Cassie Ventura has broken her silence on the domestic abuse video which shows her ex-partner and business mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs attacking her in a hotel.
CCTV footage from a 2016 incident shows Combs chasing the singer down a hotel hallway before punching and kicking her to the floor.
Combs, wearing only a towel around his waist and a pair of socks, then attempts to drag Ventura back down the corridor.
The former rapper posted an apology video on Sunday (19 May) in which he called his behaviour “inexcusable” and said he “takes full responsibility for his actions in the video”.
An attorney for Ventura called the apology “disingenuous”.
However, the 37-year-old, mother-of-two has now released a statement in her own words, speaking out on the incident.
“Thank you for all the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet,” she wrote via Instagram on Thursday (22 May).
“The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning.
“Domestic violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today but I will always be recovering from my past.”
She urged her followers to “open your heart to believing victims the first time.”
She added: “It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in. I offer my hand to those that are still living in fear. Reach out to your people, don’t cut them off. No one should carry this weight alone.
“This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me. Thank you.”
According to CNN, Diddy later paid the InterContinental Century City $50,000 for the hallway security footage.
The video appears to corroborate several allegations made in a lawsuit brought by Cassie in 2023, in which she claimed she was trafficked, raped and beaten by Diddy on many occasions over 10 years.
According to the complaint, which cited the altercation as occurring “around March 2016”, Diddy became “extremely intoxicated and punched Ms Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye”.
Cassie and Diddy met in 2005 when the “Me & U” singer was 19 and Diddy was 37 after she signed to his label, Bad Boy Records. Their relationship first became public in 2007, with the pair splitting and reconciling various times throughout their decade together. They finally broke up in 2018.
Ventura met her husband Alex Fine shortly thereafter with the duo making their relationship Instagram-official in December 2018. She frequently praises her husband on social media, with Fine returning the favour.
Following the release of the CCTV footage, Fine shared a post hitting out at domestic abusers. The couple share two daughters together.
The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
