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Cassie Testified. We Believe Her.
Note: This piece contains references to sexual violence.
Last week, Cassie Ventura, at eight-and-a-half months pregnant, sat just feet from her alleged abuser and recounted some of the most dehumanizing and violating moments of her life. She testified as the lead witness in the federal prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering offenses.
Here at the National Women’s Law Center, we know that the systems that enable abuse are the same ones that silence survivors. Cassie’s testimony is a powerful example of what it takes to break that silence—and how urgently we need change.
Prosecutors say that Combs, a prominent rapper and music producer and executive, used his economic and cultural power to force and coerce women into participating in group sex encounters known as “freak offs,” exploiting that power as a weapon for decades. Given Cassie’s long-term romantic relationship with Combs, her testimony is both vital to the case and an act of extraordinary bravery.
Cassie reported that during their relationship, she experienced tremendous emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. In her testimony, she explained that this abuse was not random—it was systematic, sustained, and facilitated by Combs, his employees, and his vast power in the entertainment industry.
Cassie also testified that her music career was stalled by this abuse. At 19, she signed a 10-album deal with Combs’ label, a rare opportunity in a competitive industry. Instead of providing this opportunity, Combs allegedly prevented her from fulfilling the terms of her contract, cutting her off from creative and financial freedom and making her financially dependent on him. Cassie’s story serves as a devastating reminder of how abuse can keep women from doing their work, building stability, and reaching their full potential. She told the court that her coerced participation in “freak offs” eventually “became a job”—one where she was forced not only to take part in these encounters but also to arrange encounters between herself and other victims.
As is so often the case when survivors come forward, a significant portion of the public response blamed the victim, Cassie, instead of the alleged perpetrator: Why didn’t she just leave? Why did she stay so long? Why did she keep participating in the “freak offs?”
These questions ignore the dynamics of power and fear that survivors navigate daily. Cassie testified—supported by video evidence—that when she tried to leave, she was physically assaulted. Leaving is not always a safe option. In fact, it can be one of the most dangerous times for a victim of domestic violence. Survivors stay not because they are weak, but because they are dealing with an impossible situation—one that is often marked by isolation, control, and fear of further punishment.
Adding to the troubling public response is how much of the focus drifted from Cassie’s testimony to her husband, Alex Fine’s, reaction to the case. Some on social media have suggested that he shouldn’t “have to” listen to his wife’s testimony or worse, that it wouldn’t be surprising if he left her. Rhetoric of this nature shifts focus away from the survivor and centers a man’s experience. It is a reinforcement of stigma and shame that keep many people quiet when sharing their accounts of abuse. Survivors don’t owe anyone, including partners, their silence to make others comfortable. And supporting a partner who has experienced abuse is simply the right thing to do.
Equally concerning is how Combs’ defense attorneys tried to prevent Cassie from showing up in the courtroom as a fully realized individual by attempting to hide her pregnancy. They argued that her visible pregnancy might unfairly influence the jury—that she would appear too sympathetic. As if her pregnancy made her appear so sympathetic that it called into question her underlying credibility. Despite what some may consider a deft legal tactic, this sends a deeply misogynistic message.
But Cassie used her voice. She shared that testifying was “…remarkably empowering and healing…” In testifying, Cassie represented so many Black women who have been told to stay quiet. Survivors who have been told no one will believe them. Artists whose dreams were derailed by someone more powerful.
At NWLC, we know that Cassie’s story is not an isolated one. It reflects a system that too often protects abusers and punishes survivors. We are committed to changing that system, by fighting for workplace justice, centering survivors, and creating a world where no one has to choose between career and safety.
Cassie testified. We believe her. And we will not stop fighting until every survivor is believed, protected, and free.
