Every morning, as I wake up and prepare for the day, I tune in to one of my favorite TikTok creator’s videos— @breannaaheim. As one of her 1.2 million followers, I eagerly watch her videos about serial killers and true crime. There is a massive community of creators, not only on TikTok, who dive into true crime cases, each video garnering hundreds of thousands of views.

While the fascination with true crime has become very normalized in our society, it is worth considering why so many people are captivated by such horrible crimes. According to an article from BBC Science Focus magazine, our interest in crime stems from its long-standing societal relevance; we’re naturally interested in how and why crimes occur. The fascination may also come from the undeniable appeal of a well-told story. 

True crime content—whether videos, documentaries, movies, or TV shows—can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, some true crime cases can raise awareness about dangerous situations and honor the victims of those crimes. On the other hand, they risk sensationalizing the culprits and exploiting the victims for the sake of entertainment and heightened dramatic appeals.

A notable example of true crime’s complexity is the case of the Menendez brothers. Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents after enduring years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents. They were sentenced to life in prison, but many who follow their case argue that their actions were ones of self-defense clearly driven by the trauma they experienced during their childhood.

The publicity surrounding the Menendez brothers has sparked significant support for them, with many, including public figures, advocating for their release. This case is just one of many highlighting the bigger issue that many people are wrongfully convicted and unfairly sentenced based on their race, gender, class and more.

However, the portrayal of the Menendez brothers in the recently released TV series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, exemplifies how true crime can be twisted and dramatized solely for entertainment. The series depicts them as evil, completely disregarding and overshadowing the reality of the brothers’ situation. This blatant disregard for the brothers’ perspective is wildly unfair to them and those who have fought for their freedom, especially since they were not consulted during the series production. 

True crime can serve essential functions, and the glorification of serial killers can be troubling and disrespectful to victims and their families. Take Ted Bundy, for example. Despite confessing to the murders of 30 women, Bundy gained an extremely disturbing following–almost a fan base–consisting mainly of women who found him attractive. This fascination completely diminishes the horror of his actions and disrespects the copious lives he took. 

The glorification of serial killers risks normalizing or desensitizing their crimes and undermines the victims and families that have been affected. This is why we must be careful when approaching discussions of true crime cases. At the very least, we must take into account how we can respect the victims and their families, even when that means not talking about it at all.

It is perfectly acceptable to be interested in true crime, whether you want to learn how to better protect yourself or simply listen to a compelling story. However, we must remain aware that when discussing true crime, we are talking about real people and their real experiences. Whether it’s podcasts, TV shows, movies, TikToks or YouTube, we must handle these stories carefully and thoughtfully, ensuring we honor the victims sensitively and respectfully.