The Assassination of Amber Heard

[DomesticatedZombie]

I hesitate to get involved in this topic - I've not followed the trial and I find the televising and subsequent media circus repugnant.

Unfortunately, it can and will have effects on how women are seen and treated, especially in dv cases, so I suppose in some ways we have no choice but to pay attention.

I thought this was a good article:

medium.com/@hannahxsummers/the-assassination-of-amber-heard-a2e861ad5ded

Agreed. Depp lost his defamation case and is not disputing a long list of documented and demonstrably abusive behaviours towards Amber Heard. She may not be perfect, but since when was being a nice person a prerequisite for being a victim of abuse?

I've been very disappointed by some colleagues who are supposed to work with abuse victims and who have been singing the praises of Depp's expert witnesses.

What even is the purpose of this latest trial?

Indeed.

I keep wondering how many years it will be before someone looks back at this and thinks what we're we thinking?!

I find the love for Depp shown by many quite astounding. I saw some videos on tiktok showing him pulling a chair out for a woman, helping another with a phone charger, just normal stuff and from this, hundreds of comments saying that proves he’s a good man, he’s so amazing, followed by various negative comments about Heard.

I don’t get it. They both seem to have been abusive to each other, but so many are determined to blame everything on Heard and see Depp come out of this as some sort of hero, angel, gentleman. All words I’ve read his fans call him recently.

Agreed. Was always a huge Depp fan but found his behaviour in this deeply suspect.

The truth seems to be they were both very abusive to each other and neither deserves glorifying.

I think you make the best point in your post, InvisibleDragon. He lost his case here in the UK, which is supposed to be an easier place to win such lawsuits. Says it all, in my opinion.

I think the televising of the trial is dreadful - so many armchair experts, analysing her body language, every 'smirk' and facial expression... ludicrous.

I don't think she is blameless in their toxic relationship - you could easily state that she was abusive too. However, Johnny Depp's behaviour seems to be white-washed and excused at every turn.

Just because he made some fun movies when I was growing up, doesn't excuse him and I'm a bit sick of seeing all my FB friends defending him.

I'd be genuinely interested to see the media reporting on this if a) they were a same sex male couple or b) a same sex female couple.

The fact that the woman is demonised and the man, despite both doing similarly horrific things (in general, not a like-for-like), is basically lionised, is just too fucking predictable.

Have seen some disturbing comments coming from men about her, it appears they’re as bad as each other but the overall atmosphere is it’s all just another excuse to give women another good kicking.

What's most disturbed me is that I've heard my thoughtful, kind, sensitive son coming out with MRA talking points 'she's lying' and 'she's just as bad as him' - he's heard this from people at school.

I suppose it's a learning opportunity to prompt lots of questions about media, trust, critical thinking, and we had a good chat (led by his dad) about coercive & controlling relationships and the disparity between the sexes in domestic violence.

Still. It's all hugely depressing.

I am very much Team Depp. I agree he is abusive, not a doubt that he has done wrong. However, she is notably lying. Some really weird lies too, an easy example, in her testimony she said she’s never played guitar but there’s videos of it, she said she didn’t know much about Depp or his films, there’s an interview before they met of her saying how much she admires him,

the issue here is she is an awful person. It completely undermines women’s rights and the fight for justice. She is a liar, it’s pure and simple. I’m also certain she’s snorting cocaine on the stand (the videos are circulating but I’ve been watching it live).

in summary - both are bad. But I think Heard was the main abuser. He could be full of tantrum and emotionally abusive, she seems like the main physical abuser.

People are angry with their different treatments.
Johnny Depp got fired.
Amber has not only kept her job but built up quite a reputation off the back of this.

They are BOTH abusers, they should both be 'cancelled' (if that's what we're supposed to do to abusers).

Also.. while there are more male abusers (in general) that is irrelevant to THIS particular case.
The Medium article's cherry picking of facts, rather dramatic tone... that's Medium for you though.

