Nicola Bulley, what does everybody think?

[erobitha]

The police are getting criticism for mentioning her issues and some have said that this is ‘victim blaming’ but I have to say that I struggle to see how the police might be blaming her for her disappearance or how it would benefit them to do that? Couldn’t these revelations be an act of desperation from a police force who suspect that there might not be an innocent explanation like falling in the river? Could it be a ‘message’ to anyone who might be holding her against her will? A plea for sympathetic treatment? I know that the police have hardly been blameless in its treatment of female victims at times but I can’t see this as an example of ‘victim blaming?’

https://news.sky.com/story/nicola-bu...ggles-12812221

Id be interested to hear others opinions on this point.

They kept these details back for two weeks out of respect for her family, but it is plainly obvious that information had given the police the impetus to take the investigative actions they took.

I don’t think they are blaming the victim of anything - just saying that investigations take twists and turns based on information that the public doesn’t always see or know.

I do find it cynical though. It does reek a little of ‘look, we know what we are doing, we’re not incompetent’. They are putting the reputation of Lancs Police ahead of the victim and that is not good form in my view.

[Aethelwulf]

The police are getting criticism for mentioning her issues and some have said that this is ‘victim blaming’ but I have to say that I struggle to see how the police might be blaming her for her disappearance or how it would benefit them to do that? Couldn’t these revelations be an act of desperation from a police force who suspect that there might not be an innocent explanation like falling in the river? Could it be a ‘message’ to anyone who might be holding her against her will? A plea for sympathetic treatment? I know that the police have hardly been blameless in its treatment of female victims at times but I can’t see this as an example of ‘victim blaming?’

https://news.sky.com/story/nicola-bulley-ex-detective-says-police-have-destroyed-missing-mums-reputation-by-revealing-alcohol-struggles-12812221

Id be interested to here others opinions on this point.

Very sadly i think everything makes a bit more sense now. Why would there by any marks of someone slipping on banks, screaming and trying to clamber out if they possibly jumped straight in, or walked in and swam out a bit? The harness halfway down the bank. Seems as well like the dive search consultants didn't know about the wider context. They were under the impression she slipped and would been found near the bank. He said the prospect of someone going straight out into the deeper water where there is a bit of current makes it more likely she did indeed get out of that stretch and over the weir. The scans show she isn't in that area so it seems likely she is probably caught up in estuary part somewhere, or did make it out to sea. It is about 15 miles to the open sea from the weir so perhaps that is a bit less likely.

[caz]

I don't understand why the police finally released the information that Nicola was at high risk at the time she went missing, due to such intensely personal 'vulnerabilities', yet they didn't think to mention it before to the dive search consultants, with instructions to keep it confidential.

I am now leaning towards the poor woman wandering off in a highly emotional state, and either going into hiding somewhere, or even being lured away by someone who saw how vulnerable she was. Being personally vulnerable in any way, as we know only too well on this website, makes a woman more vulnerable to ill treatment by another person. It doesn't bear thinking about that she may be out there somewhere, hearing that the whole world now knows about her alleged struggles with the menopause and alcohol. That's ill treatment right there, in its own right.

It may turn out to be the sad reality, that she disappeared of her own accord, but what a terrible message for the police to send out in 2023, to anyone who would do harm to a woman, that more time and resources will be spent looking for an 'innocent' solution if the victim has already been identified as high risk, with 'specific vulnerabilities'.

Jeremy Bamber got the message loud and clear, when he tried to set up his own sister for the murder of his family. Many people bought into it because of her 'specific vulnerabilities', and some still believe in his innocence today.

Back in 1888, Catherine Mylett was believed by some to have fallen down drunk in an awkward position, with her larynx pressed against the collar of her dress. How many of us remember in recent years the theory that Liz Stride fell neck first onto a boot scraper in Dutfield's Yard? Both vulnerable women, held responsible by some for their own fate.

Love,

Caz
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[caz]

Murder victim Sarah Everard had one specific vulnerability which led directly to what happened to her.

Like millions of other women, she trusted a policeman with her personal safety.

[Monty]

I don't understand why the police finally released the information that Nicola was at high risk at the time she went missing, due to such intensely personal 'vulnerabilities', yet they didn't think to mention it before to the dive search consultants, with instructions to keep it confidential.

