5 reasons why women feel relaxed and calmer watching murder and true crime shows

For some women, relaxation comes with an unexpected soundtrack: a detective discussing a murder, police cars flashing on screen, and a narrator saying, “But there was one clue investigators had missed.”

It may sound like an odd way to unwind, but true crime has become a favourite form of entertainment for many women. Research suggests there are several psychological reasons behind the fascination, and it is not simply because women enjoy watching terrible things happen.

A 2025 study published in the British Journal of Psychology found that women consumed true crime more than men and were particularly likely to report defensive vigilance as a reason for watching. This refers to seeking information about dangerous situations in order to understand better, anticipate or avoid them. The researchers also identified curiosity and excitement as important reasons people are drawn to true crime.

Here are five reasons murder documentaries can sometimes feel surprisingly calming.

It puts fear in a box

Real life is frightening partly because danger can be unpredictable. You can be walking home, getting into a taxi or meeting someone for the first time without knowing what might happen next.

True crime turns that vague fear into a story with a beginning and an ending. There is a victim, an investigation, clues, suspects and, in many cases, an eventual explanation.

That structure can make frightening subjects feel more manageable. Instead of simply thinking about all the terrible things that could happen in the world, the viewer is following one particular case and watching investigators slowly make sense of it.

The 2025 psychological study found that fear of crime was associated with greater true crime consumption, while defensive vigilance was particularly important among women. The researchers suggested that seeking information about threats may help some people reduce uncertainty and feel more prepared.

There is something strangely comforting about knowing where the danger is, even when that danger happens to be on Netflix.

It teaches women what to notice

Many women already have a mental list of safety rules. Tell someone where you are going. Do not accept a lift from a stranger. Be careful about who gets access to your home. Trust your instincts.

True crime can add more examples to that mental handbook.

While watching a case, a viewer may notice how the victim met the attacker, what behaviour appeared suspicious or which decisions eventually became important to the investigation. These details can influence how viewers think about their own safety.

Researchers have found evidence that women may be particularly interested in true crime as a form of defensive information seeking. However, this should not be exaggerated into the idea that every woman watches murder documentaries to learn self-defence. A 2025 study based on interviews with 18 women found that their relationship with true crime was much more complicated, involving curiosity, ethics, victimhood, safety and questions about how real victims are represented.

For some women, therefore, the programme is entertainment first and a safety lesson somewhere in the background.

It gives the brain a puzzle

Sometimes the attraction is much simpler: Who did it?

True crime is essentially a giant puzzle wrapped in a disturbing story. There are clues to follow, suspicious characters to analyse and timelines to reconstruct. Viewers start making their own theories long before the detective announces the answer.

Psychologists describe one part of this attraction as morbid curiosity, which involves seeking information about unpleasant, dangerous or frightening subjects.

The recent British Journal of Psychology study found that morbid curiosity was strongly associated with true crime consumption, particularly curiosity about the minds of dangerous people. The researchers also found that excitement contributed to people’s interest.

That concentration can become an escape from everyday worries. For an hour, the brain is not thinking about unpaid bills, office drama or that message someone has left on “seen”. It is trying to figure out why the suspect suddenly changed his story.

Fear feels different when you are safe

Watching somebody investigate a murder from the comfort of your sofa is very different from actually being in danger.

That distance matters.

The viewer can experience suspense, fear and excitement while knowing that she is physically safe. She can pause the episode, make tea, scroll through her phone or simply switch it off when things become too disturbing.

Research into frightening entertainment has suggested that controlled exposure to frightening material can sometimes provide opportunities to experience and manage difficult emotions. The recent true crime research similarly explored emotion regulation as one possible reason people consume the genre, although the researchers stressed that more research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.

In other words, the fear is contained. It has a screen around it.

Justice brings relief

Many true crime stories begin with chaos but end with answers.

A suspect is identified. Evidence is uncovered. A missing person is found. A killer is arrested. A family finally learns what happened.

That resolution can be emotionally satisfying, particularly because real life does not always provide it.

The recent research found that authenticity, including the appeal of real stories, mystery and justice, was an important motivation for true crime audiences. However, it also found that curiosity and defensive vigilance helped explain true crime interest beyond those factors.

For some women, watching investigators gradually restore order to a chaotic situation may therefore feel reassuring. The story starts with uncertainty and, ideally, ends with an explanation.

That does not mean true crime is automatically relaxing. Some people become more frightened after watching it, especially when programmes are graphic or focus heavily on violence. The effect can also depend on someone’s existing fear of crime and the type of programme they choose.