Amber Heard was featured on Girlgaze Instagram and Youtube channel where the young actress shares an emotional speech on domestic violence. Heard encourages women to use their voice and change how culture addresses violence toward women.
Girlgaze is a website that shares how different women from around the globe see the world through their camera. The site shared Amber Heard’s video on domestic violence to honor the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Towards Women celebrated on November 25th.
Heard has been a victim of domestic violence according to her allegations regarding her ex-husband Johnny Depp.
On the video, she starts saying that it is difficult to see how she could be through that experience when she considers herself a strong, smart women and not a victim. She explains that the word “victim” has some shame attached, which makes some women feel embarrassed when sharing they have been through violence.
Amber said that domestic violence happens to many women and confesses that when it happened to her, in her home behind closed doors with someone she loved, addressing the issue was not as straightforward as it would have been if a stranger had physically hurt her.
Heard explains that because she had to go through that situation under the public’s eye, she had a unique opportunity to raise awareness on the issue. She stated that women do not have to remain silence since they are not alone, adding that the situation can be changed.
The actress stressed that the only way to stop domestic violence is by empowering women and support them when they shared their abuse. She said that women, standing shoulder to shoulder, could no longer accept silence.
“We need to take responsibility for how we talk about these things. The only way people are going to feel comfortable coming forward, raising their voices and standing up for themselves, is if we change the system in place that keeps them quiet,” Amber Heard says on Girlgaze video.
Girlgaze has taken down Amber Heard video from its Facebook and Instagram accounts and now is only available on Youtube as a private content. It is not known why the website decided to eliminate the video from different social medias
Domestic violence: Talking from experience to end violence against women
Amber got married to Depp in 2015 and filed for divorce on May 2016. She later alleged her ex-husband was abusive to her and physically hurt her with a cell phone.
Heard said in court that Depp had been verbally and physically abusive to her. She said the actor pulled her hair and threw her an iPhone to her face while insulting her. Heard also filed a restraining order against her now ex-husband.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Towards Women is a United Nations effort to end violence against women around the world. Women are regularly discriminated which provokes a perpetuated violation of human rights.
“Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development. It imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies. The world cannot afford to pay this price,” stated Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General.
Violence against women is a result of the persistent inequalities between women and men. Governments need to address this issue and change the culture around it to finally end violence against women.
Source: International Business Times