KEY POINTS

  • Valeria Altobelli of Mission NGO penned an open letter supporting Johnny Depp
  • Mission NGO believes the concept of sex does not have sex, gender, race, color, or age
  • Mission NGO expressed empathy for Depp not as a star, talent, or actor but as a man, father, worker and human

Johnny Depp received "compassion" from a domestic abuse organization founded by former Miss Italy Valeria Altobelli.

Altobelli, the founder of Mission NGO, a non-profit organization supporting and protecting women and children from physical, sexual and psychological abuse, released a public statement supporting the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star amid his ongoing defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

"In deep respect of the victims of domestic abuses that we have to affirm for intellectual honesty are, generally, WOMEN, we feel to express as women, as mothers, as free thinkers, our compassion for Johnny Depp in this bad page of his personal history," read the statement released on May 20, 2022, which Altobelli shared on her Instagram Story.

The remarks were part of a statement released by Altobelli and shared by Globe Newswire, acknowledging that men can be victims of domestic abuse too. Mission NGO, headquartered in Italy, has an international network in 150 countries and defines the concept of violence without sex, gender, race, color and age.

"Violence is a serious topic. As women, as mothers, we have the duty and the responsibility to educate our sons and daughters, that's to say, the Future Generation, in the light of the values of dialogue, respect and compassion between men and women, without any gender distinction, in order to prevent violence with the weapons of love and education," she wrote.

The president and founder of Mission NGO also penned an open letter shared publicly, expressing the organization's "empathy" toward the "Fantastic Beasts" actor.

"MISSION NGO women from all over the world stand against domestic violence, regardless of gender, age or race. Our mission is to educate men and women, with no gender differences, to keep talking and living in the values of love, mutual comprehension and sensitivity in order to prevent all kinds of violence, against women against men, against children," the statement read.

"As women, we have compassion and we feel empathy not for THE star, THE talent, THE actor but for a man, a father, a worker, A HUMAN. Mental Health is something we have to care about to live in a positive environment where women and men can love and respect each other without any kind of abuse and violence. We are human, and we have to find the HUMANITY we are born to live for."

Depp is suing Heard for defamation for the 2018 op-ed she wrote about surviving domestic abuse. Depp acknowledged that though his name was not mentioned, it ruined his career and tarnished his reputation.

The trial continues Monday.

US actor Johnny Depp waves during a break in the defamation case filed against his ex-wife Amber Heard
US actor Johnny Depp waves during a break in the defamation case filed against his ex-wife Amber Heard POOL via AFP / Shawn THEW