Beyond the private effects for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, after a jury ruled Wednesday on the high-profile case, some domestic violence experts fear the trial and verdict will have an impact on domestic violence victims.
The Virginia jury largely sided with the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, awarding the actor more than $10 million in damages for a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Amber Heard claimed to have been a victim of domestic violence.
Heard then counterattacked, claiming that Depp was seeking to destroy his career. The jury also concluded that this was partially true and awarded him $2 million.
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Some domestic violence experts said what is transparent to them is that the spectacle of the trial itself can prevent victims from coming forward.
The victims’ lawyer, Tunisia Offray, said that long before the verdict, she feared the heavily guarded trial would come to pass.
“This is a victim’s worst nightmare. For example, your superpower is when you can tell your story freely. It sets you free. It helps you heal. So when you start silencing victims, you know, through the justice system. , it can be a scary thing,” Offray said, adding that it’s potentially scary.
Experts already say that about 70% of domestic violence goes unreported. Add to that the celebrity detail and a trial seen by millions of other people around the world, some fear that victims will be afraid to face the kind of trumped-up charges they pay. having noticed on TV and that the attackers would possibly feel emboldened.
“My concern that this is the case with this and that other perpetrators, who are perpetrators, feel empowered by the fact that they can now go to court and say, ‘I need her to shut down and not tell her story. ‘Offray said.
In the Heard-Depp case, the two filed allegations of abuse, which experts say is uncommon.
Without legally accepting the verdict, attorney Carmen McDonald said she feared everything would be triggered.
“I agree that they’ve been swept away by the media and that’s unfortunate and sensationalist and that also makes things harder,” McDonald told CBSLA. “I’m sure in homes where it’s abused, communicating it as a way of saying, ‘You see, you’re wrong, or ‘This is what’s going to happen to you. ‘”
McDonald also suggested patients seek help and consider their characteristics despite what some see as a combined outcome.
“This shows how complicated the legal barriers are for survivors. This shows that survivors come in all shapes and sizes. I let everything you saw in this trial discourage you. Ask for help. Every case is different,” he said.
After the verdict, Amber Heard said she was heartbroken. Depp’s lawyers said his was in the truth aspect.