Did you know that women of color experience more exploitation in true crime shows and documentaries? True crime is a form of non-fiction storytelling that focuses on real-life criminal events such as kidnappings, murder and sexual violence.

“Criminal Minds” is one of the most popular series regarding criminal activity. Even with its immense popularity, “Criminal Minds” has been criticized for its use of aggression when interrogating victims, specifically female victims. Some fans and critics also have noted a victim blaming perspective in how some victims are portrayed in the series. Many people argue that the show focuses heavily on profiling and sometimes tries to justify or rationalize the crimes by pointing out a victim’s naivety or poor judgement rather than focusing on the perpetrator.

“When they’re constantly being questioned, it makes it harder for the victim to cope. They’re forced to relive their trauma,” said junior Paisley Burton.

Another popular true crime series that goes by the name of “48 Hours” is about detectives trying to figure out the perpetrators of a series of crimes such as murders, homicide and sexually oriented crimes within the first 48 hours of their occurrence. Many people have said that the series “48 Hours” has a case of “missing white women syndrome.” This controversy centers on the disproportionate amount of media attention given to cases involving young, attractive white women while cases involving minorities are largely ignored.

Many people argue that watching or listening to true crime teaches valuable lessons and skills such as self defense and problem solving skills.

“They can make us more self-aware and help us better protect ourselves,” said freshman Nadhir Mohmammad.

While true crime can be informative, there’s a dark reality behind it all. True crime’s unintended consequences impact female victims and leave people of color severely ignored, which negatively affects the true crime community as a whole.