(KTLA) – Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura has broken her silence days after a disturbing surveillance video from 2016 was released, showing her being a victim of physical assault at the hands of ex-boyfriend Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2016.
"Thank you for all the love and support for 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. Domestic Violence is THE issue," she wrote in a post she shared to Instagram on Thursday morning.
"It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become," she continued. "With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past."
The "Me & U" singer then thanked everyone who 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," she explained.
For those in similar situations, she offered her "hand to those that are still living in fear."
She then offered this advice: "Reach out to your people, don't cut them off. No one should carry this weight alone."
Ventura and Combs were romantically linked, on and off, from 2007 to 2018.
In November of 2023, Ventura filed a shocking lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, accusing him of subjecting her to years of rape and abuse. The lawsuit was settled a day later.
In December, Combs issued a statement saying, “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged.” One of those things alleged in the lawsuit, however, was an incident that closely resembled what's seen in video released Friday by CNN, in which Combs is seen assaulting Cassie in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel,
In response that video, Combs admitted to the "inexcusable" actions and said he took "full responsibility" for the actions seen in the footage.
Cassie, in her Instagram post, ended her statement by thanking her supporters.
"This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me," she ended her message. "Thank you."
Cassie married personal trainer Alex Fine in 2019. The couple have two daughters.
