Latest news with #Refuge
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cassie Ventura gives birth just days after testifying in Diddy trial
Cassie Ventura has reportedly given birth just days after testifying at Sean 'Diddy' Combs's trial. She and husband Alex Fine have welcomed their third child, a source close to the family told ABC News. They share two daughters together, and confirmed they were expecting their third baby in a February Instagram post. The Independent has reached out to a representative for Ventura for comment. Ventura, 38, took the stand at the start of Combs's trial just two weeks ago, testifying about their tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship. She has served as a star witness in the government's sex trafficking case against Combs. On the stand, Ventura testified about 'freak offs' as she tearfully recounted the years of abuse. Fine attended the trial in support of his wife and released a statement after her four days of testimony concluded. 'I have felt so many things sitting there,' Fine said. 'I have felt tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass. I have felt profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her. You did not break her spirit nor her smile.' Fine, 32, began dating Ventura while she was still in an on-again, off-again relationship with Combs. The two eventually married in 2019 and are now expecting their third child together. Ventura told jurors during her testimony that her husband's love and support were instrumental in helping her process the physical, sexual, and psychological abuse she experienced while with Combs. In a particularly emotional moment, Ventura tearfully recounted how she felt suicidal after Combs allegedly raped her in 2018, but Fine intervened. In his statement, Fine refused to take credit for saving Ventura. 'I did not save Cassie, as some have said. To say that is an insult to the years of painful work my wife has done to save herself. Cassie saved Cassie,' Fine said. 'She alone broke free from abuse, coercion, violence and threats. She did the work of fighting the demons that only a demon himself could have done to her. All I have done is love her as she has loved me," he added. Fine said Ventura's testimony marks the end of a 'horrific chapter,' and that he and Ventura will not be making additional statements on the case. Ventura also released her own statement, through her lawyer, calling the four-day testimony 'extremely challenging,' 'remarkably empowering,' and 'healing.' 'I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors, and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from abuse and fear,' Ventura said. The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via
Metro
25-05-2025
- Metro
I've been prevented from divorcing my abusive estranged husband for 20 years
The day I filed for divorce from my husband Paul* was a momentous occasion. After over a year of mounting physical and emotional abuse, threats, and even moving countries to be rid of him, my solicitor told me there should be no reason for it not to go through. 'We can do it on grounds of adultery,' they said. And I left practically giddy with excitement. However, that was nearly 20 years ago and yet, in the eyes of the law, we're still married. Frankly I'm at a loss for what to do – I just want to be rid of him. My path first crossed with Paul's* in 2005 after we matched on a popular dating site. Online dating was practically a novelty then, no one knew the dangers in the way we do now, so I – being someone that lived in a tiny village where the opportunities for romance were few and far between – figured there was no harm in signing up. I found Paul incredibly charming but I never expected anything to come of our internet dalliance. He was in the army – deployed to a war zone at the time but lived in Germany – and I was a single mum to three kids living in the UK. So when, after a few weeks of talking, communication between us fizzled I thought nothing of it. That is until around 18 months later when he called me out of the blue. He claimed it was a wrong number, but then proceeded to remind me who he was and ask me on a date as he happened to be in the country. The date itself was relaxed, just a few drinks at the local pub, and we got on incredibly well. He gave me the sense that he was going to look after me and that was something I loved the idea of. Over the next three months things escalated quickly. Despite only seeing each other a couple more times in person there were confessions of love and being together forever and even talks of marriage. I truly believed that we were destined for one another and was ready to race up the aisle. My family, on the other hand, were not so convinced and urged me not to go through with the wedding. One in 4 women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives ONS research revealed that, in 2023, the police recorded a domestic abuse offence approximately every 40 seconds Yet Crime Survey for England & Wales data for the year ending March 2023 found only 18.9% of women who experienced partner abuse in the last 12 months reported the abuse to the police According to Refuge, 84% of victims in domestic abuse cases are female, with 93% of defendants being male Safe Lives reports that disabled women are twice as likely to experience domestic abuse as non-disabled women, and typically experience domestic abuse for a longer period of time before accessing support Refuge has also found that, on average, it takes seven attempts before a woman is able to leave for good. Of course, I didn't listen and at our wedding, only six of my friends and my three children attended. Even my best friend, who sat in the front row, sobbed throughout the ceremony because she was so desperately worried about me. I was determined we would prove them all wrong though. That we'd have a happy, lasting marriage for many