When R&B artist Cassandra Ventura, popularly known as “Cassie,” lodged her lawsuit against the business tycoon and hip-hop star Sean Combs—known by multiple nicknames but currently recognized as “Diddy”—the initial response was understandably one of shock. The widespread disbelief was rooted in the allegations she made: claiming that Combs, her former long-term boyfriend, inflicted years of physical abuse and violence, including shocking accusations of blowing up rapper Kid Cudi’s car upon learning of his brief romance with Cassie during a break in their relationship. The lawsuit even accused him of sex trafficking by allegedly coercing her into sexual acts with male sex workers.

The lawsuit’s allegations were startling, particularly given that they were against someone like Combs, who had spent decades crafting a public persona as a business leader, musician, and iconic presence not only in the entertainment industry but also within the Black community. Over the years, Combs had built a reputation for contributing to and empowering communities by making generous donations to historically Black colleges and universities, launching financial literacy initiatives, and facilitating scholarships and internships for students nationwide. By 2023, he had achieved billionaire status, was honored with the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and received the key to New York City from Mayor Eric Adams.

In the public sphere, Combs had faced troubles in the past — such as the 1991 City College event Combs organized which resulted in a stampede that killed nine people, and a 1999 New York City nightclub shooting involving his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez — but he always seemed to evade the long-term negative effects.

However, after Ventura’s suit was filed, the cracks in his perfectly curated public image began to surface.

The final shock wave emerged when the impact of the lawsuit began to unfold. Despite deeming Ventura’s suit a “money grab” and denying the initial allegations, Combs settled the case the very next day, and a steady stream of similar lawsuits then followed. In the next several months, litigation from former colleagues, mentees, and other individuals who came into Combs’ orbit over the years appeared, bringing claims such as rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, and abuse against the hip-hop heavyweight who just years before seemed to be on top of the world.

Initial reactions

In 2025, given everything that has occurred, it’s hard to imagine a time when Combs’ image was perfectly unscathed, and many now applaud Ventura for having the bravery to be the first to come forward. Yet despite such courage, Ventura’s claims were initially met with disbelief, suspicion, and judgment in many realms. In fact, Combs himself deemed Ventura’s claims as a “money grab” and stated through representatives that he is an “easy target for accusers who attempt to smear him.”

Initially, the public didn’t know what to make of Ventura’s claims, and wrestled with the fact that Combs — a legendary music mogul who just two months earlier was given the key to his native New York City by Mayor Adams — was now facing serious allegations of depraved acts such as abuse, trafficking, and even rape. At that time, rumors regarding Combs’ alleged misdeeds had been tenuous at most; growing up as a millennial in my native New York City, for example, the infamous shooting involving Jennifer Lopez — from which Combs evaded an actual conviction — was often a mere mention in any coverage of Combs’ decades-spanning career and life, and I personally had not even heard of the City College tragic stampede until recent months. Until November 2023, Combs had managed to elude any long-term negative impact to his image, which made Ventura’s already incendiary claims that much more shocking.

Despite the initial skepticism against Ventura, the fact that her lawsuit was settled within a day after it was filed began to raise suspicion — this time, against Combs. Although the settlement did not include an acknowledgment of liability, it did little to quell speculation over the merit of Ventura’s claims. Legal experts such as attorney Neama Rahmani surmised that the speedy resolution was an effort by Combs to save his image, rather than costs: “For someone like Diddy who’s reportedly worth almost $1 billion, writing a check for $10 or even $20 million to save his reputation … was probably the right move.”

Many thought when the settlement occurred that was the end of the matter and hopefully the beginning of some justice provided to Ventura — yet it proved to be the exact opposite.

Turning the tide

After November 2023, Combs’ legal problems began to mount. Numerous similar lawsuits followed Ventura’s, other news outlets began to focus on his alleged misconduct, and by March 2024, Homeland Security Investigations officers began raiding his homes in Miami and Los Angeles. The raids made national headlines and sparked the infamous slew of stories regarding the alleged discovery of 1,000 bottles of baby oil and numerous weapons, including guns with alleged defaced serial numbers.

