On May 27th 2016, Johnny Depp’s life changed forever when his ex-wife, Amber Heard, filed a TRO citing domestic abuse. Two years later, she claimed to represent victims of domestic and sexual abuse by publishing an Op-Ed in the Washington Post that referenced her relationship to Depp - with the help of the ACLU - on December 18th 2018.

insult was then added to injury when The Sun newspaper in the UK questioned his role in JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts franchise, calling him a “wife beater”. Thus began a court battle which he inevitably lost, due to Amber Heard’s evidence not being open to the same discovery rules as Depp’s (not to mention the various corrupt links regarding the judge and others involved).

The last 6 years have been an emotional rollercoaster for Johnny Depp, having to publicly face unsubstantiated abuse claims and fight for his right to tell the truth. Supporters have stood by him from the very beginning on this fight, having heard every audio and read every testimony.

Fast forward to June 1st 2022 and Johnny Depp is finally free from abuse allegations. After a 6-week long defamation trial in the Virginia courts, a jury sifted through a mountain evidence that has been in the public domain for years - finally, Amber Heard was open to scrutiny. To cut a (very) long story short, the jury found that Amber Heard did defame Johnny Depp in her Op-Ed and ruled there was no evidence she was abuse & that she acted with malice. She was ordered to pay Depp damages in the amount of $10 million. 

This entire issue has highlighted something that has flown under the radar for far too long - that men CAN be victims of domestic abuse. They can be targeted by women who want to ruin you. Many female victims of domestic violence have spoken up in support of Depp, but probably more importantly, he has given millions of men their chance to be heard. Abuse takes many forms and there are no gender rules - anybody can be abused and the world is finally waking up.

June 1st will always be remembered as the day Johnny Depp was freed from his emotional turmoil and exhausting battle he’d been fighting for 6 years - it was also a long-overdue turning point, raising awareness about genderless domestic abuse.

Will you join me in making June 1st be forever  known as Johnny Depp Day?