years to come. But from that moment on, things changed. On the wedding night itself, Paul shoved and spat on me for, unknowingly and accidentally, burning his favourite T-shirt with a dropped cigarette. It was the first time I'd seen this side of him and I simply froze in shock. This man, who I'd vehemently defended to everyone saying he was a good guy, a protector, and someone I could trust, was now proving he was in fact not that guy. Of course there were times when I'd think about leaving I wanted to call my friends and family, but I couldn't face the echoes of 'we told you so' from everyone I knew. Two weeks later the kids and I moved to Germany with him and strict rules were imposed. Paul dictated how much contact the kids could have with their dads and how much I could reach out to my family. He also told me who I could and couldn't be friends with and where in town I was allowed to go and gave me a list of places to avoid. Looking back now I can see it was all part of his ploy to control every aspect of me and my life, but at the time, I told myself it was just because he cared. It was, however, harder to use that excuse when he'd get drunk and, inevitably, violent. On those occasions he'd not only tell me how I was worthless and how nobody would want me, he'd spit on me, grab me by the throat and pin me up against the living room wall. Sometimes he'd even hold a knife to my throat and tell me how he was going to kill me. Afterwards, he'd typically lock himself away in the bedroom or disappear for days. Luckily, as he was so often away, this behaviour and his sudden absence for days on end never struck the children as odd. Instead, for us, life would carry on as normal. When he'd reappear he'd either guilt me into an apology or say how much he couldn't bear to be without me. I didn't necessarily believe him, but I just wanted peace, stability. Of course there were times when I'd think about leaving – by now, I'd owned up to myself that marrying him had been my biggest mistake – but I couldn't quite bring myself to do it. He cleared out our joint bank account to leave me with nothing, yet told people I was the one who'd taken his money Paul might have been dreadful to me but he was nothing but wonderful to the children. He doted on them, took them on day trips and was always on best behaviour when they were around. Besides, I'd already dragged them to Germany, and the last thing I wanted to do was drag them anywhere else. Eventually though, that's exactly what I had to do. Just over a year into our marriage I discovered he had a secret phone and on it were the numbers and texts from multiple women, one of whom had just discovered she was pregnant. At that moment my world collapsed. Sure, things had been far from perfect, but I'd always thought the love between us, at least at one point, had been real. For the next few weeks there was a lot of shouting and crying as I confronted him about his various affairs. We then became very cold, distant to each other and our interactions were purely practical. We called the relationship quits soon after but things only got worse from there. He cleared out our joint bank account to leave me with nothing, yet told people I was the one who'd taken his money. He sold my car without me knowing, which meant I was forced to use what little funds I had to buy it back. And I presume he was behind the calls I'd get from women who'd say how 'fat and ugly' I was and how wonderful he was. Eventually, the whole thing became so exhausting that I just knew I had to get out: out of the house we'd once shared and, for my own safety, the country. By this point the threats – that no matter where I went, he'd find me and kill me – were becoming pretty constant, so I knew home wasn't an option. I had to think of somewhere else, somewhere we could disappear and be safe. I hate that Paul still has control over my life With some help from a neighbour and a lot of secrecy, I planned for our move to Northern Ireland. I changed my number, email address and did everything I could to help the kids and I have a fresh start. But sadly, he somehow got ahold of my address and the threats continued to come by post. I just hoped that, once his new baby arrived, it'd all just stop. That he'd either get bored or have less time to harass me and that we could get a divorce and go our separate ways for good. Despite my best efforts though, that didn't and, still hasn't, happened. The first solicitor I went to in 2009 seemed confident that my case was a cut and dried one. However, as Paul was still living on the army base at that time, it became difficult to prove that we had served the papers (an essential step for being granted a divorce in Northern Ireland) as it was signed for by whoever was in the post room on that day. In short, I was stuck. A few years later I tried to go through the process again – shelling out a further £310 – in hopes that, this time, he might respond. Sure enough, he claimed to have received nothing again. The only other option I had was to wait for him to leave the army so that I could file to his new address directly. But the moment he did in 2021, everything stopped. There were no more threatening phone calls or letters and while I was grateful for that, it also meant I had no idea where he lived and so couldn't file against him. I was stuck, again. Had I lived in England this divorce would have been over and done with more than 10 years ago as all I would have had to do was prove I'd tried to serve the papers. