Cassie has broken her silence on a video of her ex Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs violently assaulting her back in 2016.
On Sunday, the rapper apologised for his “inexcusable” behaviour after a video emerged of him violently attacking his then-girlfriend in the hallway of a hotel.
Cassie has since shared a statement on Instagram thanking fans for their support over the past few days.
She wrote: “Thank you for all of the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet. The outpouring of love has created a place for my vounger 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.
“Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to take this matter seriously. 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.
“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.”
She concluded her post by writing: “This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me. Thank you. Love Always, Cassie.”
Diddy publicly apologised for his “inexcusable” behaviour after a video emerged of him violently attacking Cassie in the hallway of a hotel back in 2016.
The rapper was forced to speak out after CNN published the surveillance video online.
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The shocking clip shows the rapper chasing his then-girlfriend down a hallway before he grabbed her by the back of the head and threw her on the ground.
The musician proceeded to kick her twice as she lay motionless on the ground, before he started dragging her back to their room by her hoodie.
A 2016 surveillance video obtained by CNN shows Sean “Diddy” Combs violently grab, shove, drag and kick his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura during an altercation in a hotel in California. https://t.co/JrnJhWOaQt pic.twitter.com/xeRBtoGBDV
— CNN (@CNN) May 17, 2024
The 54-year-old rapper took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon to apologize, saying: “I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses.”
“So difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, sometimes you got to do that. I was f***ed up.”
“I mean I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses, my behavior in that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video, I’m disgusted.”
“I was disgusted then when I did it, I am disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help, I got into going to therapy, going to rehab.”
“Had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry. But I am committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness, I’m truly sorry.”
According to a previous lawsuit Cassie filed against Diddy, which has since been settled, the incident allegedly occurred at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City.
In court documents, the songstress claimed Diddy paid the hotel $50,000 for the footage of the attack.
In a statement to CNN, another attorney for Cassie, Douglas Wigdor, said: “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs.”
“Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”
The rapper has faced numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault over the past few months.
Cassie was the first to speak out against the 54-year-old, accusing him of rape, assault and repeated physical abuse in a lawsuit filed in November 2023.
The former couple dated on and off from 2007 until 2018.
At the time, Diddy vehemently denied her “offensive and outrageous allegations”.
A statement from his lawyer Ben Brafman said: “For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail.”
“Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s reputation and seeking a payday.”
The following day, Cassie dropped the suit and announced that they had settled “amicably”.
Since then, four more alleged victims have come forward accusing Diddy of sexual assault.
Diddy has denied all the accusations, and claimed they are “looking for a quick payday”.
The assault video was released just two months after Diddy’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles were raided by Homeland Security as part of a sex trafficking investigation.
Following the raids of his properties, Diddy’s attorney Aaron Dyer insisted the rapper would clear his name.
In a statement, he said: “There was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”
“This unprecedented ambush — paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence — leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” he continued.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
Dyer also insisted Diddy “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities”.
If you have been affected by anything in this article, the Women’s Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline is 1800 341 900.
For help and support you can also log onto www.womensaid.ie.
