Amber Heard is Donating the Entire $7 Million from Depp Settlement

When she produced pictures, like the one above, we should have believed her. Instead we took Depp's side, one more time putting a woman to shame for coming forward. We relied on his friends, his past relationships, his daughter and everyone else to be his character witnesses. They said there was no way. He's loving, he's gentle. He can't do this. We vilified Amber, called her names. Gold digger. Bitch. Out to get Depp. Making it all up. We questioned her intentions. Why was she smiling and taking pictures with friends? Why wasn't she more serious? Ridiculous questions that struck at the heart of humanity, at the core of anyone abused. She was trying to find temporary respite, away from a volatile, abusive and unstable, partner and all we could was question why she wasn't more serious.

Pathetic. Unfortunate. Sad.

Last week she rejected the settlement from Depp. Why? Because he refused to make a joint statement claiming he abused her. For that reason alone. Think about that for a moment. If she was a gold digger would she have withdrawn for such a "simple" reason?

I don't think he made a statement; he was never going to but Amber has to move on with her life. So she chose to accept the money and make a ridiculously powerful statement of her own, donating it to ACLU to fight domestic violence. Seven million dollars.

I can think of seven million things to do with that kind of money. She could think of only one. She donated it and walked away from Depp. An abuser who struck her, harmed her and vilified her.

Maybe this episode has taught us nothing. Maybe it has. If nothing, I hope at the end of the day the next time a woman stands up and claims abuse, the least we can do is believe her. Don't vilify her, don't question her. Just let her talk and listen to her. Your silence is your assent. You won't need anything else to show her you are there and you support her. You maybe the first one to do so. And that way you may encourage a whole new generation escape the claws of domestic violence.