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This can have a drastic effect on other victims of domestic violence. It will also encourage the abuser that they can now threaten their victim that he/she may end up like Amber Heard on the internet.
The lives of actors, be they from Hollywood or Bollywood, trouble my peace. Though they are worshipped by their fans, the real-life of many is quite troubled. It is scary to see what money and fame can do to a person. These are the people who have made me realize that fame and money are not that important.
I usually try to avoid reading about actors and their lives but there is no escape when the internet gets flooded with news and you come across it again and again as it happened with Aryan Khan’s arrest, Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, or now Amber Heard v/s Johnny Depp case.
We clearly see the pattern of uncivilized society in the above-mentioned cases where the mass verdict is passed even before the jury or judge passes the sentence. Usually, there is no middle ground for these people who are just there to make a topic trending on the internet. One is black and the other is white, there are no shades of grey for these modern-day witch hunters.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have gone through a very bad marriage and they have thrown it out in the open for the whole globe to watch their very dirty laundry washed in public by many witnesses, experts, and both the exes.
Even though Amber Heard received support when she earlier accused Johnny Depp of IPV (intimate partner violence) the internet has mocked, laughed, and accused her when the case went open for everyone to judge.
Keeping aside the fact that whether AH is the monster the internet is making her be, we have to think about the implications this case will have on other victims who are just garnering enough courage to speak up. This case is way beyond what happened to Johnny Depp or Amber Heard because it is being telecast and many victims and abusers are both watching the drama unfold.
Even if AH is wrong, the flood of memes, jokes, and videos mocking her looks like a present-day witch hunt where the mass decides who is a witch and burns her on the stake of the internet. Have we ever wondered why there were no wizards hunted and burned? Are there only witches and no wizards?
Any sane impartial person observing the case would realize that both of them are responsible for what happened rather than saying who is right and who is wrong. Like in the movies they watch, here there is no Hero and Villain but just two troubled people who got into a relationship and messed it up.
AH has her own faults and so does JD. He has fought alcoholism and drug use. He has used foul language and shown his anger (even if it is on cabinets or furniture). He did not face the situation and ended the abuse when he could, but waited until the op-ed publication to file a case. He also waited for AH to divorce him and did not file for it himself.
But the mass hunters do not want to even think there could be a bit of mistake from the one they support. They have their hero and their villain and they have to prove that now.
We saw the same pattern in many cases where celebrities were involved, where they lost their contracts as well. BYJU’s ended its contract with SRK even before the case was in court. It happened to Johnny Depp earlier when he was accused of being a wife-beater.
I have my own opinions when I observe the case, but they can be discussed in the family or with friends instead of going public about it on the internet. The main reason is, that this can have a drastic effect on other victims of domestic violence. It will also encourage the abuser that they can now threaten their victim that he/she may end up like Amber Heard on the internet.
I am a fan of Johnny Depp as an actor. I don’t even know who Amber Heard is other than watching her in Aquaman. But I have no reason to mock, ridicule, and laugh at a person who is saying she is the victim of domestic abuse. There is always a tiny bit of chance that she is right. Even if it is proven she is wrong and she was the abuser in the relationship, it is for the court to take action and not the mass.
A civilized society would trust the judge and the jury to evaluate the case and pass judgment.
We all should keep our fingers crossed and hope that this will be a passing phase in our society and it will not leave a permanent effect on IPV or DV victims who want to break free from their abusers, especially in a country like India, where marital rape is legalized.
I am Farida Rizwan, 57, Counselor and Psychotherapist working as Senior Curriculum Developer with Chimple Learning. I am the founder of My Giggle Garden, Preschool, and Daycare. I am an ardent blogger @www.chaptersfrommylife.com read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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