Feminist organizations voice support for Amber Heard after months of silence

A group of more than 130 feminist individuals and organizations has penned an open letter in support of Amber Heard, who was sued by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, after she published an op-ed discussing domestic abuse. 

“The vilification of Ms. Heard and ongoing online harassment of her and those who have voiced support for her have been unprecedented in both vitriol and scale. Much of this harassment was fueled by disinformation, misogyny, biphobia, and a monetized social media environment where a woman’s allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault were mocked for entertainment,” the letter reads. 

In the letter, organizations including the Women’s March Foundation, the National Women’s Law Center and the National Organization for Women and individuals like Gloria Steinem condemn “the public shaming” of Heard during and after the lawsuit.

A jury earlier this year sided with Depp, finding that the 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Heard identified herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse” but didn’t mention Depp by name, ruined his career. Depp was awarded $15 million in damages, and Heard was awarded $2 million as part of a countersuit. 

The high-profile case garnered significant social media attention, and Heard has spoken out about being targeted with “hate and vitriol” surrounding the case. 

The feminist groups and individuals say the Depp v. Heard verdict indicates “a fundamental misunderstanding of intimate partner and sexual violence and how survivors respond to it.”

“The damaging consequences of the spread of this misinformation are incalculable. We have grave concerns about the rising misuse of defamation suits to threaten and silence survivors,” the letter continues.

NBC News first reported on the letter.