3 minute read
Boundaries
TRUE CRIME NEEDS BOUNDARIES
Examining the ethics behind true crime dramas
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There is no denying society’s morbid fascination with one of the darkest media genres — true crime. True crime dramas such as “The Girl from Plainview,” “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” and “Monster: The Dahmer Story” are amongst the most-watched media on streaming services. This staggering engagement has sparked debate over a key question: Should there be ethical boundaries when dramatizing true crime?
Critics highlight three concerns: victims’ families are not typically contacted prior to or during production, the sensationalize reenactments, and the glamorization of perpetrators of some of the most violent crimes in recent history.
Due to the release of “Dahmer,” the issue of receiving prior permission from families of Dahmer’s victims is under public scrutiny. This is not an issue of legality, but an issue of respect and humanity. Studios can legally use public records without consent; yet, doing so causes unbelievable damage outside a court of law.
In an essay with Insider, Rita Isbell, sister of Dahmer’s victim Errol Lindsey, stated: “I was never contacted about the show. I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it. They didn’t ask me anything. They just did it.”
To give an in-court statement to the face of the man who killed your brother is traumatic; to see it memorialized on screen without your consent is beyond words.
The gruesome reenactments depicting horrific criminal violence in dramas like Dahmer intensify the effect of the real crimes by embellishing physical details in gratuitous gore for effect. Zealous fans tweet such clips and related comments, with each post opening deep wounds that may never heal.
“Imagine the absolute worst torment that could ever happen to you being turned into entertainment,” said Iman Gatti, a grief recovery specialist with a similar experience. “The reality for survivors is that we never forget what happened. The pain never goes away and the toll on your mental health is immeasurable.”
On social media platforms, the glamorization of serial killers is inevitable. A common complaint is the romanticization of serial kill-
ers due to the actor being viewed as attractive outside of the show. This phenomenon was central to “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” a drama surrounding the crimes of Ted Bundy. Zac Efron played Bundy in the film, which many viewers found disturbing due to Efron’s history of playing heartthrob love interests. Tweets finding Bundy attractive appeared at such an alarming frequency that Netflix had to address it on their Twitter account, “gently reminding” their viewers that “there are literally [thousands] of hot men on the service — almost all of whom are not convicted serial murderers”. The fandom-like interest in serial killers has pervaded our culture, and whether it be the odd attraction to these killers, the “Dahmer glasses” TikTok trend, or crime-obsessed mothers dressing their toddlers in serial killer Halloween costumes, it is clear that these shows are shifting societal moral boundaries to an uncomfortable extent.
Some may claim these shows are necessary to educate about a common societal anxiety. It is essential to distinguish between truecrime dramas and documentaries. Dramas are told through a seemingly fictional lens, with reenactments by actors. This desensitizes viewers by reducing real people to characters, a leading reason for the glamorization of serial killers. Documentaries are produced in an informative manner, including discussions and interviews rather than plot. Glamorization would not occur as unnecessary dramatization would be eliminated. Additionally, producers would need permission from victims’ family members for interviews. As a society, turning toward true crime documentaries and podcasts would provide the same information as dramas and would not harm those close to the case.
The recent rise of these exploitative true crime dramas has made it increasingly obvious that true crime needs stricter boundaries now more than ever
