Lorena

Refinery 29 invited guests to attend an advanced screening of Lorena in Downtown L.A. 

Long before the #metoo movement, there was the infamous story of a woman who had had enough and took extreme measures to ensure that the abuses she suffered within her marriage never happened again...

It's been 25 years since the incident in which Lorena Bobbitt castrated her husband after what would be his last act of spousal rape, but all I can really recall was tabloid talk shows having a field day with the details and comedians turning the whole ordeal in to punchlines. For those too young to remember the story or who simply didn't exist yet (as my 17-year-old daughter pointed out), Google "Lorena Bobbitt." I, myself, was 15 and never really understood the gravity of the situation nor what drove Lorena to take the action she did. As some have pointed out, it was a missed opportunity to focus on domestic violence. The upcoming Amazon Studios four-part series executive produced by Jordan Peele delves in to Lorena's side of the story.

Director, Joshua Rofé, doesn't paint a perfect picture of either party. Rather, we see interviews from friends, neighbors, and law enforcement, allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions. While I don't profess to fully understand everything that went down in the Bobbitt Household, after digesting the first two episodes of Lorena (which also included court testimonies of witnesses and involved parties), I wholeheartedly believe abuse was a motivating factor for Lorena's actions. It is a lot to take in, but it's necessary. Especially today when the advocacy of victims rights to be heard and believed has gained momentum. 

L-R: Lucy Fitzgerald of Wine and Crime Podcast, director Joshua Rofé, Lorena Gallo, and Leah Carroll.

During the post screening panel discussion, host, Leah Carroll, shared shocking domestic violence statistics with the audience. The numbers remain high and under reported. Lorena commented saying, "25 years have passed and advocate work has been amazing, but still, there is so much more to be done." She remembered that, during her marriage to John Bobbitt, when she called 9-1-1, there were little to no resources for victims of domestic abuse available to her. Today, she runs a non-profit organization called The Lorena Gallo Foundation that works with various organizations helping those affected by domestic violence.

If you would like to speak to a domestic violence advocate, please contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit https://www.thehotline.org/ to chat with an advocate.

Lorena premiers on Amazon Prime February 15, 2019.