Cassie is speaking out for the first time following the horrific video that showed Sean “P. Diddy” Combs physically assaulting her at an LA hotel.
On May 17, CNN released hotel surveillance footage they acquired from 2016 that provided evidence to Cassie’s lawsuit claims of abuse at the hands of Diddy. Now, the 37-year-old star has released a statement via Instagram, addressing the trauma she’s endured.
“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 younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning,” her post began. “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’re 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,” Cassie’s statement continued. “This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me. Thank you. Love Always, Cassie.”
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As Blavity reported, in the video footage, Diddy is seen running down the hall of the hotel floor wearing nothing but a bath towel around his waist. As Cassie was making her way to the elevator, Diddy struck her down to the ground, kicked her and attempted to drag her down the hallway before throwing an item toward her direction.
“Had a hard time watching the Cassie video. SADLY SHE IS NOT THE ONLY VICTIM. SISTAS, KEEP YA HEAD UP,” Judge Mathis wrote via Instagram, according to The Shade Room.
“Very disappointed by the state of our community! This video of Diddy assaulting Cassie is beyond disturbing, its deplorable and at moments downright diabolical! As a Father to Daughters and Young Men, he must take real time to atone his and all the souls he has affected. Its the kinda damage that permeates generations,” Cedric the Entertainer said in the comment section of a hip-hop-focused gossip blog.
“I am heartbroken that Cassie must relive the horror of her abuse, and my heart goes out to her. I know exactly how she feels, and through my empathy, it has triggered my own trauma,” Misa Hylton, who is the mother of Diddy’s oldest song named Justin Combs, shared in an Instagram post on May 21. “These young people were raised by women that want the best for them – we put God and education first and have always been united in our mutual effort to support their dreams. Two of the youngest do not have their mother here and it has been our duty to support them. Their father needs help and I am praying that he truly does the personal work and receives it.”
Diddy put a video via his Instagram account, apologizing with the caption, “I’m truly sorry,” but many folks weren’t moved by it, especially since he and his attorney originally denied Cassie’s lawsuit claims and said it was an attempt at “seeking a payday.”
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Turns out, Diddy cannot be charged due to the length of time that has passed since the incident occurred.
“We find the images extremely disturbing and difficult to watch,” the District Attorney’s Office said in the statement. “If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted.”
The statement continued, “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.”
