I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent disappearance of Nicola Bulley, a Lancashire mother of two, who has been missing since January 27th. Although disappearances are unfortunately not that uncommon, Nicola’s case has gripped the nation and frequents the front pages of the newspapers.
What is particularly striking about the case is not the extensive media coverage, but the chokehold the mystery has on ‘true crime’ lovers. Most of the general public are no stranger to the popular genre of ‘true crime’ that can be found on Netflix, YouTube and TikTok, ranging from professional documentaries to creators who combine a makeup tutorial with a murder case voiceover for entertainment.
I can completely understand the popularity of such stories. There is a natural instinct to gather information about the extremes of humanity, especially when such cases have the allure of being unsolved. However, there is a certain cruelty in the sensationalizing of such a sad matter, particularly when it is still ongoing.
Those who have flocked to social media seem to believe that they should be able to weigh in on the investigation. Search “Nicola Bulley” on these platforms, and you’ll find a mass of videos pointing out ‘missed’ details and far-fetched hypotheses. Call me old-fashioned, but I find it hard to believe that the professional investigators are likely to be bested by ‘Crime-Tok’.
The sensationalizing of cases such as Nicola’s comes hand-in-hand with recent controversies surrounding the glamourization of criminals such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, who have been portrayed by popular, attractive actors Zac Efron and Evan Peters, respectively. This has largely resulted in a detachment from the true tragedy of these events, as it becomes easier to forget that such horrific crimes are not works of fiction or additions to popular culture.
Nicola’s disappearance is desperately sad. She vanished whilst walking her dog, having dropped her two children off at school. Local police insist that there is no evidence of third-party involvement and are instead devoting their time to searching areas surrounding where she was last seen by passers-by. You cannot help but empathise with her family and friends, who have undoubtedly spent the last few weeks in emotional turmoil, hoping for Nicola’s safe return.
On Thursday February 16, Nicola’s family released a statement imploring people to stop “speculating and threatening to sell stories about her” after the police disclosed Nicola’s struggles with alcohol brought on by menopause. This invasion of privacy undoubtedly adds an unwelcome layer of anxieties for the family and friends, fuelled by the interest on social media.
There is nothing that can be done about the popularity and allure of true crime as a genre; what must be stressed is the importance of maintaining sensitivity despite the interest; it must be remembered that Nicola’s family and friends are going through a traumatic time, and do not deserve rampant speculation.
Image “Police Crime Scene Tape” by JobsForFelonsHub is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Has ‘true crime’ gone too far?
I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent disappearance of Nicola Bulley, a Lancashire mother of two, who has been missing since January 27th. Although disappearances are unfortunately not that uncommon, Nicola’s case has gripped the nation and frequents the front pages of the newspapers.
What is particularly striking about the case is not the extensive media coverage, but the chokehold the mystery has on ‘true crime’ lovers. Most of the general public are no stranger to the popular genre of ‘true crime’ that can be found on Netflix, YouTube and TikTok, ranging from professional documentaries to creators who combine a makeup tutorial with a murder case voiceover for entertainment.
I can completely understand the popularity of such stories. There is a natural instinct to gather information about the extremes of humanity, especially when such cases have the allure of being unsolved. However, there is a certain cruelty in the sensationalizing of such a sad matter, particularly when it is still ongoing.
Those who have flocked to social media seem to believe that they should be able to weigh in on the investigation. Search “Nicola Bulley” on these platforms, and you’ll find a mass of videos pointing out ‘missed’ details and far-fetched hypotheses. Call me old-fashioned, but I find it hard to believe that the professional investigators are likely to be bested by ‘Crime-Tok’.
The sensationalizing of cases such as Nicola’s comes hand-in-hand with recent controversies surrounding the glamourization of criminals such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, who have been portrayed by popular, attractive actors Zac Efron and Evan Peters, respectively. This has largely resulted in a detachment from the true tragedy of these events, as it becomes easier to forget that such horrific crimes are not works of fiction or additions to popular culture.
Nicola’s disappearance is desperately sad. She vanished whilst walking her dog, having dropped her two children off at school. Local police insist that there is no evidence of third-party involvement and are instead devoting their time to searching areas surrounding where she was last seen by passers-by. You cannot help but empathise with her family and friends, who have undoubtedly spent the last few weeks in emotional turmoil, hoping for Nicola’s safe return.
On Thursday February 16, Nicola’s family released a statement imploring people to stop “speculating and threatening to sell stories about her” after the police disclosed Nicola’s struggles with alcohol brought on by menopause. This invasion of privacy undoubtedly adds an unwelcome layer of anxieties for the family and friends, fuelled by the interest on social media.
There is nothing that can be done about the popularity and allure of true crime as a genre; what must be stressed is the importance of maintaining sensitivity despite the interest; it must be remembered that Nicola’s family and friends are going through a traumatic time, and do not deserve rampant speculation.
Image “Police Crime Scene Tape” by JobsForFelonsHub is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Share this:
Like this:
Related