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. And whether you are currently coping with or have made the decision to leave, you do have options. If you are thinking about leaving, domestic abuse charity Refuge suggests starting a record of abusive incidents, which might include saving pictures or messages, or making notes of times, dates and details of incidents. The next step is to make copies of important documents such as court orders, marriage certificates, National Insurance Numbers and your driving licence. In the meantime, identify the safer areas of your home so that you know where to go if your abuser becomes aggravated. Ideally, this should be a room with a phone and a door or window to the outside. If you feel ready to leave, start by making a plan for a safe, reliable route out. If you feel safe to do so, pack an emergency bag so that you leave in a hurry if needed. You can access a local refuge, either with or without children, for as long as you need to stay. The address is confidential. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247) is open 24-hours a day and has all the details of refuges in your area. In an emergency situation, ring 999 and ask for the police. If you aren't able to talk, try the Silent Solution: after dialling 999, listen to the questions from the operator and respond by coughing or tapping your device, if possible. If prompted, press 55 to let the operator know it's an emergency – you'll be put through to the police. Read more here. Instead, Paul and I remain married even though we've not seen one another for almost 17 years. It's not like I can just go back home to get this over with either – I'm still terrified that if I did, he'd find me and make good on all those threats. I hate that Paul still has control over my life. I hate that, because he won't give me a divorce, I wasn't able to marry my partner, Chris*, before he died from terminal cancer last month. And I hate that there is nothing in law that prevents him from doing this. More Trending Something has to change. The law has to do better to support survivors. Because even though I escaped the relationship, in many ways, I'm still trapped. *Names have been changed As told to Emma Rossiter Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: My cousin sent a text that devastated me – I wish he'd called MORE: I've embraced free bleeding when I'm on my period MORE: How a herd of zebras helped me deal with child sex abuse
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Domestic abuse 'epidemic' as one in four adults have been victims
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: New figures reveal one in four adults have been been victims of domestic abuse from the age of 16 The UK is suffering a domestic abuse 'epidemic' it has been claimed after new figures reveal one in four adults have been victims. One in four adults in England and Wales are likely to have experienced domestic abuse, according to new research released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure is greater for women, at nearly one in three, while for men it is closer to one in five. The estimates taken from the age of 16 are the first to use an improved method for measuring how much domestic abuse there is among the population. A new set of questions has been added to the ONS's Crime Survey for England and Wales. Questions about health abuse and forced marriage are now included. And they reflect recent changes in the law regarding coercive and controlling behaviour. Reacting to the new figures, the UK's leading charity for victims of domestic abuse, Refuge, said it is now an 'epidemic' and warns they are just the 'tip of the iceberg'. Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge, a charity which opened the world's first safe house for women and children in 1971, said: 'We are in an epidemic of violence against women and girls, so sadly, the latest ONS estimates around the prevalence of domestic abuse come as no surprise. 'We welcome improvements to data collection, but these figures are likely to represent the tip of the iceberg as violence against women and girls remains severely under-reported.' The charity said the Government must take urgent action if it is to achieve its pledge to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade. The new ONS research also includes details on economic abuse, when someone deliberately gets a person into debt or prevents them from getting a job. The ONS now estimates that in the year to March 2024, 26.1% of adults - around one in four - had experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16, the equivalent of 12.6 million people. Under the old research this was one in five. The new estimates suggest 30.3% of women and 21.7% of men surveyed in this period had experienced domestic abuse at some point since the age of 16, equivalent to 7.4 million and 5.1 million people respectively. Meghan Elkin, ONS head of crime statistics, said: 'The way domestic abuse manifests is constantly changing and is difficult to measure. In developing these questions, we have listened to victims and survivors of domestic abuse alongside a range of users from charities to academics and other government departments. '...The new approach has resulted in a higher prevalence rate as we have introduced questions to ask about types of abuse not previously covered by the crime survey, such as health abuse and forced marriage.' Health abuse includes anything from depriving a person of food and sleep, to forcing someone to terminate pregnancy. Responding to the findings, Dame Nicole Jacobs, domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, said: 'Developing new ways to further our understanding of this terrible crime so we can put in place measures to tackle it and ensure survivors receive the support they need is absolutely vital. 'I welcome the ongoing focus on domestic abuse by the ONS, as only through knowing the full picture will we be able to rid society of it for good.' Women's Aid said they were 'pleased' with the new questions which they helped develop which they point out does not rely on police reports. 'Women's Aid has for many years been concerned that the questions in the survey have failed to adequately capture the lived experience of victim-survivors of domestic abuse.'