I do not understand why the dive team would need to be informed of the MISPERS personal circumstance.

There was no evidence, until yesterday, that this person had fallen foul of anything sinister.

Monty

[Monty]

Murder victim Sarah Everard had one specific vulnerability which led directly to what happened to her.

Like millions of other women, she trusted a policeman with her personal safety.

A rather unfair and sweeping analogy Caz. This incident and that have no connectivity whatsoever.

Monty

[Abby Normal]

Its a tough issue for sure, but IMHO as soon as the police knew of her "specific vulnerability" they should have let everyone know, especially the dive team. Again, I think full transperancy is best in these types of situations. In the case of a missing person--The more the public knows, the more they can be of assistance, and less confusion. but thats just my opinion.

[Darryl Kenyon]

You’ve got one half saying “why didn’t you say she’d got health issues”, and the other half saying “how dare you tell people she’s got health issues”!!
The police just couldn't win.

Regards Darryl

[Abby Normal]

You’ve got one half saying “why didn’t you say she’d got health issues”, and the other half saying “how dare you tell people she’s got health issues”!!
The police just couldn't win.

Regards Darryl

agree DK
and im firmly in the first camp. and i like how you said health issues too, because mental health issues is the same thing. would police hesitate to tell the public if a missing person was diabetic, and needs medication? no they do it all the time and rightly so. we need to get rid of the stigma that mental health issues are somehow embarrassing or something to be ashamed of.

[Pcdunn]

got it. but reading between the lines it sounds like they are implying mental issues and suicide by drowning does it not?

I think "private" vulnerabilities could refer to some problems in the marriage or relationship, too.
Did police try tracker dogs and still fail to find any trace of Nicola? Very weird, if so, though I guess that area might be cluttered with the scents of all sorts of people and other dogs.
Cadaver dogs probably aren't warranted, as they assume she was alive at the time of her disappearance.

Edited to add another thought: How could she assure drowning in the river? Do as Virginia Woolf, and load her pockets with stones to weigh her down.

[FISHY1118]

agree DK
and im firmly in the first camp. and i like how you said health issues too, because mental health issues is the same thing. would police hesitate to tell the public if a missing person was diabetic, and needs medication? no they do it all the time and rightly so. we need to get rid of the stigma that mental health issues are somehow embarrassing or something to be ashamed of.

Spot on .

[Wickerman]

I think "private" vulnerabilities could refer to some problems in the marriage or relationship, too.
Did police try tracker dogs and still fail to find any trace of Nicola? Very weird, if so, though I guess that area might be cluttered with the scents of all sorts of people and other dogs.
Cadaver dogs probably aren't warranted, as they assume she was alive at the time of her disappearance.

Edited to add another thought: How could she assure drowning in the river? Do as Virginia Woolf, and load her pockets with stones to weigh her down.

If the body is weighed down, how did it get up and over the weir?

[Bridewell]

If the body is weighed down, how did it get up and over the weir?

Quite. More likely to be trapped under tree roots close to the bank.

[Dickere]

agree DK
and im firmly in the first camp. and i like how you said health issues too, because mental health issues is the same thing. would police hesitate to tell the public if a missing person was diabetic, and needs medication? no they do it all the time and rightly so. we need to get rid of the stigma that mental health issues are somehow embarrassing or something to be ashamed of.

Agree, but the problem with unseen health issues is that anyone can claim to have them. Very quickly, every missing person case is top of the list due to mental health high-risk issues, otherwise their family won't be treated as a priority case.

[caz]

A rather unfair and sweeping analogy Caz. This incident and that have no connectivity whatsoever.

Monty

Maybe not, Monty, except that Lancashire Police have now alerted Nicola, in the event she is still out there somewhere, taking time out, to the fact that the whole world now knows about her deeply personal health issues. What effect that could have on her already vulnerable state does not bear thinking about.

The killer of Sarah Everard was known as "The Rapist" among his fellow officers. Is it an unfair or sweeping statement to say the police in general need to clean up their act concerning their attitude towards vulnerable women everywhere?

Love,

Caz
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