Amber Heard: Open Letter Condemns Vilification & Harassment Fuelled By Disinformation

The infamous defamation trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, unfortunately, led to the vilification of the former actor. Many people failed to accept or understand the fact that it was a civil suit rather than a criminal one, and neither of the parties won or lost the case.

Since it was Heard who was asked to pay more in comparison to Depp in Johnny C. Depp, II v. Amber Laura Heard, she became the bonafide culprit in the eyes of the public. These people conveniently forgot that Depp lost the libel case against British tabloid newspaper The Sun, who claimed he was “a wife-beater” in a similar trial in the UK.

American journalist Gloria Marie Steinem and hundreds of other experts in intimate partner violence are ‘deeply concerned’ by the outcome of the defamation trial and have signed an open letter condemning ‘vilification’ of the hearing.

Harassment Is Fueled By Disinformation

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The statement said that the vilification of Ms. Heard and the ongoing online harassment of the actor and those who supported her is unjustified. “Much of this harassment was fueled by disinformation, misogyny, biphobia and a monetised social media environment where a woman’s allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault were mocked for entertainment,” it further read.

Steinem is famous for her decades-long fight for equality in society, irrespective of gender. The signees added that victim-blaming and disinformation are now being thrown at women who have alleged abuse by their partner. It is creating a hostile environment for victims because social media users are passing the verdict before the case is even presented in court.

In the end, the letter concluded with, “We condemn the public shaming of Amber Heard and join in support of her. We support the ability of all to report intimate partner and sexual violence free of harassment and intimidation.”

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Harassment Of Victims In India

Image Courtesy: Instagram/amberheard

Since the defamation trial ended, victims of domestic violence in India are also subjected to the judgement of social media users. They are harassed and called “Amber Heard” when they speak up against abuse or discrimination. The survivors of the #MeToo movement are targeted as well.

Heard was not a ‘perfect victim’. She was allegedly violent herself, as some deem she partook in “reactive abuse”. However, it does not change the fact that Depp was allegedly the primary perpetrator due to the undue power imbalance in the relationship.

The MeToo movement in India started with actors coming out to speak about the abuse they were subjected to at the hands of renowned celebrities in the Hindi film industry. After Depp v. Heard, every woman who voiced their opinion against sexual harassment and violence faced the wrath of the public.

People tend to base their arguments on the fact that some women file false cases of abuse and assault. However, such cases comprise only a small percentage compared to the actual cases pending in our courts.

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In Depp v. Heard, neither of the parties had an ‘ideal victim’ image. Yet people favoured the man because he received compensation of $15 million while the woman received only $2 million.

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