A new Netflix series dramatising the crimes of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer has ignited controversy over its emphasis on the murderer's upbringing rather than his victims. The ten-part show, titled 'Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story', revisits the horrific acts of a man who killed and dismembered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, preying mostly on poor, young black men.
Dahmer's reign of terror ended in July 1991 when a victim, Tracy Edwards, escaped his Milwaukee apartment and flagged down police. Officers found Dahmer calm and unperturbed, but a search of his flat revealed a scene of unspeakable horror: seven skulls, four heads, two human hearts, part of an arm, two complete skeletons, two preserved penises, and three headless torsos dissolving in acid in a 57-gallon barrel. Polaroid photos documented the dismemberment of his victims.
The series has drawn criticism for focusing on Dahmer's troubled childhood and psychological background, rather than the lives and suffering of those he murdered. Critics argue that the show risks humanising a monster and neglecting the stories of his victims, many of whom were from marginalised communities.
Netflix's decision to produce the series reflects the streaming service's appetite for true crime content, but has reignited debate about the ethics of dramatising such atrocities. The show's creators have defended their approach, saying they aimed to explore the factors that led to Dahmer's crimes, but many viewers remain uncomfortable with the focus on the killer's perspective.
