August 2025
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    So, I finally got my hands on a dark romance book for the first time a few days ago. I was expecting a romance story bleaker and pessimistic than the traditional romance. It turned out to be more extreme.

    I have never been so traumatized reading a book. And the popular arguments for dark romance didn’t help either.

    **Disclaimer:** I’m not here to shame or judge anyone and I’m not calling for any legal action. I just want to do a critical analysis of the subgenre, examining the popular arguments for it.

    The two tropes I’ll be brushing on here specifically are physical and sexual abuse as they’re portrayed in Dark Romance(DR). So, here goes.

    **Won’t DR attract readers to abusive relationships?**

    This was my first question after reading. The common answer from the DR crowd is, *”No,” readers can separate fiction from reality. And DR won’t turn them to abusive relationships any more than violent video games turn gamers to violence.*

    True, most people separate fiction from reality. But the kind of entertainment you consume does influence your reality. And there’ve been studies on this.

    I’m even aware of one case about a DR reader/writer who endured an abusive relationship with her ex because in the bedroom he fulfilled her sexual fantasies.

    The video game analogy isn’t the best here. Porn is a better one as it’s more closely related to sex and romance. We know it does influence viewers’ attitudes to sex.

    **Next, what about DR as a safe outlet for readers to explore their dark fantasies or kinks?**

    This is a morally grey zone since people can’t help what kink or fantasy they nuture. But we’re dealing with dark deadly kinks here. Not just that, the kinds of MMCs in these stories are criminals or psychos.

    So picture this. A reader who feeds their fantasy of getting dub-con/non-con by a vicious individual.

    Just how many steps is that removed from the women sending convicted killers like Ted Bundy & Chris Watts love letters in prison? Hybristophilia is the term.

    **Crime Fiction or Horror gets a free pass to depict violence & abuse. Why all the fuss with DR?**

    Because only in DR is abuse eroticized.

    **Can DR be therapeutic for victims of abuse?**

    My findings confirm it’s a double-edged sword. Some victims admit it is therapy, others find it triggering. I really can’t imagine how it works for those who claim it’s therapeutic. But what do I know?

    That said, given all of the other cons or drawbacks of DR, I’ll be wary of recommending it to anyone at all.

    So, is dark romance safe? I think my inquiry and analysis so far sums up my answer.

    by Kryptin

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