Typically, the federal government does not conduct raids to that extent unless it is planning to move forward swiftly with charges, and that is just what occurred. Combs, meanwhile, has continued to maintain his innocence, and even had his attorneys blast the raids as “military-level force” and a “witch hunt.” Despite such pushback, no one could have predicted the apparent smoking gun that would surface just weeks later.

On May 17, 2024, CNN leaked a 2016 hotel surveillance video purportedly showing Combs violently attacking Ventura. The video immediately went viral, challenging naysayers who didn’t believe her. After the video leaked, Ventura spoke out, stating that the domestic violence she suffered “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.”

Ventura then made a heartbreaking — yet critical — plea to the public: “My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time.”

Believing survivors

One of the most important questions asked after that heart-wrenching video was released was: “Why did it take a humiliating video for us to believe Cassie’s claims about Diddy?”

The issue of female survivors of rape, sexual assault, or other egregious crimes not being initially believed has been dominant for decades. The National Institutes of Health reports that one in four women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime, yet less than 5% of such assaults are reported to law enforcement. Another study of 500 survivors of rape revealed that just 14% believed they would receive justice by reporting the crime to the police, and that many survivors reported that police treatment worsened their mental health and invalidated their allegations.

Yet given how far our society has come in the past decade in fighting against gender-based violence, why is it that so many female victims are met with incredulity when they bravely come forward with their stories? Firstly, many times, women are met with blame being placed on them for surviving sexual assault. This can come in the form of questions we hear all too often: “What was she wearing?” or “How much did she have to drink that night?” Secondly, particularly when it comes to female survivors coming forward against well-known or famous male figures, they are accused of alleging false claims to obtain a quick settlement. Thirdly, often times, society will assume other reasons for why female victims come forward against men in the public eye, mainly that they are making accusations because of revenge or an effort to stay relevant.

Ventura’s initial experience was no different — after all, she was met with disbelief after bravely coming forward in a detailed complaint filled with allegedly excruciating and painful details regarding her nearly decade-long relationship with Combs. Only when the painful video showing Ventura being kicked, smacked, and dragged through the hallways of the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles in 2016 by Combs surfaced did he and the public offer an apology — at least of sorts. After the video was released, despite his numerous denials and deeming Ventura’s claims a cash grab, he released a video to his Instagram account saying in part: “My behavior on that video is inexcusable … I am disgusted … I’m so sorry.”

Now nearly a year later to the day, Combs is set to face the music. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him, and opening statements began on Monday. Last week, Ventura, who is heavily pregnant with her third child with husband Alex Fine, was spotted in New York City, another signal of her eventual testimony, which began Tuesday. Meanwhile, Combs’ team is maintaining the position that the domestic violence in their relationship was mutual.

For Ventura, one cannot begin to imagine the trauma and difficulty that will come with facing the man who is shown on camera physically attacking her and detailing the alleged horrific aspects of their relationship to the jury. Ventura first met Combs in 2005 when she was just 19 and he was 37 — she was first signed to Combs’ Bad Boy Records under a 10 album deal, and when her hit single “Me & U” was released in 2006, she was hailed as the next big R&B star.

But instead, Ventura alleged in her complaint, Combs enticed her into a relationship, and while he appeared to the public as her mentor, in reality, she says, he exercised control over every aspect of her life and subjected her to years of abuse. The public has begun to learn even more now that the parties are presenting their arguments at trial, and, ultimately, as Ventura takes the stand.

The world has come to learn many alleged aspects of Combs’ life in the past year in this case, yet the most important lesson our society should glean from all of this has nothing to do with Combs, and everything to do with Ventura. It took months of allegations and a video purportedly showing Combs attacking Ventura for many members of the public to finally acknowledge some of her claims.

Given what has occurred in the past decade, it is quite possible we will see another case in which a formerly wealthy and powerful male figure faces a downfall … yet what this writer hopes will be different this time around is that survivors are heard the first time, and it won’t take a devastating video for them to be taken seriously.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.