Amber Heard's Lawyer Says 'Amber is the Victim ... Amber is a hero'

Amber Heard took the high road by not calling the cops after Johnny Depp allegedly brutalized her, but Johnny's "relentless attacks and outright lies" has now forced her to file a police report ... so says her lawyer.

Attorney Samantha Spector has come out swinging, saying Amber did not file a police report when the alleged incident occurred "to protect her privacy and Johnny's career."

Spector says Heard tried to keep the alleged incident "as private as possible," but Johnny and media reports have now forced her hand. Spector says, "Amber can no longer endure the relentless attacks and outright lies launched against her character," adding, "We took the high road."

Spector says LAPD cops observed injuries to Amber and the disarray in the apartment when they arrived. This is in sharp contrast to what LAPD told us ... that there were no signs of injury and no signs of disarray.

Amber's lawyer says her client "has suffered through years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Johnny." They've been married for 15 months.