Lorena Bobbitt, the woman who made headlines in 1993 after cutting off her then-husband John Bobbitt‘s penis following years of domestic abuse, spoke out on Monday, Nov. 9, about the incident.
Bobbitt, 46, appeared on Steve Harvey, and was greeted by the mostly female audience with a standing ovation and cheers. She then reflected back on the harrowing incident, and where life has brought her today. In 1993, Bobbitt cut off her husband’s penis with a kitchen knife while he slept, and later claimed that it was the result of years of infidelity and abuse.
“My story actually has humor, but also, we shine the light on domestic violence as well,” Lorena told Harvey. “That’s why I wanted to [do this].”
Surgeons were able to surgically re-attach John Bobbitt’s penis, and Lorena was ultimately acquitted for her actions, pleading temporary insanity.
Lorena, however, revealed on Monday that her ex-husband subsequently attempted to reach out on numerous occasions. “He tried, but I always deleted his number,” she said of her ex-spouse. (John subsequently appeared in two adult movies, including John Wayne Bobbitt: Uncut and John Wayne Bobbitt’s Frankenpenis.)
In fact, Bobbitt now lives with her second husband, Dave Bellinger, and their 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, in Virginia. “I mean, you know, I have my life,” she shared. “I have a new life now and I just want to focus on what is positive and I surrounded myself with positive people.”
In fact, she’s turned the entire situation into something positive, creating an organization called Lorena’s Red Wagon.
“It basically helps women and children through family oriented activities,” she explained. “I can provide for them. When a victim leaves the house, they don’t have time to pack. They just have the first opportunity to leave . . . If any child in the shelter has a birthday, we bring cakes . . . I want to bring hope to women and children of domestic abuse, and that’s what we do.”
