Bobbitt mutilation case
The Bobbitt mutilation case centers around Lorena Bobbitt and her husband, John Wayne Bobbitt, whose tumultuous marriage culminated in a shocking incident on June 23, 1993. Lorena, who immigrated from Ecuador and worked long hours as a manicurist, alleged that John was both verbally and sexually abusive. After a night of heavy drinking, John allegedly raped Lorena, prompting her to act in a moment of distress. In a dramatic turn of events, she severed his penis with a knife and subsequently disposed of it while driving. Emergency responders managed to locate and reattach the severed member after a lengthy surgery that restored its function.
The case garnered significant media attention and sparked discussions about domestic violence and mental health. During her trial, Lorena was found not guilty by reason of insanity, leading to a court-ordered mental health evaluation. The aftermath of the incident saw Lorena and John divorced in 1995, with both individuals pursuing different paths in the public eye. Lorena's actions have been framed within the context of women’s rights and the struggles against domestic violence, making her a symbol of resilience for many.
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Subject Terms
Bobbitt mutilation case
The Event Lorena Bobbitt mutilates her husband’s penis
Date June 23, 1993
Place The Bobbitts’ apartment in Manassas, Virginia
This case dominated the media and the attention of the American public for months. It also brought attention to the issue of domestic violence.
Lorena Gallo came from a lower-middle-class family from Ecuador. In 1986, she immigrated to the United States on a student visa. In June of 1989, she married John Wayne Bobbitt. They bought a house in 1990. At that time, Lorena Bobbitt was working ten hours a day, six days a week as a manicurist, making only $17,000 a year, and John was in the Marines. After his discharge from the Marine Corps on January 1, 1991, John jumped from one menial job to another. Lorena would later claim that John was very financially irresponsible and that his spending habits caused them to lose their house.
According to Lorena, John was both verbally and sexually abusive during their marriage. On June 23, 1993, John came home drunk after a night of partying. Lorena stated that he demanded sex and ended up raping her. John then fell asleep, and Lorena said that she went into the kitchen to get a drink of water. Instead, she came back with a knife and lifted the sheet that was covering John and sliced off almost half of his penis.
Lorena said that she left the apartment in a mental fog and decided to drive around. While driving, she realized that she had John’s severed penis in her hand and threw it out the car window into a field. Lorena later called 911 and reported John’s condition. Emergency medical personnel took him to the hospital. Other personnel looked for the severed body part in the field where Lorena said it was located. Eventually, emergency personnel found the severed penis. It was taken to the hospital and reattached during a nine-and-a-half hour surgery. Doctors felt confident that John would eventually regain full function of his penis.
Impact
Lorena Bobbitt became an icon for women who suffered domestic violence. Her defense included insanity, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and battered women’s syndrome. On January 21, 1994, the jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge ordered Lorena to spend forty-five days in the custody of the commissioner of mental health for observation and diagnosis.
John and Lorena Bobbitt divorced in 1995, and John continued to move from job to job. He starred in pornographic films, including John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut (1994) and Frankenpenis (1996). In 1997, he moved to Nevada, where he worked in a brothel and as a bartender. Lorena later made the news when she assaulted her mother.
Bibliography
Davoli, Joanmarie. “Reconsidering the Consequences of an Insanity Acquittal.” New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement 31, no. 1. (Winter, 2005): 3-14.
Junod, Tom. “Forrest Stump.” Gentleman’s Quarterly 65, no. 3 (1995): 230-237.
Pershing, Linda. “His Wife Seized His Prize and Cut It to Size: Folk and Popular Commentary on Lorena Bobbitt.” National Women’s Studies Association Journal 8, no. 3 (Fall, 1996): 1-35.