Gone are the days of Johnny Depp as a whimsical pirate.

His ex-wife Amber Heard has come forward to speak openly about the abuse that she suffered at the hands of Depp during their marriage.

The couple were married for just over a year before she filed for divorce in 2016.

Heard has stuck to her abuse claims, reports Page Six.

[Heard] claims in horrific detail that Depp repeatedly hit her, ripped out her hair, choked and nearly suffocated her in a Virginia court filing in response to his $50 million defamation lawsuit against her.

Here she is describing her experience in her own words:

Heard has made some new and detailed claims against Depp, which are pretty disturbing:

“About a year into our relationship, I began to witness Johnny abusing drugs and alcohol … On some occasions, when Johnny simultaneously used both illegal narcotics and prescription medications I have had to get him medical attention. Whenever he was using, I worried for both of us. He would become a totally different person, often delusional and violent.

“We called that version of Johnny, ‘the Monster’.

Despite the clearly traumatic nature of her relationship with Depp, Heard has decided to move on by helping others who have had similar experiences.

“I have attempted to promote good in the world and to advocate an end to domestic violence. I have sought to use my public persona to speak out on an issue that was extremely meaningful to me and millions of other women and men every year.

You can read her full story here.

[source:pagesix]