Metro
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' horrifying assault on ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura seen in new footage
Full footage of Sean ' Diddy ' Combs' violent attack on ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway was made public Wednesday. The unedited recording, filmed during an alleged 'freak-off' at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, was shown in its entirety to the court at Diddy's trial in Manhattan. Cassie, 38, opened up about her relationship with Diddy as she took to the stand in his sex trafficking trial for the first time Wednesday. The disgraced rapper is currently on trial in New York on five charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied all allegations against him. The Telegraph has reported that the court heard that the rapper 'wielded his power to force women into days-long sex parties' he called freak offs, including Cassie. It was also reported that those who did not comply were made to take drugs or were sexually assaulted. The hearings began on Monday and have focused on the 55-year-old's 11-year romance with the Me & U singer, who he dated on-and-off between 2007 and 2018. Unedited hotel security footage reveals the full scope of Diddy's attack on Cassie Ventura The footage shows Cassie attempting to make her way to the elevator before Diddy appears, grabs her by the back of the head, and throws her to the ground before kicking her motionless body repeatedly. Diddy then drags Cassie back to the room by the back of the head before the clip shows a security guard, Israel Florez, appearing. Florez testified in court Tuesday, saying Diddy said at the time: 'I don't want to lose anything and I can lose it all.' He also claimed Diddy offered him a bribe to attempt to get him to 'take care of' the incident. He then asked Diddy to return to his room and 'respect the guest [Cassie] and myself.' What to do if you're experiencing domestic abuse If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. And whether you are currently coping with or have made the decision to leave, you do have options. If you are thinking about leaving, domestic abuse charity Refuge suggests starting a record of abusive incidents, which might include saving pictures or messages, or making notes of times, dates and details of incidents. The next step is to make copies of important documents such as court orders, marriage certificates, National Insurance Numbers and your driving licence. In the meantime, identify the safer areas of your home so that you know where to go if your abuser becomes aggravated. Ideally, this should be a room with a phone and a door or window to the outside. If you feel ready to leave, start by making a plan for a safe, reliable route out. If you feel safe to do so, pack an emergency bag so that you leave in a hurry if needed. You can access a local refuge, either with or without children, for as long as you need to stay. The address is confidential. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247) is open 24-hours a day and has all the details of refuges in your area. In an emergency situation, ring 999 and ask for the police. If you aren't able to talk, try the Silent Solution: after dialling 999, listen to the questions from the operator and respond by coughing or tapping your device, if possible. If prompted, press 55 to let the operator know it's an emergency – you'll be put through to the police. After Diddy allegedly raised his voice at Cassie, 'I then told him that if he didn't respect the guest, then he would be escorted out of the property,' Florez said. According to The Daily Mail, he also submitted an email showing his report of the incident that includes photos of the hotel room in disarray. The publication asserts that Diddy slowly shook his head as the footage played in front of the courtroom and jury, who were struck silent by the horrifying violence. Cassie Ventura describes traumatic 'freak offs' in court testimony Appearing in the courtroom on Wednesday, Cassie became emotional as she discussed the time she spent with the music mogul. Unpacking their 11-year, on-off relationship, she said: 'I began to just experience a different side of him,' via BBC, sharing that he wanted to control much of her life, including her appearance and career. She alleged that things soon became violent, and that Combs would 'bash on my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me', with the alleged assaults occurring 'too frequently.' According to the publication, Cassie wiped away tears as she recalled details about the freak offs. In the federal indictment, which was unsealed after the businessman's arrest, it was claimed that he coerced multiple alleged victims into sex acts, known as 'freak offs'. It was claimed that he organized the 'freak offs', and has been accused of 'directing, masturbating during, and often electronically recording' the 'elaborate and produced sex performances.' He is also said to have forced, or coerced, women to participate with male sex workers, who were reportedly flown in to take part. On the stand, the BBC reports that Ventura described it as a 'sexual encounter called voyeurism' in which he would watch her having sex with another man. When asked how she felt when Combs first proposed a 'freak off', she said via AP: 'I just remember my stomach falling to my butt. Just the nervousness and confusion in that moment.' The incidents reportedly entailed the Empire actress 'setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean'. She claimed that she didn't feel as though she could turn down the request, because she 'didn't know what 'no' could be, or what 'no' could turn into.' 