Why are we obsessed with TRUE CRIME?

Experts take a deep dive into our fascination with upsetting real-life horrors

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What’s your favourite thing to listen to before bedtime? Some Taylor Swift ballads? Maybe a soothing meditation recording? Or how about a true crime podcast about the very worst acts of humanity?

If the latter is your go-to, you’re in good company. All it takes is a quick scan through Spotify, Netflix and Kindle to know how popular this genre is. So why are we intrigued?

Criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro and criminologist Xanthe Mallett have dedicated their careers to unveiling what makes criminals tick. It’s something they explore in the Motive and Method podcast, which covers everything from domestic homicide and coercive control, to black widows and money laundering.

They believe that true crime gives people an opportunity to observe these stories from a safe space. “They can watch it and they can try to understand why it’s happening,” Mallett explains. “You can dabble in it, but it’s far enough away so that it’s not touching you personally.”

While it’s true that there’s sometimes an aspect of voyeurism, true crime also has the power to be educational and even altruistic.

At the same time, modern media has created a global water cooler effect, enabling shows like Tiger King to go viral. “Social media and platforms like Netflix and Apple are prime drivers, there’s a much greater awareness,” Watson-Munro says. “We live in a global village now.”