The best true crime podcast will always be Criminal. Very little sex/murder, more like a This American Life for crime.
I think in part it’s hyper vigilance and some bits of “Just World” falllacy. When you are raised female, you’re constantly taught shit like always keeping a key ready between your knuckles when you’re walking outside at night, or where best to kick someone, or the debates on whether to shout “help” or something else - to be female is to be taught you are in danger. My mom was fucked up but the shit where she would obsessively show me where all the sex criminals in our neighborhood were wasn’t maybe that unusual.
The “Just World” aspect is maybe if you learn enough you can protect yourself. Listen to enough true crime podcasts and you’ll crack the pattern and protect yourself. Look at all the weird women on Facebook who post about their “close calls” with human trafficking - or even how police departments will feed into that shit.
Then perhaps a more complicated aspect - the most awful crimes are committed by those closest to us. Stranger danger is very appealing as an alternative.
