The name Lorena Bobbitt may sound familiar to you. After all, her story is well-known in America's true crime conversations. If you don't know her, Bobbitt gained notoriety in 1993 as the wife who severed her then-husband's penis and made headlines worldwide.
Now, Bobbitt is in the public eye yet again with the release of the Lifetime film I Was Lorena Bobbitt. Unlike other dramatic retellings, it's not a recreation of the events that made Bobbitt's name known, instead she tells her story of abuse for the first time.
"My life is not a joke. This is reality," Bobbitt who now goes by Lorena Gallo told Oprah Mag. "Most individuals don't know what my case was about—which is abuse and domestic violence. I wish people understood that I was a victim of sexual assault by my ex-husband."
The life-changing night happened 25 years ago, on June 23, 1993. Gallo was just 24 when the events transpired and her difficult personal life was thrust into the headlines. Her husband, John Wayne Bobbitt, was found not guilty of abuse towards Gallo. But she didn't go to prison: she was instead acquitted due to temporary insanity, according to Women's Health.
Now, she's using her story to advocate for victims of domestic violence. "I never, ever thought I would repeat my story. That's why I took the stand. I thought it was my chance to say what this person did to me—what this monster did to me," she explained to Oprah Mag.
She even founded a charity to do just that. The Lorena Gallo Foundation is a "Non-Profit organization that works with various community organizations helping victims of domestic violence," according to its Facebook page.
The Lifetime film was the first time Gallo really told her own story. But it won't be the last. In June, Gallo is the keynote speaker at a Conference on Crimes Against Women event, titled the Strangulation Series. The digital event will educate women on everything from abuse to building a court case to convict abusers.
The Facebook page also speaks loudly about increased domestic violence some partners are facing due to Covid-19 stay at home orders, and advocates for education and help. You can view the page here.
Newsweek reached out to Gallo for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
I Was Lorena Bobbitt premiered on Lifetime Monday night. You can now stream it through their website by logging in with a cable provider.
