Ep 18. The Bobbitts: Love Hurts

The Bobbitts: Love Hurts is the 18th episode of the 41st season of 20/20. This episode explores the infamous case of the Bobbitts, a couple whose personal lives became the subject of worldwide attention in the 1990s.

John and Lorena Bobbitt appeared to have a fairytale romance when they first met. But behind closed doors, their relationship was fraught with emotional and physical abuse. Lorena, who was born in Ecuador, was often subjected to John's anger and control, and she eventually came to fear for her life.

On the night of June 23, 1993, after what Lorena describes as years of physical and sexual abuse, she cut off her husband's penis with a kitchen knife while he was sleeping. The incident made national and international headlines and sparked a media firestorm that lasted for months.

The episode interviews Lorena Bobbitt, who recounts the events leading up to the night of the incident, as well as the aftermath of what happened. She explains that she was in a desperate situation and did what she had to do to protect herself.

The episode also features interviews with John Bobbitt, who shares his side of the story and explains how he grappled with the trauma of the incident. He describes how he felt physically and emotionally humiliated and how he managed to rebuild his life in the years that followed.

In addition to the interviews with the Bobbitts, the episode also includes commentary from cultural experts and journalists who covered the story at the time. They weigh in on the media frenzy surrounding the case and how it influenced public opinion about domestic violence and sexual assault.

Overall, The Bobbitts: Love Hurts is a harrowing and thought-provoking look at one of the most infamous cases of domestic violence and sexual assault in modern history. The episode sheds light on the complexities and nuances of these issues and paints a picture of two people whose lives were forever changed by the events of that fateful night.