The story of Lorena Bobbitt and John Bobbitt was the source of countless tabloid headlines. The infamous 1993 altercation that led to her cutting off her then-husband's penis with a knife became the subject of many jokes. What was actually going on in their world wasn't that funny, however, and now Lorena's speaking out.
In today's society, we can recognize that issues of domestic abuse were at the heart of the conflict between the former married couple. It was traumatic in many ways. Lorena has processed that time in her life over the last couple of decades. She's reclaiming her story with her new Lifetime movie, I Was Lorena Bobbitt.
Lorena is also looking to make a difference on a larger level. She stars in Lifetime's new public service announcement for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Last year, she appeared in the Jordan Peele-produced Amazon docuseries Lorena, which also featured interviews with John.
While many think she may be reliving this time in her life only for monetary gain, Lorena has her sights set on something bigger. She's relishing the opportunity to tell her story with the clarity of time and distance. She aims to reach other women enduring domestic abuse who feel there's no way out of their circumstances.
Lorena Bobbitt's life became the butt of every joke in 1993 after a domestic abuse incident catapulted her and her then-husband, John Bobbitt, into the spotlight. The incident where she cut off her husband's penis with a knife was fodder for tabloids and late-night hosts, but it came after years of alleged domestic abuse. Lorena committed the act only to keep herself safe from further sexual assault.
John wasn't found guilty of sexually assaulting Lorena. She was also found not guilty for her crimes due to temporary insanity, and in her case, both prosecutors and the defense agreed there had been a pattern of abuse against her. As the years passed and details of the case faded away, Lorena's unfortunate legacy stayed with her and continued to make her a running gag.
Lorena is revisiting that terrible era in her life with the Lifetime movie I Was Lorena Bobbitt. Lorena, now Lorena Gallo, has seen this opportunity, as well as the one she took last year with the Jordan Peele-produced Amazon docuseries Lorena, as ways to reframe her story to the public based on more substantial details than the violent act itself.
"These, to me, were two wonderful, incredible platforms to continue this movement against [domestic abuse] issues," she told Entertainment Tonight.
"People used to judge me before, saying that they don't believe my story. To tell the story again is more than a blessing, to me, it is an opportunity to tell it right," she explained. Lorena is also teaming up with Lifetime to star in a new PSA for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Lorena's life is very different now than it was then. She is married to her new husband, Dave Bellinger. They share a 15-year-old daughter, Olivia. While she was determined to move on with her life, she was bothered by the lack of advancement in protecting victims of domestic violence.
Lorena wanted to find a way to advocate for victims and survivors and felt that sharing the truth to her story could allow for that.
"For many years, I kept a low profile and I avoided the attention," she said. "I felt that it was the right thing to do, to come forward with my story. If I could help at least one person to escape domestic violence then all my pain and suffering that I went through was not in vain."
Lorena has appeared on many talk shows but found that the docuseries and the film were the best ways to reframe her story in a post #MeToo world.
"It's a shame that it took so long for people to actually see it through the lens of the #MeToo movement and the perspective of domestic violence," she said. It's for that reason that she thinks it "is very important to actually talk about these stories."
Lorena appeared on The Truth About True Crime, an interview podcast by Amanda Knox and her husband. Their discussion was nominated for a 2020 Webby Award.
"We immediately hit it off," Amanda said of Lorena. "It's the same thing with other wrongly convicted people. It's such a relief to encounter someone who gets it. Real recognize real."
Lorena now works as a public speaker for scholastic programs, the private sector, and the Latinx community. She is also a dedicated advocate for survivors and victims of domestic abuse. She says it doesn't discriminate based on age, gender, or race because "it could happen to anybody."
In 2007, Lorena founded Lorena's Red Wagon, now known as the Lorena Gallo Foundation. They facilitate charitable events ranging from donating toys and sponsoring food drives to speaking with neglected and abused women and children.
"The mission is to expand domestic violence and sexual assault prevention education and [provide] emergency response resources and community engagement for survivors and their children," she explained.
Lorena also hopes to open an emergency shelter for victims of domestic abuse. "It will be a place where they can go and feel safe with their children, escaping their abusers, especially now in the middle of this pandemic," she noted.
Many advocates have pointed out the dangers that stay-at-home orders pose to those experiencing domestic abuse and violence. "So we are basically dealing with two major problems here."
Lorena has found her voice and reasserted her strength through recent projects. She says it's important for her to "be ready and be strong."
"All the trauma has actually made me the resilient person that I am today."
