In American pop-culture, True Crime has been one of the leading genres. Documentaries, TV shows, movies, books and more have been created to tell the stories of true events that have impacted people’s lives. From kidnappings to murders and cults, this genre has captivated the nation for more than 100 years. So what draws us to this genre and more specifically, why are a majority of these followers of it women?
According to a Pew Research Center study published in 2023, women are twice as likely as men to listen to true crime podcasts. According to PsychologyToday, women also make up 70% of the victims of serial killers between 1985 and 2010. The correlation between these two numbers is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Many different theories and psychological elements could explain this phenomenon.
The first and most common explanation for why women are obsessed with true crime stories is that they feel it better “prepares” them for the instance they are put in a real life event. By engaging with true crime content, women can also pick up on “tips” that could help to protect themselves. Also, by knowing the “red flags” that could come up, they have a better chance of defending themselves if placed in a situation where someone may try to harm them.
The next explanation for this occurrence revolves around women’s empathy. According to a National Institute of Health study, women were statistically more empathetic than men. Another study also found that women show a stronger perception of emotion than men. Women are better able to empathize with female victims. Women can see themselves in a majority of these victims, which allows them to feel a stronger connection to the victims.
One of the final theories that has been presented is that knowing how or why these people commit the crimes they do, piques people’s interest, particularly women. This theory connects back to women’s stronger empathetic nature. This theory, presented by Scott A. Bonn from Psychology Today, explains this process. “Perhaps at a subconscious level, true crime fans believe that if they can somehow understand a serial killer’s motivations and desires, then he (or she) and their ilk are not so terrifying after all.”
Perhaps this obsession with true crime is also linked to the rise in online dating in the United States. In 2014, Serial, the first podcast to set off the true crime trend, blew up. Around the same time as this, online dating was quickly becoming the number one way for people to meet and begin dating. This idea of a connection is pointed out by Nancy Jo Sales from The Guardian. She says that, “Dating was never totally safe for women. But now women are routinely going on dates with men who are virtually unknown to them, which can be scary.”
This can be connected back to the first theory, that women listen to these podcasts, or watch these TV shows for “tips” on ways to better prepare themselves if they were ever put into the position. Women are essentially seeking ways, especially in the digital age where it is easier to catfish than ever, to make sure they don’t become the next true crime special on Dateline.
In conclusion, there is no single reason as to why people are drawn to true crime, or why the majority of those people are female. However, it is an interesting phenomenon that future researchers will most likely continue to study and see the effects of the intake of true crime content.
