The most important thing we can do is believe a survivor.

The courts are responsible for deciding on legal ramifications, but communities and companies are free to hold higher standards. We can choose to support a survivor by believing them first. Like sexual assault, domestic violence abuse is difficult to prove in court. That doesn’t make the experiences any less real.

Yes, stories have different angles. However, the narrator matters. Choosing to elevate the story of an accused abuser to not only equal but more important than that of the survivor, is choosing the side of the abuser.

Often, when we listen to “both sides of a story,” we are hearing an abuser attempt to explain away their actions. Not realizing an action is abuse, or claiming it is happening for another reason, does not change the fact that it is abuse.

Additionally, the nature of abuse makes it hard to provide the kind of evidence that some say they require to believe a survivor. Abuse often takes place in a private space, with someone the survivor already knows. Sometimes the only trauma is emotional or mental. But that does not make the impact any less severe.

Though the absence of physical evidence or a court preceding does not make an allegation of abuse any less important, there are graphic photos of Amber’s bruises, a well as testimony and digital evidence from Depp’s business manager and a friend of Amber’s who witnessed and were aware of some of the events.

In the end, every survivor’s experience deserves to be heard.

As an individual, it may seem simple to separate the artist from their craft, but in our society, movies like Fantastic Beasts contribute to a larger narrative that we can’t ignore. Stories like Fantastic Beasts are reaching the next generation and will contribute to shaping fans values, just as the original series did for so many. Powerful stories change us. When we allow them to be undermined by the casting and elevation of an abuser in such a prominent role, we corrupt that story’s power.

The power dynamic that contributes to abuse relies on abusers maintaining their social power, and survivors worrying that no one will believe them against their powerful abuser. One of the ways we can dismantle that power is by speaking out against their involvement in stories we consume, which can mean boycotting it or educating others when consuming it. Recent actions by large companies to drop abusers from their lineups occurred because of the voices of fans. Companies are more likely to cut ties with abusers when it is in their financial and PR best-interest.

Abuse does not exist in a vacuum. Those around us who are survivors - whether we know it or not - observe how we react to these issues. In the #MeToo era, separating the actor from the story is no longer enough.

There are many ways to support survivors and encourage a conversation on this important issue. Boycotting the movie opening weekend or until it is out of theaters is one way to express this, as Box Office numbers are a concrete way studio executives and the media measures the success of a film.

However, making your voice heard and starting conversations in your communities about healthy relationships and supporting survivors over abusers is equally important. Check back leading up to the movie for resources on having these conversations with people at the theater and in other contexts. Our goal for this campaign is to encourage you to think critically about the impact of the media you consume and bring that conversation into your communities.

Nope! Films produced at this level are made by union stagehands, actors, creative staff, etc. Their pay is negotiated far in advance. When a film’s box office value is low, those affected negatively are the same people affected from its success - the production company. Box Office numbers are a concrete way studio executives and the media measures the success of a film. Boycotting Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald during its opening weekend, or until it is out of theaters, is a way to express our concern with the studios casting of Johnny Depp, despite his domestic abuse allegations. Abuse does not exist in a vacuum and we must stand with survivors.