words by: Elly Savva
*TW // Domestic violence: This piece talks about details of abuse that may be triggering for survivors*
Despite the recent verdict which ruled that Amber Heard had been subjected to violence by her ex-husband Johnny Depp, many on the internet have rushed to DeppÔÇÖs defence. Leaked phone calls suggest that their marriage was messy and Heard fought back. However, the fact that she isnÔÇÖt a ÔÇÿperfect victimÔÇÖ doesnÔÇÖt detract from the violence that she was subjected to.
The libel claim that concluded on the 2nd November was brought to the court by Depp, as he filed a lawsuit after an article in the Sun labelled the actor a ÔÇ£wife-beaterÔÇØ. Whilst the judge accepted the damage it had caused to DeppÔÇÖs career, he found Depp to be guilty of 12 counts of domestic violence against Ms Heard.
Depp as the tortured artist:
Successful, charming, and conventionally attractive, Johnny Depp has been held as an object of affection for many. In recent years, his struggle with substance issues pushed him neatly into the box of the ÔÇÿtortured artistÔÇÖ, a trope that puts wealthy white men on a pedestal that allows them the luxury of continued success and admiration despite wrongdoings. Two years after allegations of his domestic abuse became public knowledge, the actor landed a front cover feature on British GQ. Conducted in DeppÔÇÖs villa in the South of France, the profile depicts Depp as ÔÇ£vulnerableÔÇØ and ÔÇ£aggrievedÔÇØ, portraying the image of a loveable rogue drowning in his inner turmoils. His character was painted like something of a damsel in distress, subservient to his emotions, and deserving of our sympathy. The 57-year old actor has an estimated net worth of around $200 million.
On the other side, Amber Heard as the ‘Untrustworthy’ woman:
Amber Heard doesnÔÇÖt fit our expectations of a victim. She doesnÔÇÖt act in the way that people want women, or victims, to act. Perhaps this is rooted in the distrust of women who own their sexuality for themselves, rather than for men. When asked in a 2018 interview about how comfortable she felt filming sex scenes, Heard responded swiftly and confidently with ÔÇ£I never feel uncomfortable with my sexuality, I donÔÇÖt think that takes from my power as a womanÔÇØ. Whilst it would be easier to accept Heard as a victim if she were a subdued character who shied away from sex, she is assertive and often characterised as difficult. The actress is 23 years younger than Depp, with a net worth of $9 million which pales in comparison to his wealth.
Whilst Heard prefers not to label herself, she has had public relationships with women. Her sexual orientation has often been a focal point for the media, feeding directly into negative portrayals of Heard as a suspicious character. Media outlets highlighted her sexuality in articles where it had no relevance, such as the Scottish Daily MailÔÇÖs headline ÔÇ£Will Johnny DeppÔÇÖs bisexual wife now take him for ┬ú35m?ÔÇØ. Elsewhere, a 2016 article in the Sun titled ÔÇ£Bye, bi AmberÔÇØ placed the blame of HeardÔÇÖs divorce on her sexuality. It included quotes from a source who suggested Heard had ÔÇ£always made her bisexual tendencies quite obviousÔÇØ, suggesting that her refusal to hide its existence had sparked arguments and drove Depp into insanity from his jealousy.
Negative stereotypes portray bisexual women to be promiscuous, sneaky, and untrustworthy. An Australian talk show host suggested that it was ÔÇ£not wise [of Depp] to marry a bisexualÔÇØ, suggesting that the actor had made a mistake in choosing to be with a queer woman. These kinds of comments reflect the way that homophobia and misogyny uniquely intersect against women. Why should a successful Hollywood movie star make the mistake of marrying a woman who isnÔÇÖt solely attracted to men?
The links between bisexuality and abuse:
Whilst bisexual women face public discrimination, behind closed doors they are a demographic who are likely to face abuse. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey released in 2013 found that bisexual women experienced a higher prevalence of physical violence in their relationships than both heterosexual and lesbian women, with 61.1% of bisexual women reporting rape, physical violence, or stalking by a partner. Out of those who reported this behaviour, 89.5% stated that they had only experienced this abuse at the hands of male partners. This pattern suggests that the intersection of misogyny and homophobia can manifest as violence against women in intimate relationships.
DeppÔÇÖs violence:
DeppÔÇÖs jealousy over HeardÔÇÖs sexuality was an alleged cause for his violence. Assaults included Depp tearing out her hair, kicking and head-butting her, and putting his hands around her neck to choke her. These were evidenced by audiotapes, pictures, and text messages sent by Depp. In the second incident observed by the court, Depp allegedly hit her and split her lip after heÔÇÖd tried to set fire to a picture painted by her ex-girlfriend. In text messages following the alleged incident, Depp referred to it as a ÔÇ£disco bloodbathÔÇØ. In another incident, Heard claimed that Depp had become jealous after one of her female friends had touched and hugged her, throwing glasses at Heard and ripping her dress. The judge ruled that Depp was guilty of abuse on both of these occasions, on top of 10 other ÔÇ£sustained and multiple assaultsÔÇØ that left Heard fearful for her life.
Heard claims that Depp called her ÔÇ£fame-hungryÔÇØ and a ÔÇ£sl*tÔÇØ in response to the way she dressed. She maintains that in verbal attacks he spoke of wanting to watch her being raped. In text messages sent by the actor, he called her a ÔÇ£fat ugly wh*reÔÇØ, labelling her a ÔÇ£witchÔÇØ and spoke about wanting to burn her, drown her, and “f**k her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she is dead“. His lawyers suggested that these texts shouldnÔÇÖt be taken seriously. DeppÔÇÖs fans mirrored his words as they displayed the statement ÔÇ£ditch the witchÔÇØ outside the London high court.
DeppÔÇÖs defence suggested that Heard had constructed an elaborate hoax as some kind of insurance policy against him in their divorce. Such suggestions rely on the ÔÇÿgold-diggerÔÇÖ defence against female claimants, a stereotype that characterises women as greedy liars who make victims of na├»ve men. This line of accusation didnÔÇÖt stand up in court, as the examination of evidence found Depp to be guilty of violence on multiple occasions. Heard donated the entirety of her ┬ú5.5 million divorce settlement to charity.
The fact that the characterisation of Heard as a ÔÇÿgold-diggerÔÇÖ was dismissed has been celebrated by domestic violence charities. They emphasised the fact that this will encourage other people to seek justice, no matter how powerful their perpetrator might be. The rejection of these tropes will set a precedent going forwards and prevent the replication of it in court. WomenÔÇÖs Aid added that everybody ÔÇ£deserves to be listened to and believedÔÇØ, even when they donÔÇÖt fit the image of the ‘perfect’ victim.
Whilst the odds were stacked against Amber Heard, she left court vindicated. Despite having her character and her sexuality dragged through the mud by the internet and the media, she stood firmly against her abuser. Equipped with enormous wealth, high-status, and a dedicated fanbase, Johnny Depp expected to clear his name and gain compensation. In this case, his power and money failed to protect him from the consequences of his violence. By standing up against one of HollywoodÔÇÖs most treasured stars and succeeding, Amber Heard has proven that you donÔÇÖt have to be the ÔÇÿperfect victimÔÇÖ to prove your truth, no matter how powerful or loved your abuser might be.
If you have been affected by domestic abuse, the 24hr National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available on 0808 2000 247
Interested in reading more about this topic? How about our other articles:
– An Interview with a Specialist Sexual Offences Barrister
– The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein
– Rough Sex Doesn’t Kill, Abuse Does: What the New Changes Will Mean
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