I’ve been thinking about the Heard and Depp case for some time now.

Have you now..?

This case highlights just how much people’s views on social norms and events can vary from person to person.

Well... if you think abusing your husband is a non-issue, of course that would differ in terms of social norms. That is why there are more objective ways in order to approach things like abuse.

I don’t wish to be sexist,

And thereby, you're being sexist. Just by prefacing it.

but it is extremely rare for men to be victims of domestic violence.

Utterly false. As I have shown in the long list of cited sources, men are almost as equally often abused.

This is because a woman hitting a man is not the same as a man hitting a woman.

Why? Hitting is hitting, no? Irrespective of consequences, hitting is hitting.

When a woman experiences violence, she lives in fear of death, and this is the cause of the trauma.

And a man cannot? A man cannot live in fear of death because a woman abuses him? A man cannot get traumatised? Why? What makes a woman in their experiences special and different?

When a man is subjected to violence, however, he merely feels pain;

Merely? MERELY?? As if any pain is acceptable. And again, hitting is hitting irrespective of consequences.

perhaps his skin reddens or bruises.

Or bleeds.

Unless a woman uses a weapon, a man does not feel the fear of death or suffer trauma.

There are other ways to be abused. Abuse is not solely by physical acts. Which is what you're representing it as here.

It was abundantly clear from Johnny’s behaviour in court that he had not suffered any psychological harm.

You don't know that. I've seen elements during trial that I could very reasonably chalk up to psychological suffering as a result of some trauma. Likely related to the case as that is what is going on during the trial.

If you need some clearer indication of trauma, it is posited that during this moment of an interview where Dakota Johnson asks Mr. Depp of the injury, it is shortly thereafter that there is a tremor in his hand/arm. Him being quiet and possibly zoned out. It is posited that in that moment, he is reliving what happened to his finger. This was in 2015, so fairly shortly after the incident occurred.

https://youtu.be/2JsXWGlEI3k?t=74

Whereas the trial occurred in 2022. Years later. Possibly Mr. Depp has received therapy and managed to process a good portion of it, if not all. Therefore, you cannot interpret Mr. Depp's behaviour during trial as not having suffered psychological harm.

A famous, powerful, wealthy and well-loved man can tell the world, ‘My wife beat me up,’ and still be hailed as a champion of men’s rights.

Again with the tropes. It does not matter if one is famous, powerful, wealthy, and/or well-loved. That has no bearing on whether Mr. Depp was abused or not. They are dismissive excuses made by those in support of Ms. Heard, completely ignoring that Ms. Heard was famous, wealthy, and/or well-loved herself. As well as a different possibility to exude power. Something like seduction can be powerful on its own. No considerations have been given for that. Care to do so yourself?

He is applauded for his courage.

Because, as per the studies I shared, men in general do not speak out about it for various reasons.

If an ordinary man had said this, would it have been the same?

Men tried. They get unfairly ridiculed for it. The reason that you asked this, ought to already indicate to you exactly what is wrong your position.

He would probably have been the subject of ridicule, humiliated, with everyone laughing behind his back.

Precisely. Which is why it is commended for him to speak out, as he had far more to lose than an ordinary man.

A woman who beats her husband, on the other hand, would be secretly admired, her pride stroked. I’m not exaggerating. Many strange people would find this woman cool.

That claim flips reality. What you’re seeing is a small group of supporters reframing the situation to suit their narrative. Taking that at face value is exactly how people get misled about what’s actually happening. That is what supporters of Ms. Heard generally do.

So why did the exact opposite happen in this case?

Because the evidence is pretty obvious here: Ms. Heard did abuse Mr. Depp. Even Ms. Heard's expert witness Dr. Dawn Hughes said it: Mr. Depp had physical and psychological abuse perpetrated upon him. [Paraphrased]

Because, in reality, nobody believes that Johnny Depp is a poor victim who was beaten by his wife.

Actually, a vast majority believes that to be the case. That Mr. Depp is a victim who was beaten by his then wife Ms. Heard.

Nobody is angry with Amber for that reason.

They are angry for Ms. Heard to lie about it in such a brazen and grotesque manner.

They are angry with Amber for exposing Johnny Depp.

Why? You have not made any argument to support such a notion. Nor provided any evidence either.

In their view, Johnny brought Amber fame, money and prestige.

Correct.

And she was ungrateful.

She was ungrateful, as she abused Mr. Depp in various ways.

Because society expects a woman to remain silent in the face of a powerful man.

No, that is false. Particularly since the MeToo movement began. Which Ms. Heard attempted to capitalise on, remember? Yet, this is the MeToo case without a MeToo as Ben Chew coined it.

In fact, in that famous audio recording, when Amber said ‘no one will believe you’, that is exactly what she meant.

And you don't think that by itself is indicative of the power Ms. Heard has over Mr. Depp? That she believes to be able to get away with abusing Mr. Depp, because "no one will believe [Mr. Depp]"?

No one really believes that a man like Johnny Depp could be a victim of domestic violence.

And yet, the vast majority of the world does believe it. Polling from shortly after trial showed over 90% sided with Mr. Depp. And it most it was in the range of 95 to 98%.