Depp v. Heard: The Verdict and the Future
A verdict has been reached on the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial, and conversations are spreading about the effects that it will have. How will it change the future of people, specifically women, speaking out against domestic violence and abuse?
Depp initially sued Heard for defamation because of an op-ed she wrote in 2018 for the Washington Post. In the op-ed Heard states, “I became a public figure representing domestic abuse.” Depp sued her for $50 million, and Heard countersued for $100 million. Heard was found liable on all three counts, while Depp was only found liable on one. A timeline of the trial along with more information about the matter can be found here.
The Aftermath of The Verdict
After the verdict’s release, Depp and Heard both posted to social media.
— Amber Heard (@realamberheard) June 1, 2022
A large number of positive comments from Depp supporters have been made since the start of the trial, which means the opposite for Heard. Supporting Depp is often coming in the form of bashing Amber.
The way that Heard is being treated by the public is raising tons of questions about how the trial and verdict will affect domestic violence survivors, specifically women when speaking up against their abuser(s) in the future.
What has been happening to Heard?
Since the start of the six-week-long and highly-publicized trial, Heard has been under attack. A celebrity trial in the age of social media means live streams, articles, opinions, and debates are flooding the internet.
When the trial began, Depp’s stories and actions in court gained a lot more media traction than Heard’s. Depp supporters went to many lengths to paint Heard as 100% in the wrong, and many of the viral highlights from court are clips that make Depp look good. In other words, his image is being freed of any guilt, and all of it is being put onto Heard instead.
Whether it is about her, her lawyers, or her stories, people have been negatively speaking about Heard. They are also mocking her through memes and jokes. “#AmberTurd” is a trending tag. The video clip below shows a live stream of the trial with a mocking title and an influx of comments against Heard. Even when she speaks on social media, Heard has been limiting who can reply to/comment on her posts.
@shardonayyyyyy #amberturd ♬ original sound – Shardonay
Well, who is in the wrong?
Credibility is not at the heart of this issue. Depp and Heard were in an all-around abusive relationship, and that is no secret. The main point of contention is this: people are quickly jumping to Depp’s defense, which falls within the pattern of not believing women when they speak about abuse.
On the other hand, Depp supporters are saying that believing someone who, in their opinion is lying, is damaging to all abuse survivors regardless of gender. Fame and publicity are also in the picture, so this entire trial has a stronger hold on society than most.
Depp supporters and Heard supporters are standing strong in their opinions, pushing the validity of the party they disagree with under the rug. Social media is polarizing this trial and its verdict. There were wrongs on both ends, but people are immediately and strongly taking sides rather than acknowledging this.
Amber said this is a setback for women, but it’s not, it’s a huge step forward for any survivor of abuse. #MenToo #DeppVsHeard
— Court☕ (@ohdear23) June 1, 2022
What does the verdict mean for the future?
It is safe to assume that a celebrity trial will be spoken about for years to come, and that its fame will have an impact on society. This is no different for the Depp v. Heard trial.
As time goes on and more conversations are circulating the internet, more people are beginning to see that the case is not so black-and-white. This is helpful, but there are still many people who are unwilling to budge from their sides.
Depp’s side received more traction, and he then won the suit against Heard on all three counts. Because of this, misogynistic comments are being made. These comments typically have an ‘I told you so’ mentality, pointing out that Depp’s victory means Heard lied, and then a generalization comes up about how all women lie in these situations.
On the other side of things, some are saying that Heard is inflicting upon domestic violence survivors getting justice. These comments are being made on the basis that Heard is lying about everything, and that she is invalidating real survivors. It is also being said that believing Heard means ignoring that men can also be victims of abuse.
Still portraying women as victims at every opportunity… Would it hurt to acknowledge that women can be abusers, too?
— Greta Aurora (@GretaAurora) June 2, 2022
This obsession with female victimhood only fuels resentment and misunderstanding between the sexes.#DeppVHeardTrial #JusticeForJohnnyDepp #AmberHeardIsAnAbuser https://t.co/GN36NDVRSr
The verdict is still fresh and conversations are still happening. How people will react and speak about it in the future is unknown. Still, the verdict may negatively alter how women in cases of domestic violence will be treated and listened to, and the way that domestic abuse is spoken about in regards to gender. Exactly how is still up in the air.
Writer | Tweet me @rachelnazar
