Domestic violence advocates say verdict 'sets us back'

Johnny Depp's defamation suit against his ex-wife quickly became a battle over the truth of their relationship. In the 2018 article, Amber Heard described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse".

Today, the jury found that wasn't true, effectively calling this a lie.

The verdict has worried domestic violence advocates who say it will deter survivors from coming forward with their own stories.

"Amber Heard identified as a survivor and did not name a perpetrator," said Nicole Bedera, a sociologist who specialises in sexual violence. "If that is something that leads to someone losing a defamation case and owing millions upon millions of dollars - that’s really concerning."

Bedera says it means survivors may be silent about what they experienced.

"There are a lot of scenarios where someone might identify as a survivor without naming a perpetrator that might now become scarier than they might have been before," she said.

The verdicts bring an end to a televised trial that Depp had hoped would help restore his reputation, though it turned into a spectacle that offered a window into a vicious marriage. (With inputs from BBC)