Katy Perry criticised for past Jeffrey Dahmer lyrics

Katy Perry has received criticism for referencing serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in hit song 'Dark Horse'.

The 2013 song features the lyric: "She eats your heart out like Jeffrey Dahmer."

The lyric, which is performed by featured artist Juicy J, has come under the spotlight nine years after it was released because of a new Netflix series which depicts Dahmer's crimes.

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One user on Twitter hit out at Perry over the song's lyric, saying: "It still upsets me when I hear the line in the song Dark Horse 'She eats your heart out like Jeffrey Dahmer' and I always make my daughter turn the station.

"It's so disrespectful to the victims families."

Another fan stated: "Why isn't anyone calling out Katy Perry for allowing such a vile & terrible lyric to be included in one of her hit songs? Jeffrey was a notorious serial killer & Katy CHOSE to romanticise his criminal & inhumane actions. I actually feel sick to my stomach. She NEEDS to apologise."

Dahmer is one of America's most infamous serial killers and is known to have murdered and dismembered at least 17 men between 1978 and 1991.

His crimes also involved cannibalism and necrophilia.

Dahmer's story is currently being told in a Netflix series starring Evan Peters as the serial killer.

The show has been criticised by relatives of Dahmer's victims with one posting on social media: "I'm not telling anyone what to watch, i know true crime media is huge rn, but if you’re actually curious about the victims, my family (the Isbell’s) are pissed about this show. It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?"

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has received mixed reviews overall with praise going mostly towards the performance of Peters.

Watch more: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story trailer