The highly anticipated film airs on Monday, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime. Narrated and executive produced by Bobbitt herself, the film explores the truth behind what was reported during the media frenzy at the time.
A statement from Lifetime ahead of the movie’s airing said: “Now nearly 30 years later, Lorena tells her story, and hers alone, for the first time with Lifetime. This film follows her journey from a wide-eyed, immigrant bride to a battered wife into an unlikely media sensation. I Was Lorena Bobbitt also documents her ultimately emerging as a strong, thoughtful woman who has devoted her life to advocating for other abused women.”
Why did Lorena Bobbitt cut her husband?
Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband’s penis on June 23, 1993 in Manassas, Virginia, after years of alleged physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
At the time, a distraught Bobbitt claimed she was raped by her drunk husband and couldn’t take it anymore. She cut off his penis with an eight-inch carving knife from the kitchen while he slept and drove to the salon where she worked, throwing the severed organ out the window on the way.
The severed penis was later found and reattached to Bobbitt.
Did Lorena Bobbitt go to prison?
Lorena and John were initially charged in separate trials. She was charged with malicious wounding, he was charged with marital sexual assault. Both were acquitted.
Bobbitt successfully pleaded not guilty by reason of temporary insanity and did not serve prison time but serves a brief mandated stint in a psychiatric hospital.
The Washington Post reported at the time that Bobbitt was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at a state hospital to determine if she was a danger to anyone.
A Prince William County judge then ruled she did not pose a threat and ordered her to continue weekly outpatient therapy.
Speaking to Fox News recently, Bobbitt said: “For some reason, the media was just infatuated about the cutting of this penis instead of what actually is the essence and the core of the story. The story was about domestic violence, domestic abuse, sexual assault… the media just missed this window of opportunity to tell [that].”
I Was Lorena Bobbit stars Dani Montalvo as Lorena herself and her husband John Wayne Bobbitt is portrayed by Luke Humphrey.
Lifetime will also run a PSA for the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence featuring Bobbitt.
I Was Lorena Bobbitt premieres Monday, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
