Cassie responds to resurfaced Sean "Diddy" Combs video

Last year, singer Cassie (given name Casandra Ventura) filed a lawsuit alleging rape and abuse against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The suit was settled shortly thereafter, but more accusations of assault, abuse, and trafficking have since been leveraged against the music industry mogul. On Friday of last week, those accusations were further substantiated when video surfaced of Combs abusing Cassie (his then-romantic partner). Today, Cassie released her first statement on the subject to social media, expressing appreciation for the support she’d received in the wake of the video.

“Thank you for all of the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet,” the singer wrote. “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.”

Cassie’s statement continued, “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. This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me. Thank you.”

Combs’ lawyers have repeatedly asserted his innocence in the multiple lawsuits that have been filed against him. In December, Combs denied the accusations himself in a statement to social media, saying he “did not do any of the awful things being alleged.” However, the stark reality of the video in which he physically assaulted Cassie forced the producer to post a mea culpa. He admitted that his behavior was “inexcusable” and said he “sought out professional help, going to therapy, going to rehab” following the events of the video.

Cassie’s suit has been settled, but her lawyers nevertheless rejected this apology, telling People, “Combs’ most recent statement is more about himself than the many people he has hurt. When Cassie and multiple other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested that his victims were looking for a payday. That he was only compelled to ‘apologize’ once his repeated denials were proven false shows his pathetic desperation, and no one will be swayed by his disingenuous words.”