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#abusehasnogender trends as Johnny Depp fans swarm online to slam Amber Heard

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 35, for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post claiming to be a victim of domestic violence and abuse

As the bitter legal battle between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard continues in Virginia, the hashtag #AbuseHasNoGender has gone viral on social media.

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 35, for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post claiming to be a victim of domestic violence and abuse. Meanwhile, the actress has filed a $100 million counterclaim against her ex-husband. The defamation trial will be broadcast live and feature several high-profile witnesses including Elon Musk, James Franco, and Paul Bettany. Depp's supporters have inundated social media with calls to recognize the domestic abuse of men, before opening arguments begin on Tuesday, April 12.

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"'Tell the world, Johnny, see what a Judge or Jury thinks. Tell the world, I Johnny Depp, a man, am a victim too of domestic violence. See how many people believe or side with you.' Hollywood knows JD is certified good people & Amber Heard was digging for gold. #AbuseHasNoGender," actor Greg Ellis tweeted, sharing audio footage of a phone call between Heard and Depp.

"THIS IS WHAT A DOMESTIC ABUSER LOOKS LIKE #JusticeForJohnnyDepp #AbuseHasNoGender #DomesticAbuse #AmberHeard #JohnnyDepp," the Twitter account for fathers' rights organization Fathers4Justice posted, sharing artwork depicting Heard as a domestic abuser.

"Pretty women can be abusers too. Don't be fooled by good looks," one Twitter user wrote.

"It’s time for Johnny Depp to get the justice he deserves. It’s time for men to feel that they can speak up about the abuse they endure. It’s time for us to support men through the trauma they experience. #JusticeForJohnnyDepp #AbuseHasNoGender," another added.

"#JusticeForJohnnyDepp because toxic narcissistic abusive women need to be held accountable too. #abusehasnogender The family courts need an overhaul. Let's start here," a comment read.

"It's time to stop ignoring the reality of female violence and erasing male victims of abuse. Equality means holding EVERYONE accountable for the harm they inflict. Gender does not excuse domestic violence," someone else offered.

"It doesn't matter that he's wealthy. It doesn't matter that he's a celebrity. It doesn't matter if he's not your cup of tea. What matters is he's a victim of DV. DV should matter to everyone. #AbuseHasNoGender #JusticeForJohnnyDepp," one wrote.

Another cited "sobering statistics" about domestic abuse suffered by both men and women, noting it was "apparent #AbuseHasNoGender. Men & women can be both the perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual violence, & child abuse, and the victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, & child abuse. #JusticeForJohnnyDeppVirginia2022."
 

For the uninitiated, in her December 2018 opinion piece, Heard described her experience as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." She wrote, "I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out. I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real-time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse." While she did not mention her ex-husband by name, Depp's lawyers have argued that her assertions amounted to defamation and derailed their client's career while considerably damaging his reputation. "The op-ed's clear implication that Mr Depp is a domestic abuser is categorically and demonstrably false," Depp's lawyer Benjamin Chew wrote in the complaint, adding, "Her allegations… are part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career."

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