'The freak offs became a job,' she told jurors, reportedly sharing that they could last up to 36 or 48 hours, with the longest one she was involved in taking four days. Those participating in the marathon sex sessions would routinely require recovery from drug use, dehydration, and fatigue, it was alleged. Combs would allegedly blackmail Ventura with videos of the 'freak offs' to get her to do more, she claimed. Diddy's unseen celebrity photos he posted then deleted after wild night in Ibiza Ten-year-old photos Diddy took at a birthday celebration in Ibiza, Spain with Cassie Ventura have also reemerged as the trial has unfolded. The rapper posted pictures of the August 1, 2014, party to social media but deleted them shortly after, creating speculation at the time. The celebration was for fashion designer Riccardo Tisci on his 40th birthday, and the pictures have reemerged online in recent days. According to the photos, the party was attended by Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, 20-year-old Justin Bieber, supermodel Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Kendall Jenner; actors Zac Efron and Jared Leto; and reality stars Kris Jenner and Paris Hilton. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
North Wales Live
14-05-2025
- North Wales Live
More help for victims of domestic abuse
Thousands more victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, 'honour" abuse and stalking will have access to specialist support services under nearly £20 million announced by the Home Secretary. Helplines for victims of domestic abuse will get £6m of the cash. The investment is designed to reach as many different communities as possible and will help specialist services in England and Wales supporting victims and survivors, the Home Office said. Nine helplines across eight charities will receive funding including: Refuge who run the National Domestic Abuse helpline; HourGlass, a charity supporting older victims; Sign Health who support victims who are Deaf; Galop; The Suzy Lamplugh Trust; Karma Nirvana; and Respect will receive funds to continue running helplines for victims, recruit more staff and support more victims escaping abuse. The funding also includes £5.3 million for services supporting children affected by domestic abuse. The money will go on one-to-one and group counselling, classroom assistance and help for their non-abusive parents. Around £2m will go to help victims access financial help to escape abusive relationships, a wide range of specialist domestic abuse services will receive the funding through the Women Aid's Flexible Fund. This gives payments of up to £500 to help victims secure safety and one-off payments of up to £2,500 for deposits for rented accommodation. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. A further £2.5 million will be for projects to help prevent and also improve responses to violence and abuse against women and girls. Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls told WalesOnline: "We have to look at everywhere a victim can come forward and try to make access points the best they can be. "There are people suffering now who need help now and I also know we have to focus on how to prevent people becoming perpetrators. "We need to work on evidence about what will work in schools. There is ongoing concern about misogyny among (some) boys in schools. "Part of the funding is for things like what is happening in schools and programmes we need to run for young people. This is all part of the government efforts to halve violence against women and girls in a decade." Ms Phillips said while domestic abuse services are funded directly by the Welsh Government in Wales the phonelines being funded are for people across the UK, Wales. "I want people in Wales to know that if they ring one of the helplines they won't have the phone put down. We work closely with the Welsh Government to keep funding in synergy." The £19.9 million investment includes: More than £6 million for national helplines supporting victims of domestic abuse, 'honour'-based abuse, revenge porn and stalking £5.3 million for services supporting children affected by domestic abuse £2.4 million for the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme to help those with no recourse to public funds £1.96 million for the Flexible Fund providing financial support to domestic abuse victims A further £1.7m for sexual violence specialist services, support and advocacy for families bereaved by domestic abuse, support for victims for economic abuse and employers training. £2.5m to help prevent and improve the response to VAWG. This includes increasing the understanding and identification of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), work to prevent 'honour' based abuse and improving multi-agency working and risk management.
