Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sparked outrage for a video showing him abusing Cassie Ventura, highlighting the need to listen to women and raising questions about prosecution.
Trigger warning: This story includes incidents of domestic violence and alleged sexual assault.
If you were around in the 90s or early 2000s, you would remember the rise of rappers and R&B singers like Diddy, with songs like I’ll Be Missing You, Notorious B.I.G., and Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down.
Recently, Sean “Diddy” Combs has been in the news for a video circulating online. In the video, he is seen kicking, dragging, and throwing an object at his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in the hallways of a luxury hotel. This public reckoning, according to Vox, is reaching a new boiling point.
Cassie’s Allegations Against Diddy
So what really happened?
On November 16, Ventura sued Combs in federal court, accusing him of rape and a decade-long pattern of abuse that began when she was 19, as reported by Vulture.
Ventura, once signed to Combs’ label, Bad Boy Records, claims he engaged in sex trafficking, human trafficking, sexual battery, sexual assault, and gender-motivated violence. According to the lawsuit, his controlling behavior started when they met in 2005.
Recently, CNN released disturbing footage showing Combs assaulting Ventura, bringing these allegations into the spotlight.
Details of the Diddy Assault Video
Now what do we know about the video of Combs assaulting Ventura?
On May 17, CNN released a surveillance video showing Diddy physically abusing Ventura. This supports the allegations she made in last year’s lawsuit.
The footage, from multiple camera angles dated March 5, 2016, captures Combs and Ventura at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.
The video begins with Combs, wearing a towel, grabbing Ventura by the neck and slamming her to the floor in a hallway.
He then kicks her and drags her by her sweatshirt as she lies motionless. When Ventura slowly stands up, Combs returns, shoves her, and throws an object at her.
“The gut-wrenching video further confirms Mr. Combs’ disturbing and predatory behavior,” said Douglas H. Wigdor, Ventura’s lawyer.
“Words cannot express the courage and fortitude Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward.”
Women Should Be Heard
It’s sad that this happened years ago and the lawsuit was filed last year, but it only gained attention when the video surfaced. Why? Maybe because a video is more powerful than words, and that’s concerning.
Women around the world should be heard and taken seriously when they speak about abuse. This video was proof, and brings to question what happened behind closed doors.
What about women with partners who aren’t as famous, who don’t stay at luxury hotels with surveillance cameras?
One of Many
Glamour reports that the hotel incident is just one of several that Ventura mentioned in her lawsuit.
She claimed Combs had “uncontrollable rage.” He brutally beat her by punching and kicking, gave her drugs, and forced her to have sexual intercourse with other men.
If he hurt her like that in public, what could he have done in private?
Ventura said about the lawsuit, “After years of silence and darkness, I am finally ready to share my story and speak up for myself and other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships.”
According to AP News, Combs denied the allegations when the suit was filed in 2023, with his lawyer Ben Brafman calling them “lies.”
Why they can’t prosecute Diddy
USA Today reported that Combs won’t face prosecution.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office shared a statement on social media Friday night. They described the footage as “disturbing and difficult to watch.”
However, they explained that if the incident occurred in 2016, Combs cannot be charged or prosecuted for assault due to the expired statute of limitations.
The statement said, “If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted. As of today, law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs. We encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement or reach out to our office for support from our Bureau of Victims Services.”
According to the McCready Law Group, California’s statute of limitations is one year for simple assault and three years for felony assault.
No More Hiding
However, there’s no avoiding the reality of this video showing Combs assaulting Ventura.
It did require courage. And it did require strength. But most upsetting of all is that it shouldn’t have necessitated video proof for a woman to be believed. Let’s learn from that.
The importance of paying attention to the Combs and Ventura case is not because they’re famous. This is because they’re just a small part of a larger issue.
They serve as a tangible reminder of the millions of women worldwide whose voices go unheard.
So just as we now pay attention to Ventura, let’s also pay attention to all women worldwide striving to make their voices heard.
Let’s amplify their voices and stand in solidarity with those who speak out, ensuring that every woman’s story is heard, believed, and respected.
READ ALSO: Strength In Adversity: Empowering Stories From 5 Female Celebrities Battling Lupus
Banner photo via Instagram @cassie.
