The Amber Heard/Johnny Depp lawsuit is more than just a media affair with two stars tearing each other apart in front of the cameras. As the journalist Cécile Delarue has shown in particular in a brilliant documentary still available for free in replay, this process seems to be the crystallization of many dynamics of domination and sexism.
One year right after the end of the trial, almost 70 French personalities signed a column published in The Obsreport the harassment suffered by Amber Heard and beware of side effects of this case in the fight against gender-based and sexual violence. Among the signatories we find in particular authors, actresses or politicians known for their feminist commitment, such as Annie Ernaux, Camille Froidevaux-Metterie, Sandrine Rousseau or Illana Weizman.
Amber Heard: one victim among others
June 1, 2023 marked one year since the end of the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. The latter had sued his ex-wife for defamation after she had posted a video on the Washington Post. Without naming him, she insinuated that the actor had subjected her to domestic and sexual violence. Following a trial in which Amber Heard suffered unprecedented online harassment, Heard went into exile in Spain under an assumed name. As for Johnny Depp’s fate, we know it: after several years away from film studios, he made his comeback at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival.
Media events – and such violence are not insignificant. They mark a company. This is what the signatories of the forum underline. Denouncing a harassment campaign during which domestic sexual assault was exposed “were mocked for entertainment purposes”the authors explain:
” These disinformation techniques and guilt of the victim are now used against other people which revealed similar violence. »
“A Fundamental Misunderstanding” of Gender-Based and Sexual Violence
Firmly denouncing harassment and humiliation straight away from Amber Heard, signatories to this forum explain:
In our view, the Depp/Heard verdict and the speech it conveys reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and how surviving victims react. The massive spread of this disinformation has incalculable harmful consequences.
The signatories are particularly concerned “the increasing misuse of defamation lawsuits to threaten and/or silence victims/survivors. They conclude their column by expressing their support for Amber Heard, calling for the release of speeches from victims of gender-based and sexual violence:
We therefore strongly condemn the public humiliation that Amber Heard has suffered and send her our unwavering support. In doing so, we support the ability for any victim to report sexual and/or intimate partner violence against themselves, without harassment or intimidation.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
