The People Who Love Killers

Every day, murderers receive letters from people who admire them. Online communities on websites like Reddit bring together people with hybristophilia, essentially a sexual attraction to criminals.

In the case of one community, self-identified hybristophiles come together to discuss their mutual attraction to serial killers and other dangerous figures. Some users comment on how “hot” these people are, while some go as far as to discuss their satisfaction in the way the killers “had sex with” their victims. On the sidebar is a clear statement. “Some believe they can change a man as cruel and powerful as a serial killer, but we don’t want change, we find them attractive as they are.”

Some people embrace their affection for those who could never be called merely a “bad boy.” They share this philia as if it were not more controversial than discussing your favorite holiday frappucino. In between the excited statements (“Okay, but I literally have the same obsessions! OMG!”) and heart emojis are comments with a simple message. “Get therapy.”

Stumbling upon this community was probably not as startling as it should have been. I’d definitely heard about famous cases of people falling in love with murderers. But I didn’t expect to find people discussing the details of their affection in such a blasé manner. I realized I had a lot to learn.

What Is Hybristophilia?

Hybristophilia is a sexual attraction or arousal linked to individuals who have done something…