Why Netflix's New True-Crime Documentary Is Leaving Users 'Filled With Rage'
Content warnings: physical abuse and sexual assault
The true-crime genre has uncovered some of America's most disturbing stories. The horrifying "Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare" details an abusive therapy camp in Utah, and the series "Conversations with a Killer" looks at the inner workings of notorious murderers. "American Nightmare" is Netflix's latest docuseries to resonate with viewers.
The rage-inducing horror of "American Nightmare" is two-pronged. The three-part docuseries details the abduction of Denise Huskins in 2015, as well as the response from authorities, who didn't believe the kidnapping was legitimate. On March 23, 2015, a group of intruders broke into the California home of Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn. Huskins' and Quinn's hands were zip-tied, and their eyes were covered in duct tape-covered goggles before Huskins was forced into the trunk of Quinn's car. About 48 hours later, she emerged in Huntington Beach, California — 400 miles from her home in Vallejo. Huskins was traumatized and said she had been raped by her assailants. The police, meanwhile, blamed Quinn for his girlfriend's disappearance.
Huskins' story is terrifying in its own right, and full of the sorts of twists and turns ideal for a true-crime adaptation. It's the police's tepid response, however, that enraged viewers. "If you want to see what's wrong with police when it comes to women reporting violence and [sexual assault], you should watch," wrote one user on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another X user added, "Highly advise you don't watch #AmericanNightmare before going to bed. I am too filled with rage to fall asleep."
American Nightmare shines a light on the criminal justice system
When news of Denise Huskins' abduction first broke, the story was dubbed "the 'Gone Girl' case" by the media, owing to its similarities to the 2014 David Fincher film. For those who've watched "American Nightmare," the police and the media are both guilty of victim-blaming and inadequate investigation. As one X user described the docuseries, "Police don't solve or investigate—they find who they can easily build the easiest case against—and the media helps them do it with little regard to truth." It's an eye-opening documentation of inadequacy in the criminal justice system, especially compared to so-called "copaganda" shows like "Law & Order," in which the truth is always meted out. In reality, less than a third of sexual assaults are reported to the police.
The inadequate police response made Huskins' ordeal all the more traumatizing. "It didn't make any sense to have law enforcement — the people who have the power to investigate and to help — just turn against you," she told Netflix's Tudum. "It made it that much more frightening. ... There was just so many layers of betrayal and injustice."
"American Nightmare" shows the all too frequent reality of an unbelieving and largely ineffectual police force, making it stand apart from other run-of-the-mill true-crime stories. Huskins says in the series, "I don't know what needs to happen to me, what needs to happen to any woman for them to be believed."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).