Lorena Bobbitt, 15 Years Later

A New Job, A New Man, And Focus On Helping Others

(CBS)  It was the cut heard round the world.

Exactly 15 years ago this week the world first heard the story of John Wayne and Lorena Bobbitt. John Wayne, an ex-Marine, was accused of coming home drunk and raping his wife. Lorena was accused of retaliating by cutting off her husband's penis while he was asleep.

Lorena went from anonymous to notorious - her story the subject of countless newspaper and magazine articles. Now in her first ever network morning show interview she discusses how she's using her notoriety to help others.

"All of a sudden, my private life is out in the open and it's an open book and a lot of people know my history," she told The Early Show "Sometimes I couldn't even go to the grocery store to buy food because I would be recognized."

Today, the once shy native of Ecuador who barely spoke English is a confident 39-year-old who works as a real estate agent and next month gets her hairdressing license.

"My self esteem is a lot better than it was years ago. I grew a lot," she said. "I learned to cope with this. I cannot have myself with a blanket over my head and not to live, might as well go into the mountains and forget everybody. I had to make a choice so I just said 'Hey, I have to keep going, this is my life.'"

Lorena is now a mother to two-and-a-half-year-old Olivia - and in case you're wondering, yes, there is a man - fiancé Dave Bellinger.

"We've been together for 14 years and he's just wonderful," she said. "He's my best friend and he is a good father. Before, when I was young, when I was married, I was really naïve and young, I didn't know what I wanted."

While Lorena has stayed out of the spotlight since a jury found her not guilty by reason of temporary insanity - ex husband John Wayne has sought it out - making numerous TV appearances and starring in several highly publicized adult films.

"That kind of did bother me that he was, you know, going up and trying to make money off a tragedy and you know that was a tragedy. I mean if he doesn't consider it a tragedy then he's wrong," she said.

John Wayne has also had several brushes with the law including a 2003 domestic violence conviction.

"I hope that he's definitely seeking help. If he needs help because he does need help, you know, he keeps on abusing women and I'm working on my goal and I'm trying to focus on my life and I do have a new life," she said.

The focus of her new life is Lorena's Red Wagon - an organization which provides funds to abused women in shelters who seek mental health counseling.

"They've gone through a lot, and I know that," she said. "Who knows that better than me?"

She hopes one day to open her own shelter and prevent women from making the same mistakes she did.

"Don't ever take the law into your own hands. No, never," she said. "Because take that from me, that's the advice that I give, don't take the law into your hands - it's not good."

Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt divorced in 1995 after six years of marriage. She said that she hasn't spoken to him since.

[kzone69]

Is it true the hair salon she works for is called "The Wankee Clipper"?

[ciitzenusa]

There''s a word that describes all the feminist loons on this board that support Lorena and what she did: ALONE.

[shawnp1968]

..next month gets her hairdressing license.

What is it with her and scissors???

I can''t believe ANY man could lay next to this woman at night and close his eyes! Good luck to her new husband... hope this works out well for you!!!

[ajaxtheleast]

Did the news stories ever report on the

the post-event mechanics of this thing?

Did she hand it back to him?

I''ve heard of having your a,ss handed back
to you , , , ,

Was it just a funny rumor that she threw

it out the window?

Was he outside rummaging through the foliage?

"Hey, Buddy, did you see **** go by about
this long and like so wide"

"So that''s what it was!? I slipped on that

damm thing!!

Here kicked ''er down this grating here.

You can just make it out against the

beer can. , , Gotta run, catch me a bus!

Good luck!, Dude!"

[slader99]

lol relax you stupid hypocrites. Think, how many illegal things have you done when no one was watching, or when the woman was drunk that you took advantage of. Youre a hypocrite, youre a hypocrite, youre a hypocrite...

[l8c6]

I t*h*o*u*ght I''d p*o*st thi*s mes*sag*e to C*B*S ne*ws. To a*vo*id the f*r*e*ed*om o*f am*eri*can cen*s*or*sh*ip f*ou*nda*t*ion, I ha*ve a*c*te*d ac*c*or*d*in*g*ly.

Interestingly enough, should CBS news report on D*i*ck Cheney, there isn''t a need to avoid his first name. Nor, when Ann Coulter refers to John Edwards as a fa*gg*ot, no need to censor there. Bloogers well, even the faux term a*z*zhole is now censurable. Pathetic.

[l8c6]

She should be in jail right now.

More proof how our court system panders to women.

Posted by shanev137


Maybe you should be repeatedly raped to help you get it.
He should be in jail right now for repeatedly raping women. Amazing how our court system panders to men.

[l8c6]

This woman should be in prison today for maiming and almost killing her husband. Any man that would have anything to with this butcher had better be able to live without sleep - any sleep.

Posted by joe1022joe


Glad this isn''t the medieval ages, women aren''t a man''s property and we have a court system to see who the real *** was and is. What she has done with her life and what he has done with hers is revealing and helps clarify where the truth lies.

[spicysugar-2009]

She should have cut it off and fed it to the dogs. Then he couldn''t rape or abuse anybody.

[joe1022joe]

This woman should be in prison today for maiming and almost killing her husband. Any man that would have anything to with this butcher had better be able to live without sleep - any sleep.

[Meg003]

CBS thinks we need advice from this crazy woman?

[smurfcrusher]

onlythereal: I agree with your assessment.

[shanev137]

She should be in jail right now.

More proof how our court system panders to women.

[smurfcrusher]

What was that other song...

"I''m half the man, I used to be...!"

Give or take a few percent ;)

[smurfcrusher]

"Don''t ever take the law into your own hands. No, never," she said

I''ve never heard it called "the law" before...

but if you ignore her advice, handle with care!!

[smurfcrusher]

What''s that song....

"Cuts like a knife! But it feels so...Right...!"

I have to say her ex does not at all impress me and from the news has shown some disturbing patterns...

but she really shouldn''t treat his best friend that way.

[jimbobj-2009]

Why do "you" people think that this is a good time to bring up this story? No one cares, it''s not news. Start telling us things like: when gas prices go down or that whales are killed for no reason or crime has stopped. I was in the ER when "Mr. I Have No ***" came in. He looked stupid then and still does.

[smilingez50]

You''re telling me there is another fool that wants to marry this butcher. LOL

[neonink]

Did you notice that all three of these crazy *** have the same haircut? Posted by mortal3


I think it''s called a Bob. But could be renamed Bobbitt. Oh, and thanks Lorena for the greatest joke in 50 years.

[remington991]

mydeadbride:

You are so wrong. Every day women are sexually mutilated by men. The one time a *** gets chopped off, men freak out! (I''m a man, but not worried; I don''t give my woman a reason to chop off my bestfriend.) Misandry, HA! It''s about time women started giving back what they''ve been taking. I want my own daughters to feel confident in this world, and if that means seeing that men can just as easily be mutilated in retaliation, so be it. I just want the violence to go down. It may take some revenge from women to make that happen, even they go to jail. Bet the other female inmates (most of whom have been violated) will honor them.