Why are we so quick to dismiss Amber Heard’s domestic abuse claims?

Scanning through the internet and Twitter this morning, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Amber Heard had committed some sort of crime. What actually happened is that the internet courtroom has ruled and Amber Heard is a lying, gold digging bitch. Domestic abuse is something that is rarely talked about in Ireland and beyond. The people who speak up about their experiences are some of the bravest people around. Yet these people are few and far between and honestly is it any wonder?

I'm sorry but I don't think Johnny Depp abused Amber. like we really don't know what happened so #imwithjohnny

— lalala (@AridityAriana) May 27, 2016

The reaction to Amber Heard’s domestic abuse claims shows us exactly why domestic abuse is so underreported. People are so quick to dismiss the claims because she’s a celebrity. Because she’s a celebrity she’s doing it for the money and the attention. People were quick to dismiss Nigella Lawson’s claims until the picture of her former husband Charles Saatchi grabbing her throat emerged. We won’t believe it until we see proof.

Because she must've done something to deserve those punches #ImWithJohnny — PatriciaPopThatPussy (@hoeofthelord) May 27, 2016

Domestic abusers rely on this sort of dismissal of disbelief.  Domestic abusers know their victims won’t speak up and use this to their advantage, convincing their victim that if they do speak up, that nobody will believe them. This sort of stigma is what we now need to fight. It is our duty as a worldwide community is to listen to both sides and not just dismiss the claims. If the tables were turned, would we be so quick to dismiss them if they were from Johnny Depp?

@cuIIistair way too many men's lives are ruined by false accusations ! Amber Heard is a stupid silly little girl #ImWithJohnny

— Sharrel Wright ™ (@SharrelWright) May 28, 2016

The automatic assumption that Heard is lying speaks to something much darker about society as a whole. “She’s a younger woman, she’s doing it for the money, she was out partying after”. The image we have of a domestic abuse victim is someone suffering outwards and yet if you’re a victim, you have to keep normal appearances at all costs.

#ImWithJohnny So many lies are spoken in the media... I don't know what to believe. But I don't think that Johnny Depp would hit his wife. — OKKK (@OkkkOnerepublic) May 28, 2016

I don’t know the full story behind Amber Heard’s claims about Johnny Depp and neither do you. The only people who really know are the couple themselves. Do not dismiss Ms. Heard’s claims based solely on what she was doing directly after the alleged incident. This is something that needs to be played out in a court of law, not the court of social media.