@Tigerandthetea it's comments like this that are so disturbing though. Yes they may have both done wrong during their relationship but everybody seems to be glossing over the absolutely disgusting things that Johnny has done and focusing only on what Amber has done.

So she lied about playing a guitar and about not seeing his films? How does that in anyway compare to him sexually abusing her with a bottle of kicking her on a plane (both of which have been proven).

People are going after her for what she wears, how she cries, how she blows her nose for goodness sake and yet a serious domestic abuser is getting given flowers by women outside of court. I seriously hope people start to get a grip.

he he is abusive, not a doubt that he has done wrong. However, she is notably lying

Her lying is equivalent to his physical abuse?

Do you mean - it's okay for a man to beat a woman if she lies?

And that makes you ‘Team Depp’? Why are you taking sides likes it’s a football match? It sounds like you’ve fallen for all the Depp ‘marketing’ and have been on tiktok shaking it’s all up. How fucking depressing.

shaking 😂 SOAKING IF ALL UP

Ffs. soaking IT all up

@NewCharacterUnlocked because I genuinely think he’s a victim. I don’t think he’s innocent but I do think her abuse was far more manipulative and awful. So out of the case, I would support Depp.

I don’t have Tiktok, I’m not 17.

I haven’t fallen for marketing I’ve watched it and seen how awful she is. Unfortunately she’s a crazy piece of shit. That’s the end for me.

he’s also grim, I don’t support his general being. Great actor but that’s as far as it goes for me. But I support him in this because I cannot stand her existence.

Thanks for starting thread of sanity. It’s been a horrible week.

You may not be 17 but you’re certainly more naive than many 17 year olds I know. I truly despair at attitudes like this. It’s easy to see why so many people, especially women, have such a low bar for relationships. You support him in this. It’s just baffling.

Both Heard & Depp give every impression of being utterly loathsome individuals who entirely deserved one another. I do not believe either of them, I hope both their careers are destroyed and I hope the lawyers manage to string out this self-destructive litigation for as long as necessary to bleed both of them dry.

Hear hear

An article from Jessica Taylor:

www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/world-news/amber-heard-faced-unfair-public-26900836

a facebook post from Jessica Taylor:

'Amber Heard is in such a unique and unethical situation this week, one that is virtually unheard of in any other case. She is having to disclose extremely traumatic assaults including sexual assault for hours on a stand, with no support, no measures, no protection.
In criminal or family law cases in many countries, there would be protection of a witness or victim giving a testimony such as this. They might deliver it by video link, or behind a screen, or protected from the suspect/abuser/ex. There would be safeguarding considerations.

Because this is a defamation lawsuit, and because it is being live broadcast on YouTube and other outlets, there are no protections or safeguards in place for her - or for anyone supporting her, or watching. The amount of kids watching is staggering, too. See tiktok.
This is where the theatrics, legal tactics and laughs of the last few weeks will all stop. We have a woman crying in the stand, retelling assaults and abuse, triggered, exhausted, whilst her ex sits right in front of her, with cameras pointed at her, with social media juries.

Arguably, the ethics and protections in this case are a farce. The deliberate public humiliation of her is obvious. The way it’s being positioned as some sort of entertaining public show, the queues outside, it’s unreal.
The fact that a man is going into court to face his ex wife giving extremely graphic testimony of sexual assault and abuse, is met with gifts, fans, banners, women crying and men high fiving him is pretty jaw dropping no matter your views on this case.
All in all, this entire case is a disgrace, but a MasterClass in misogyny, character assassination, public humiliation, legal theatrics, and social media PR.

This should never have been allowed to happen, & should never happen again. This isn’t how justice should work'

www.facebook.com/DrJessTaylor/

AH had been treated terribly. No-one is perfect and it tells us that unless a woman is "perfect" she will never be believed.
Of course she is allowed to fight back, to defend herself. I think she is very brave to go through this.
His descriptions match those of a violent relationship, with shouting and violence from both parties.
However, her description is of an abusive relationship where she loved him, wanted to help him but was scared of him and what he would do. His best argument is that it is mutual abuse.
I believe her.