Amber Heard And Johnny Depp Have Spoken Out After Defamation Verdict
"I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband."
Actor Johnny Depp has won his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard after a jury found that a statement Heard made about domestic violence in her 2018 opinion piece identified him.
The jury awarded Depp $US10.35 million in damages, while also finding that Heard was defamed by Depp’s lawyer — awarding her $US2 million. It’s important to note that the trial only delivered a verdict on whether or not Heard defamed Depp, not on whether either party is a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence or abuse.
Both actors have since taken to social media to issue statements on the verdict.
“False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me,” said Depp in a lengthy Instagram post. “It had already travelled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career.”
Heard shared her own statement on Twitter.
“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” said Heard. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.”
💕 pic.twitter.com/8vGMHykjkA
— Amber Heard (@realamberheard) June 1, 2022
The verdict concludes a lengthy court case that became a minefield of toxicity online and in the media, to the detriment of domestic violence survivors.
From viral TikTok videos and derogatory hashtags like #AmberTurd on social media, to the way the case has repeatedly been framed in traditional media, this defamation trial has had a detrimental impact on how we discuss such serious allegations.
While some news outlets like VICE, Vanity Fair and The Guardian penned opinion pieces on the misogyny and how this particular court case has impacted how we speak about domestic abuse and its survivors, these think-pieces were few and far between.
For the most part, the media — both traditional and social — did little more than gamify an extremely serious and sensitive court case. In addition to the obvious image selection and framing of news stories throughout the trial, we’ve seen everything from language learning app Duo Lingo making jokes on TikTok at Amber Heard’s expense, to comedian Chris Rock joking about how we should “believe all women, except Amber Heard.”
The defamation case may have come to an end, but the cultural impact this case — and its media attention — will have on domestic violence survivors is likely to live on for years to come.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can contact the following services. In an emergency, call 000.
- 1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
- Women’s Crisis Line: 1800 811 811
- Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491
- Mensline: 1300 789 978
- Lifeline (24-hour Crisis Line): 131 114