Why Was Dahmer Able to Keep Killing?
Asking Difficult Questions
Asking Difficult Questions
We think discussing difficult stories is important because we can learn from them. These stories make us uncomfortable, anxious, and can be triggering, but if we want to prevent further injustices and harm, we must understand why and how they happened.
Among these tragedies is that of Jeffrey Dahmer’s and his horrendous crimes. Netflix’s Dahmer highlights several issues in contemporary society including why people commit crimes, the exploitation of tragedy for entertainment, and the importance of people’s identity. The show sparked debate on whether criminals are made or born, and a conversation about identity, representation, and difficult stories.
When Netflix first released Dahmer, they tagged* the show as LGBT+, causing an uproar. Some people complained that the show exacerbated the struggles that LGBT+ people face and thus called for the tag to be removed. Others have argued that the tag was removed because the show was not a positive portrayal of white gays. For some, telling the story of a gay killer can cast a dark shadow over the homosexual community and thus the tag could exacerbate how gays are perceived. Nevertheless, it is a fact that Dahmer slept with men and understanding the role that this played is significant. Dahmer was white and most of his victims were minorities. Structural racism made it easier for Dahmer to keep killing. For example, policemen found a crudely lobotomized boy who had escaped Dahmer’s apartment and rather than investigating, returned him to his tormentor. Their prejudice about minorities and homosexuals prevented them from realizing this boy was a victim.
Netflix’s show makes an effort to show that police racism made them derelict of their duties and hence permitted Dahmer to keep killing. Shockingly, Dahmer’s lawyer argued that the policemen that failed to investigate Dahmer should be reinstated because had cared and done a good job. Most of Dahmer’s victims were doubly marginalized because they were both racial minorities and homosexuals. For example, a Medium writer was angry because, “in no part of this movie does any white authority’s voice ever severely reprimand Dahmer ‘’. The lack of condemnation, this writer contents, legitimizes the mutilation of black bodies and exploits their deaths for profit. Some viewers, like KourtneyNicoleWrites💫✨🌟 , claim that they stopped watching the show because it was scarring and or it made them ill.
We think the show does highlight some of the structural problems which enabled Dahmer to murder. Figuring out how these structural problems allowed these appalling crimes to continue is important, even if it makes us deeply uncomfortable, if we want to prevent further crimes.
The real Dahmer denied that race determined who he killed; he claimed to have chosen them because he liked them. Dahmer offered men money to pose as models for him to take photos. It is likely that those needing money would have found these offers more tempting. Dahmer may have not targeted his victims because they were minorities. But being minorities made them more likely to become Dahmer’s victims. These individuals were vulnerable as they had to face racism, homophobia, and some lacked social support. The fact that these structural injustices placed these individuals at risk is a reminder of the importance of creating fair and just societies.
Understanding tragic events is key to formulating solutions to the problems we face as a society. Dahmer’s crimes shed light on at least two sets of questions we should seek to answer.
First, why do people commit crimes and how can we prevent them?
Second, how do structural issues affect victims and those who commit crimes.
Authors Christian Orlic & Lucas Heili
*Netflix uses tags which it attaches to shows so that viewers can find shows they may like.