Trial Depp vs. Heard
Amber Heard’s psychologist diagnoses PTSD caused by physical and sexual violence in marriage
Now the time has come for Amber Heard’s witnesses to testify in court
© JIM WATSON / POOL / AFP
Amber Heard’s witnesses have their say in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial this week. A psychologist and domestic violence expert opened up with chilling details about Amber Heard’s psyche.
Former actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are suing each other for defamation five years after their divorce. He wants to get $50 million in damages from her and she wants $100 million from him. The trial, which is broadcast publicly by cameras, has been going on in Fairfax for a good three weeks. In the first few weeks, the plaintiff himself, Johnny Depp, and his witnesses testified against Amber Heard. This week, the witnesses listed by Heard’s side began giving their testimonies. On Tuesday, Dr. Hughes, a well-experienced witness in the field of psychology and an expert on domestic violence against women. dr Hughes outlined disturbing situations brought to her by Amber Heard from the time she was married to Johnny Depp. The jury spoke of sexual abuse, emotional dependency and physical violence.
dr Hughes tells of enormous jealousy within the relationship
During the testimony, Heard was close to tears. The forensic psychologist testified that Johnny Depp was said to have been “massively jealous” in the relationship. According to Depp, Heard’s appearance and way of presenting himself were responsible for his jealousy at the time. Depp tried to control Heard, even telling her what to wear so she wouldn’t appear too naked in public. “You want to go out with those tits and ass?” As a result, Heard had to put on “mom jeans” so that she didn’t look so “revealing”. The actor is said to have repeatedly confronted her with allegations of infidelity within the marriage. As further examples of Depp’s jealousy, she cited the following behaviors: Depp ordered her who she could work with, he regarded her acting ambition as “something negative”, Depp threatened Amber Heard with control at work by other filmmakers, all of whom he want to call.
dr Hughes said Depp got angry during a flight on a private plane from Boston to Los Angeles in 2014 because Heard was filming with James Franco at the time. She said: “She got on the plane, he started talking about James Franco, made a lot of snide comments. When she got up to get out of the situation, there was an argument, he kicked her in the back, she flew after in front.”
Psychologist explains why women stay in abusive relationships
dr Hughes also said many victims are ashamed of the abuse. It’s like a “vicious circle of trying to figure out how to be with this man who hurts you and still loves you so much.” Heard seemed to swallow when Dr. Hughes explained why women stay in violent relationships. The domestic violence expert further defines the reasons for staying in an unhealthy partnership: “In his mind he remains the loving man, the friendly man. That is also the one she had hoped for and promised for her future. Some stay for economic reasons , some have children together and don’t want to deprive their children of their father.”
But the worst thing is the fear of separation itself, according to the psychologist: “The most dangerous time for a woman is when she’s leaving – her likelihood of being killed increases significantly. It’s often safer to stay.”
Johnny Depp is said to have been sexually assaulted
dr Hughes goes on to report allegations of sexual assault and abuse that Heard told her about Depp: “Johnny Depp is said to have been drunk or high, then he threw Amber Heard on the bed, ripped off her nightgown and tried to have sex with her. He is said to have been forcing her to perform oral sex when he was angry. Those weren’t loving moments, those were dominating moments.”
On another occasion, Amber Heard is said to have told the psychologist that Johnny Depp inserted his fingers into Amber Heard’s privates to roughly search for the drug cocaine in her. Even in the opening statement by Amber Heard’s lawyers, there was talk of a bottle that Depp introduced to Amber Heard. dr Hughes added that when Heard was sexually assaulted in this way, Depp was mostly in a drunken state. dr Hughes also said the physical violence Heard suffered was mostly poking, choking and kicking in the back. Amber Heard reportedly suffered “mainly from bruises, cuts and vaginal pain” at the hands of Johnny Depp.
Amber Heard is said to have PTSD because of Johnny Depp
Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, asked Dr. Hughes whether vaginal penetration constituted abuse — such behavior has not been addressed in the trial. Heard watched with a stone face as Dr. Hughes said if there is no consent, it is abuse.
The psychologist herself is said to have carried out a forensic examination on Heard at the time. In Heard’s case, her conclusions about what happened to the actress were: physical violence, psychological aggression, sexual violence, coercive control, and surveillance behavior. dr Hughes said that she diagnosed Heard with post-traumatic stress disorder and that the cause was “intimate partner violence at the hands of Mr. Depp.”
Source: Daily Mail