Justice For Johnny Depp is trending. One would think from the sudden rise in this hashtag that he had been found guilty of something, and his fans were calling out for an appeal or a reappraisal of some verdict. But no, it's just another ill-timed and, in my opinion, damaging social media campaign that makes a mockery of victims of domestic abuse and the criminal justice system.
For context, this week's resurgence of the Justice For Johnny movement seems to stem from opinions expressed by Sia, the acclaimed singer songwriter. 'Just showing my public support for Johnny Depp', she said online, for no clear reason. 'I mean, I'd love him to get clean and stop with the jewellery.'
Johnny is currently in the middle of a messy court battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Both allege that they were abused by their former spouse. Amber claims that Johnny 'explicitly threatened' to kill her when they were together, and denies ever being violent with him. Johnny, who also denies all allegations of domestic violence, filed a multi-million pound defamation suit against Amber. This followed the publication of her op-ed in The Washington Post in 2019, on the topic of domestic abuse.
I do not know the real story. No one but Johnny and Amber do, and they have both presented their viewpoints in court. But there has not yet been a verdict. Calling for justice for Johnny Depp during an ongoing trial, with hearings still yet to take place, risks suggesting to social media users who are not au fait with proceedings that a miscarriage of justice of some kind has taken place. In fact, no decisions have been made, no legal proclamations have been shared. Presenting Johnny as a victim at a time when we are waiting for a professional to make an informed decision on the whole ordeal is premature.
I also worry what it says to victims of domestic abuse who worry about coming forward against their attackers. If a woman or man is contemplating whether or not to report their partner to the police for assault, then they will already be dealing with fear, shame and emotional stress. If they see that the world has already made up its mind about a high profile case - and sided prematurely with one party over another - I would argue that it sends a dangerous message. To me, it says 'don't bother. The court's decision is irrelevant anyway.'
I will wait and see what the courts say about Johnny and Amber. When that happens, I will form an opinion on the situation, and look inward. Do I agree with the conclusion? Do I think an injustice has occurred? Will voicing that opinion achieve anything, or do more harm?
This is a complex situation. No one is a winner here. It is murky and messy and there are two human beings in the middle of it. Hashtags and premature Twitter diatribes aren't the answer when a question is still being contemplated. Just bide your time. Your hope of showing support to a man who is not even on social media may be having unexpected side effects.
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