As the entertainment world’s attention turned to the highly controversial Johnny Depp-Amber Heard lawsuit in 2022, social media, especially TikTok, played an undeniable role in shaping public opinion. Even now, in our day, the resonance of this moment still resonates. In the midst of the lawsuit, the hashtag battle was truly remarkable. #IStandWithAmberHeard managed to garner around 2.4 million views, which is an impressive number in itself.
However, #JusticeForJohnnyDepp’s staggering 6.8 billion views painted a very different picture. Sociologist Nicole Bedera, in a conversation at the time, attributed this skewed support in part to the fact that in libel cases, the accused speaks first. This meant that Depp’s side dominated the narrative at first.
Complex history of domestic violence
During the trial, Depp accused Heard of assaulting him, reigniting debate about how domestic violence victims are perceived in society. “We all think sexual assault is wrong and say we will believe and support survivors until the perpetrator is someone we know and love,” Bedera astutely commented. Depp’s claim that although Heard did not name him in her Washington Post op-ed, his reputation had suffered, has raised concerns about how the lawsuit will impact victims of intimate partner violence who come forward in the future.
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