Johnny Depp defamation win over Amber Heard sparks male pushback on #MeToo

Aussie men have reacted in an unexpected way after Johnny Depp’s high profile defamation win over ex-wife Amber Heard.

Men are calling a women’s domestic violence crisis line and abusing counsellors in the wake of the high profile defamation trial between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Hayley Foster from Full Stop Australia, a charity that supports victims of domestic abuse, said men have been calling to say the trial was proof that women are not the only victims, while some have also made vile comments about Ms Heard.

She said it was like a push back of the “Me Too” movement.

She said one in every five Australians believe “women often exaggerate or make up claims to their advantage” and the result of the trial fed that narrative.

The jury found that Heard defamed Depp in an article where she stated that she was a victim of sexual violence.

Ms Foster warned the trial would have a “devastating, chilling effect on survivors” coming forward.

Hayley Foster from Full Stop Australia. Picture: Supplied.

Meanwhile, a top family and relationship lawyer said this could be a “Me Too” moment for men.

Bill Kordos, head of family law in Victoria for Australian Family Lawyers, said in his experience around eight of ten divorce cases involved domestic abuse.

He said there were more male victims than people would expect, but most were too ashamed to come forward publicly.

Bill Kordos, head of family law in Victoria. Picture: supplied

He found that there were few support services for male victims.

“There are refuges for women, but men end up sleeping in their cars,” Mr Kordos said.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in 16 men have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a current or previous cohabitating partner.

Mr Kordos said in his 35 years of experience in divorce cases, he found that in most cases where there was a domestic abuse element, both parties were abusive to each other to some extent.

“It is very rare to have one party that is completely the evil one and the other being the victim,” Mr Kordos said.

Ms Foster said there was never “a perfect victim” in domestic violence situations.

“You are fighting for your sense of self and that can be fighting back with some pretty nasty behaviour too,” she said.

While “domestic abuse can happen to both men and women” she said 95 per cent of victims name a male perpetrator.