Thread by @MoonlitSails

Alright, I'm pissed off.

So please, allow me to logically refute the open letter recently published by numerous women's organizations in support of a certain abuser and disgraced actress.

Line. by. line. 🪡

"Five months ago, the verdict in the defamation trial between [JD] and [AH] deeply concerned many professionals in the fields of intimate partner and sexual violence."

I could only find a handful, maybe less, of (relevant) experts who have actually stated that this verdict-

-concerns them. Most experts (especially those that understand that the precedent set by the verdict does not say that a person cannot speak about their experiences with abuse, but rather that they cannot LIE about the actions and behaviors of another: aka the entire function-

-of defamation suits) are not concerned about the effects of the verdict on DV survivors at large.

As I pointed out in my own blog post shortly following the verdict:
"the burden of proof in a defamation lawsuit is on the plaintiff, the person claiming to have been defamed,-

and unless there's compelling evidence that the abuse did not occur (the abuse survivor in this hypothetical does not need to prove anything), the defamation case is likely to be dismissed altogether... It's-

nearly impossible for a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault to be found liable for damages after speaking out, because not only would they not have to prove that it happened, the person suing them would have to prove, to a reasonable standard, that it DIDN'T. They're-

-the ones with the uphill battle, the nearly impossible task of proving a non-event (and the fact alone that Depp's team accomplished this lends enormous and undeniable credibility to his in-court claims that not only did he not abuse Ms. Heard, but that she abused him).

I can't help but wonder, why are all these self-proclaimed "advocates" for survivors of abuse so hell-bent on twisting and denying the reality of the situation into something so much worse? Why are they actively instilling undue fear-

-and despair in the very people they claim to care and advocate for?
What motivation do these organizations have to twist the truth to make it worse for survivors than it is?"

I think that's the most important question to ponder here. (full post linked below)

Moving on....

"As many... have noted, 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"

This is blatantly false.

The public outrage against Heard does not remotely compare to that of Putin, Kanye West, Elon Musk, Casey Anthony and Kim Jong-un. To say that the outrage against her is greater is inflated and sensationalized at best and blatantly dishonest for the purpose of an agenda at worst.

"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."

As a matter of fact, this "harassment" was fueled by FACTS.

Heard consistently and continually lied, not only about the abuse she allegedly suffered but about the extent of the abuse she perpetrated upon the Plaintiff. People pick up on that shit, and abuse survivors in particular tend to lack tolerance for people that take-

-our experiences and suffering and turn it into a joke or a plot for personal gain. THAT'S why you saw a downturn of support for Ms. Heard, not misogyny or biphobia.

Let's continue...

"The same disinformation and victim blaming tropes are now being used against others who have alleged abuse."

I worked with survivors for the entire duration of the trial. Most of them didn't even know it was happening, let alone had to deal with it being used against them.

Even if there was an attempt- I would think the best thing to do with a platform would be to reassure them that the verdict DIDN'T set a precedent that barred them from speaking about their experiences rather than unfounded fearmongering.

That's just me though, I guess...

"In our opinion, the Depp v. Heard verdict and continued discourse around it indicate a fundamental misunderstanding of intimate partner and sexual violence and how survivors respond to it."

Actually, it's the pro-Heard side of the discourse that demonstrates a fundamental-

-misunderstanding of IPV and sexual violence, as support for Heard's side necessarily indicates being a proponent of mutual abuse, a controversial and widely dismissed myth that places the blame for abuse equally on the victim and the abuser.

Below, I dispel the myth of mutual abuse and the harm it perpetuates upun survivors of abuse as well as the survivor community as a whole:

https://twitter.com/MoonlitSails/status/1264014926336585728?t=_aBEagYEMr5BlupPkv9J8w&s=19

"The damaging consequences of the spread of this misinformation are you incalculable."

"incalculable" is a convenient word to use there. Things that are nonexistent are also "incalculable". Just saying.

Moving on...

"We have grave concerns about the rising misuse of defamation suits to threaten and silence survivors."

Once again, this is not the purpose or function of defamation suits. This verdict would not change that, even if the verdict says what they're claiming, which it doesn't.

"We condemn the public shaming of Amber Heard and join in support of her. We support the ability of all to report intimate partner and sexual violence free of harassment and intimidation"

These two statements are not mutually exclusive. Not supporting Heard, a proven liar-

-and abuser, does not equate to not supporting "the ability of all to repot intimate partner violence free of harassment and intimidation."

As a matter of fact, supporting the verdict is not only support for due process and the rule of law, it's also support for a largely-

-unsupported subsection of survivors: those who have been the victims of a lesser-known abuse method via false allegations and/or the family court system.

In conclusion, be wary of activists and organizations that try to persuade you not to believe your own eyes and ears.

We all heard the Defendant admit to starting physical fights. We all heard experts testify to the fact that she would physically abuse the Plaintiff-

-"as a point of pride", to keep him from leaving her, and that her behavior was not consistent with "reactive abuse".

Every single activist and organization that consigned this open letter should be deeply, irrevocably ashamed of the harm they're doing to survivors of-

-domestic abuse and sexual violence.

To my fellow survivors, I cannot make this any more clear: these activists and organizations do not care about you. at all.

Blog post link:
moonlitsails.wordpress.com/2022/06/07/sto…

#AmberHeardIsALiar #AmberHeardlsAnAbuser #AmberHeardDoesNOTSpeakForMe #JohnnyDeppDeservesAnApology