Singer and model Cassie Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, has broken her silence regarding a video showing her being assaulted by former partner Sean “Diddy” Combs. In her first public statement since the video went viral, Cassie described the impact of the domestic violence as devastating.
In an Instagram post, Cassie did not directly name Combs, but her statement came a week after CNN aired hotel security footage from 2016, which appears to show the hip-hop mogul hitting, dragging, and kicking her.
“Domestic violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become,” Cassie wrote, expressing gratitude for the support she has received. “The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning.”
Last November, Cassie filed a federal lawsuit accusing Combs of repeated abuse, which was settled for an undisclosed amount without Combs admitting wrongdoing. Two days after the video was broadcast, Combs issued an apology, calling his behavior “inexcusable.”
Additional civil lawsuits have been filed against Combs, including a recent one by former model Crystal McKinney, who alleges Combs pressured her into intoxication and performing a sex act.
Cassie urged the public to believe victims, emphasizing the courage it takes to speak out. “My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time. It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in,” she wrote. “This healing journey is never-ending, but this support means everything to me.”
Cassie met Combs when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his recording label, and they subsequently began a romantic relationship.
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