The Shadow of Johnny Depp's Adversary.

"If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

With a deep breath and a thrum of courage, Johnny Depp steps into no man's land. As the first sole lands on the unforgiving terrain, observers shoot out of the undergrowth. Between them, there are wry smiles, suspicious eyes and aloof stances.

He is broaching a cultural taboo; breaking his silence as a male victim and daring to seek justice.

The ensuing trial in Virginia has been a revelation, allowing people to watch the dark, intimate and magnificently large portrait of their relationship take shape in real-time. Those who have been following the trial—even those who have previously given Amber the benefit of the doubt—can see one clear thing; her side of the story doesn't add up. Glaring inconsistencies exist between her testimony and of those supporting her, namely her friends and sister. Audio evidence and photographs refute her. Independent witnesses, that is to say, doctors, nurses and the police, refute her. Kinesicists spot red flags. All the while, Ms. Heard's account shapeshifts and when presented with irrefutable evidence, refuses to give straight answers.

On the other hand, Depp has provided a slew of evidence that, alongside the witnesses, construct a damning picture of his former partner. The steadfast red flag thrust into the heart of their relationship is one that any abuse victim, of any sort, recognises. That is, her behaviour directly contradicts the implicit, sacred rule that victims adhere to in order to survive:

Don't poke the bear.

On the contrary, we irrefutably hear her laughing at him, mocking him, admitting to starting fights, hitting and harassing him. Even as he made repeated attempts to escape, to diffuse the situation, Ms. Heard pursued him with a mind to escalate situations as much as possible. She jeers at him for trying to escape.

If only abuse victims had that kind of power.

Unfortunately, Johnny Depp's battle isn't just with Amber Heard. Looming large behind her is a shadow of the wider issue, an anthropomorphic representation of our world's draconian attitude towards male victims. This issue remains little talked about and the world is only just starting to generate change. Hell, it wasn't until 2013 that the FBI accounted for male rape victims. 2013.

As a result, much of the media has casually avoided the large body of evidence and insists on pushing a pro-Amber angle to the death. In a sensational disconnect from reality, The Guardian described Amber as an "imperfect victim". Vogue declared "It’s time to believe women – all women. It’s time to believe Heard." Several outlets have gone as far as lying to paint a more damning picture of Johnny Depp. The New York Post and Daily Mail ran with headlines stating that Depp had thrown a bottle at former flame, Ellen Barkin. In truth, she had said that Depp had generally tossed a bottle, not at her, and that it hit nobody.

Of course, a slew of hit pieces aren't complete without an attempt to tear down anyone who expresses doubt about her side of the story. The Telegraph demeaned such people by dubbing them mere "Gen Z Johnny Depp stans" and the New York Times implied them to be "pirates", also referring to them as "Depp stans" and stating in clear terms that such people are viewing Johnny Depp as perfect, and that they customise facts. We also witness another insidious strawman pop up here and there; attempts to twist the narrative, to turn the trial into an example of rampant misogyny. Attempts to persuade us that this is the doing of powerful, sexist men, that Amber is to receive uncritical endorsement because she is a woman, are pushed with fervour.

This is what happens when a person takes up a noble cause but begins to spin out of control. In this case, that noble cause is feminism. In the passionate pursuit of women's rights, for equality, some lose themselves in the abyss. Their slice of the cause begins to eat itself. Women themselves become targets of these attacks. Funny, isn't it? We can trust Amber, but we cannot trust the masses of women—spanning generations—who dare to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions. They must be derided, along with the equivalent men, as starry-eyed crackpots. We also cannot trust the female nurses involved, the professional and confident testimony of Dr. Curry or any of the other women whose version of events don't align with Ms. Heard.

The truth is that people supporting Johnny Depp are not doe-eyed stans. Nobody thinks Johnny Depp is perfect. Countless supporters have openly acknowledged his addiction issues. What they are doing is following the trail of evidence, listening to the testimonies and forming solid conclusions.

It is, of course, frustrating to see this real smear campaign taking place. However, I can find a kernel of solace in knowing that in the far-flung future, when treatment of victims is not determined by their physical form, those who have casually and willingly turned a blind eye to his abuse will be viewed as shameful relics of the past.