John and Lorena Bobbitt
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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John Wayne Bobbitt (born March 23, 1967 in Buffalo, New York) and Lorena Bobbitt (née Gallo) (born October 31, 1970 in Bucay, Ecuador) were an American couple, married on June 18, 1989, whose difficult relationship gained worldwide notoriety for an incident in 1993 when Lorena severed John's penis with a knife. The penis was subsequently surgically re-attached.
Arrest and trial
Lorena Bobbitt was taken into custody. During the trial, the couple revealed details of their volatile relationship and the events leading up to the assault. She stated that her husband sexually, physically, and emotionally abused her during their marriage. She added that her husband flaunted his infidelities, and had forced her to have an abortion. Several witnesses provided testimony supporting her claims. Her defense attorneys maintained that John's constant abuse caused Lorena to eventually "snap" as she was suffering from clinical depression and a possible bout of post traumatic stress disorder due to the abuse. However, when Lorena was arrested the night of June 23, she told the police, "He always have orgasm [sic], and he doesn't wait for me to have orgasm. He's selfish." John Bobbitt denied the allegations of abuse; however, when he was cross-examined, his statements often conflicted with known facts, severely weakening the prosecution's case.
After seven hours of deliberation, the jury found Lorena not guilty due to insanity causing an irresistible impulse to sexually wound her husband. As a result, she could not be held liable for her actions. Under state law, the judge ordered Lorena to undergo a 45-day evaluation period at Central State Hospital, located in Petersburg, Virginia, after which she would be released.
In 1995, after six years of marriage, Lorena and John divorced.
Cultural impact
The Bobbitt case was one of the first cases that brought public attention to the subject of marital rape. The case also brought attention to the issue of domestic violence and the realization that men as well as women can be the victims of such violence. Within days of the incident, domestic violence and feminist groups rallied around Lorena, citing the alleged continuous abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband that caused her to attack him, albeit in an unusual and violent manner.
Media attention surrounding the case resulted in national debate and also sparked a flurry of jokes, limericks, T-shirt slogans, advertising gimmicks, and an urban legend that Lorena had later been killed in a car accident because "some prick cut her off". The incident was quickly adapted/parodied as a low-budget feature film called Attack of the 5'2" Women starring Julie Brown as "Lenora Babbitt" along with an adaptation of the Tonya Harding case. In the film Fight Club, the character Tyler Durden comments that although the main character's house has been blown up, "You know man...it could be worse, a woman could cut off your penis while you're sleeping and toss it out the window of a moving car", referencing the Bobbitt case. The incident is also mentioned in the "Weird Al" Yankovic single "Headline News".
Shortly after the incident, episodes of "Bobbittmania", or copycat crimes, were reported. The name Lorena Bobbitt eventually became synonymous with penis removal. The terms "Bobbittised punishment" and "Bobbitt Procedure" gained social recognition.
"Mayhem", a season 4 episode of Law & Order, was partially inspired by this case.
The song "Bobbitt" by Canadian punk band SNFU is about John Wayne Bobbitt.
The 2013 song "Lorena Bobbitt" by New Zealand singer Aaradhna
See also
