killers like John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Richard Ramirez. At the same time, the genre has also attracted individuals with macabre interests.
In some cases, instead of facing widespread condemnation, perpetrators are glorified for their actions. Some even become immortalized through the sale of objects connected to their crimes.
For instance, Richard Ramirez, known as the “Night Stalker,” had his artwork sold on eBay while still incarcerated. Similarly, personalized items belonging to cult leader Charles Manson were put up for sale, with many willing to pay thousands of dollars for them.
Although eBay has since banned the sale of items linked to criminals, the ongoing obsession with “murderabilia” highlights the disregard some people have for the victims of the killers they admire.
According to Katherine Ramsland, a psychologist at DeSales University, “collecting murderabilia is a form of thrill-seeking that's all about connecting with darkness. By having a piece of murderabilia, a collector can experience the killer's aura from a safe distance." These objects are often tied to infamous killers featured repeatedly in true crime media.
For families, this can be especially painful as they watch the people responsible for their grief gain cult followings. On top of that, old wounds reopen each time a new retelling of their loved one’s murder resurfaces, often released every few years.
In the end, victims’ families rarely find true crime media to be a source of closure. More often than not, money cannot compensate for the loss and devastation caused by glorified serial killers.
When Does it Become Ethical for the Families?
No matter how true crime stories are framed, the spotlight often falls on the perpetrators. Because people are typically curious about what drove these individuals to kill, filmmakers delve into their lives leading up to the crimes. As a result, victims are frequently overshadowed, and their stories take a backseat to those of the killers.
While the killers’ and victims’ stories gain attention, some are unaware that the families of the victims are often the last to know their loved ones are being featured in sensationalized true crime documentaries.
One recent and notable example of this is the controversy surrounding the 2022 Dahmer series, where many of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims’ families confronted the creators and demanded answers as to why they weren’t informed that their stories were being exposed to the world again, especially after seeing the tortures their loved ones endured played on screen.
These exploitative shows aren’t new to the genre, but there are those who believe true crime only becomes ethical if the victims, survivors, or their families are respected and notified of the content beforehand. Some excellent examples of this approach include podcasts by Connie Walker, Voices for Justice, and Casefile.
Ultimately, it’s up to all of us — consumers, creators, and storytellers — to remember the real people behind these stories and make sure their voices are heard, not just their tragedies.
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