True Crime Podcasts: Fascination with Evil

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, a total of 120 new True Crime podcasts were to be released in 2022. Back in 2017, there were just three. In True Crime podcasts, real criminal cases are presented – mostly murder cases or other crimes that gained attention due to their particular severity or other unusual characteristics. But why are True Crime fans almost obsessed with these gruesome stories? We have looked into this question and found many possible reasons during our research.

Thrill of Fear

A major aspect of the fascination with evil, whether when listening to True Crime podcasts, watching horror movies, or reading crime novels and thrillers, is the thrill of fear. The term comes from personality psychology and describes the ambivalent emotional state where a distressing phase of fear or its successful management leads to a pleasurable experience. We voluntarily expose ourselves to a (potential) danger, knowing that it will end well. In the case of True Crime fans, stories about real crimes evoke the desire for excitement and thrill – knowing that the cases presented are not part of their own reality and that they are safe while listening on the train, cooking, or exercising.

Other Possible Reasons for the True Crime Hype

In addition to the thrill of fear, there are other reasons why True Crime fans might be so fascinated by this format. We have researched this further and present some possible reasons:

• Learning to deal with negative feelings

Listening to True Crime podcasts elicits many emotions, such as fear, vulnerability, and curiosity, even pleasure. Podcasts – like movies and series – provide us with a safe framework in which we can control, and learn to deal with, primarily negative feelings.

• Learning and informing oneself

In True Crime podcasts, we learn about real events that have occurred around the world. We also find out more about legal systems, psychological facts, or investigative work – not least because often real experts are interviewed, such as forensic scientists, court reporters, or psychologists.

• Understanding the lives and psyche of the perpetrators

Another reason why people listen to True Crime podcasts is the opportunity to glimpse into the lives and psyches of the perpetrators and to understand their motives – without excusing their actions.

• Self-reflection

Through listening to True Crime podcasts, we engage with crimes, perpetrators, and victims, reflect on the cases on a meta-level, and become aware of how we stand with respect to them. Additionally, we may find ourselves asking the question of "What if...?" – what would happen if we were personally affected – as a victim, relative, witness, or even as a defendant.

• Participating in puzzles & entertainment

Lastly, True Crime podcasts – like books, series, and movies – serve to entertain. We escape from everyday life, dive into other worlds, and often have the opportunity to participate in solving the mysteries when the criminal cases are discussed.

Popular True Crime Podcasts on Podimo

Why are especially women into True Crime podcasts?

According to a study by Seven.One Audio in 2022, 93% of True Crime listeners are female. What is it that makes women especially interested in real crimes, human abysses, and cold-blooded killers? There are several theories here as well:

• Women generally have more fear than men and want to be prepared in case they themselves fall victim to a crime

• Women are particularly interested in the psychological backgrounds and want to understand the motives of the perpetrators

• Women deal more with human experiences, and a higher level of empathy is attributed to them compared to men

• Women use True Crime podcasts to develop a kind of media literacy and to understand the difference between general reality and their own experience horizon.

Important: It should be noted that the question of the hype cannot be answered in a blanket manner, and the reasons are more or less scientifically substantiated. A more detailed elaboration and further possible reasons can be found in our article "What fascinates women about True Crime?".

Is the hype around True Crime podcasts unjustified?

Regardless of the reasons why people like True Crime podcasts – it often raises the question of whether it is appropriate to use the suffering of others as a basis for entertainment. Various voices say it is immoral to profit from violent crimes, that True Crime reduces people to good stories or exacerbates the fear of crime. Some of the reasons why True Crime podcasts are considered morally questionable include:

• The crimes are often portrayed in a sensationalist and provocative manner.

• True Crime presents a false image: According to crime statistics, most murder and manslaughter victims are male – not young, white, and female, as portrayed in many True Crime formats.

• Public discussions about the cases bring back emotions for victims, relatives, and survivors that they do not want to relive.

• Victim-blaming is internalized: For example, if young women look for tips through True Crime to avoid getting into such situations, they attribute some blame to themselves ("If only she had dressed differently..." or "If only she hadn't gone out alone so late...").

• Distorted perception of reality: The actual number of crimes may seem higher, as the focus shifts. In Germany, around 200-300 murders occur each year – but it may seem through True Crime podcasts that there are many more.

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Sources:

Der Standard Web.de Magazin ProSieben Lexikon Buzzard Prisma Deutschlandfunk Nova

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