Glamorization of murderers overshadows victims

For anyone who has lost a loved one, it can be a long journey to heal from. Grief never fully goes away. It is a continuous battle that some may want to deal with alone or simply in peace. But for the victims’ families of serial killer Jeffery Dahmer, they didn’t quite have the luxury of grieving in peace during the trial or even now. A drama series about his life has been released on Netflix leaving others talking about it everywhere.

Jefferey Dahmer was a sex offender and serial killer who committed seventeen brutal murders between 1978-1991. The drama series, “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is yet another series that tells the serial killer's point of view. In the past, other films and shows have been made about him such as “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files,” “Raising Jeffery Dahmer,” “Roots of Rage,” and many others. However, this latest one dives a little deeper into some of the lives that he took. 

A Sonoma State University student that wanted to remain anonymous said, “I knew about the crimes and watched other documentaries about them. I didn’t know it was that gruesome until the show went into some detail about his crimes.”

Alec Padilla, a senior at SSU described his emotions while watching it to be “discomforting” and “creepy.”

“Personally, I find the serial killer and true crime series interesting and I would like Netflix to continue making them as I enjoy the topic of true crime,” Padilla said. “ However, I do understand that some people take these series as a way of  “glorifying” murderers and giving the murderer more spotlight than their victim.”

The glamorization aspect has gone into full effect. With the help of social media, the series has caused its viewers to make numerous TikToks, tweets, and conversations about the portrayal of Dahmer and his victims. Currently, the series is rated number one out of ten on Netflix’s top U.S shows.

Padilla shared what he’s noticed since its release, “I think a lot of people are taking the series seriously to learn about Dahmer and his gruesome murders but I do see lots of people on social media making fun and jokes about Dahmer and the victims.”

Due to the popularity of the show, numerous people have searched for the name Jeffery Dahmer. Dahmer’s popularity takes attention away from the victims and their families.

Rita Isbell, who is the sister of victim Errol Lindsey, spoke out after Netflix recreated her emotional impact statement in the series. She was never notified about this by Netflix. 

According to Insider reporter Kelsey Vlamis, Rita Isbell wrote in an essay, “The episode with me was the only part I saw. I didn't watch the whole show. I don't need to watch it. I lived it. I know exactly what happened.”

Isbell reflected on her emotional growth and where she is now,  “That anger stuck with me for a long time. I didn't have the wisdom back then that I have now. But I had to make this stuff make sense and deal with it. I had younger children to provide for and protect. I still had to go to work every day.” 

Many forget that these crime series are based on events that actually happened. They were not created for public entertainment or to put the killers on a pedestal. Sometimes it is not until victims of families like Rita Isbell speak out that people start to see the bigger picture. While creators of the series aren’t in control of others' reactions and views. The true purpose of crime series should be to inform others about the terrible tragedy that occurred.