Latest news with #abuse
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bill Maher sparks backlash over Cassie and Diddy comments as trial continues
Bill Maher has ignited fury over his latest comments about the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial. To close out Friday night's Real Time With Bill Maher episode, the host delivered a monologue about the music mogul's ongoing trial and his thoughts on abuse and stardom. Combs is facing is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. He was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims 'to fulfill his sexual desires' between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing. 'Diddy is a bad dude, really bad,' Maher began. 'And we should lock him up and throw away the baby oil,' he continued in his signature satirical style. He then segued into discussing the trial in the context of the post-Me Too movement era, saying: 'Things have changed enough so that moving forward, the rule should be if you're being abused, you gotta leave right away.' 'Now I completely understand why in the past women often did not do that,' Maher continued. 'I understand, as counter-intuitive as it seems, why an abused woman would send complementary texts or emails to her abuser after the abuse. And that everywhere, women felt, for good reason, that O.G. predators like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein would never be held accountable. Why not at least get something out of it?' He continued, noting that the alleged perpetrators of abuse were 'surrounded by all sorts of enablers' who 'lured women into unsafe spaces,' and 'cowards who knew what was going on but didn't dare expose the person who signed their paycheck.' 'In that scenario,' Maher continued, 'it was not illogical for an abused woman to say, 'Well, if I can't get justice for my pain, can I at least get a receipt?'' Maher went on to point out that aforementioned abusers Cosby and Weinstein went to prison, with the latter expected to die behind bars. He also pointed out that post-Me Too movement reporting indicates women are more likely to speak up against mistreatment and abuse. Still, he reiterated being 'aware that it can be difficult to leave an abusive relationship.' He then said that women should go to the police right away instead of journaling in the aftermath of experiencing mistreatment or abuse. 'And most importantly, don't keep f****** him,' he said, seemingly referring to Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura's pattern of repeatedly returning to the music mogul despite the alleged abuse she experienced. After brief applause, he continued: 'Your only contemporaneous notes about what he did should be the police report. It's not victim shaming to expect women to have the agency to leave toxic relationships. Quite the contrary, to not expect that is infantilizing them.' Maher then noted that if Combs were to walk free, it could be due to the alleged text messages from Ventura 'expressing what's often called enthusiastic consent to their sex life.' Ventura's texts were cross-examined as part of Combs's trial. 'I get it. Part of the allure of the music industry is you wanna be a star,' Maher continued. 'And music is, to begin with, highly sexualized.' 'But if we're going to have an honest conversation about abuse, we also have to have an honest conversation about what people are willing to do for stardom,' he added. 'If you want a number one record on the charts so bad you'll take a number one in the face, some of that is on you.' Maher continued: 'If you're literally being held captive, that's one thing. But if you're putting up with whatever for love or for your career, then you need to have a little more honesty and accountability about that.' The Independent has contacted a press representative for Maher's show for comment. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, nearly 1 in 3 college women say they've been in an abusive relationship, and, on average, it takes a woman about seven tries to leave an abusive relationship for good. Maher's monologue prompted intense backlash from women for failing to understand the difficulty in leaving abusive relationships, with several citing the 2016 hotel surveillance video that captured Ventura attempting to flee Combs while participating in one of his 'freak offs.' 'That's insanely ignorant, we have seen in the video that she tried to leave… yes women will be believed way faster than in the past, but still the abuse is not black and white,' one woman wrote on Facebook. 'Like she tried to leave the hotel? Don't be a pig, Bill,' someone else wrote. 'Until people are in a domestic violence relationship. They had no understanding of how hard it is to get out of one. It's not as easy as it seems,' another said. 'Floored by people who do not understand abusive relationships. You don't know what was actually going on. To say she stayed for the money is probably the crulest thing to say. Bill Maher is just a jerk,' someone else chimed in. 'Of course a man would make this comment. You have no idea what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and to get out of it. You need to just shut up about something you no nothing about,' someone else wrote on X. Another shared: 'Obviously, doesn't know anything about grooming, domestic violence abuse or keeping his f****** mouth shut!' 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
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Who is 'Mia'? Why you won't see photos of Diddy's ex-personal assistant during trial
The sex-crimes trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs is well underway and, as a parade of ex-employees, law enforcement officials, and romantic partners take the stand, at least one witness will remain unnamed. On May 29, when a former personal assistant for Combs began testifying, she was introduced simply as "Mia," a pseudonym given to protect her identity. Jurors listened to her as she recounted a close friendship with Combs' former partner and star witness for the prosecution, Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine, and the alleged abuse both women faced at the hands of the music mogul. Jurors were not given her last name, and unlike the vivid sketches of Ventura Fine and Combs that have emerged from the courtroom, nothing detailed will be drawn of Mia. The court was given explicit instructions May 29 not to document any aspects of her appearance and reminded that they would face severe consequences for violating the rule. Diddy trial live updates: Aide says she feared Diddy would kill Cassie in emotional testimony Her identity is being guarded in part, given the highly sensitive personal experiences she is sharing − on the stand, Mia alleged that Combs sexually assaulted her several times and could become violent, once slamming her into a wall and, on another occasion, throwing her into a pool. An unwritten rule, abided by many in the media, precludes publications from publishing the names of anonymous accusers even if their identity is known. Especially in a high-profile case like that of Combs, who is accused of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, a victim may choose to remain anonymous to protect themselves from retaliation or harassment. Anonymity has emerged as a hot-button issue in recent years, particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement, as one side argues that if a celebrity faces public allegations of assault, the accuser should be forced to come forward too. On the other side, advocates argue that, given the public shame that can come from revealing one has been assaulted, anonymity provides a necessary sense of security, so victims choose to come forward. How long can an accuser be unnamed? Inside legal debate over Diplo, Diddy and anonymity "The reason the defense wants the victims to be identified is they think, and rightfully so, that that will discourage victims from coming forward," former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani previously told USA TODAY. "They've been victimized, (and) now they have to relive this trauma in a very public way," says Rahmani, president of personal injury law firm West Coast Trial Lawyers. "These cases draw a lot of attention. People on social media will call them liars. They'll say that this is just a money grab, that they're just seeking fame. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Mia? Diddy's ex-personal assistant to remain unnamed in trial
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I hit rock bottom after spending $300,000 on booze, designer bags, shoes and so-called 'friends'. Here's how I turned my life around
An Aussie woman has recalled the horrifying cycle of abuse that landed her in $300,000 of debt and how she finally broke her destructive spending habits. Liz Porter, 54, hit rock bottom after seven years of spending her $4,000-a-month income on partying, clothes and designer bags while failing to pay her bills and sinking further into crippling debt. Ms Porter turned to spending as a way to cope with the abuse she suffered at the hands of boyfriends as well as being conned out of money by so-called friends. Today, Ms Porter is an IT manager in Australia's health sector and a proud home owner in Melbourne 's Docklands, an achievement which seemed impossible when she was declared bankrupt at the age of 28. The 54-year-old explained how her problems spiralled because she had low self-esteem, which began while she was at school. 'I was made to feel stupid, I even had teachers tell me that I will never amount to anything so I spent a lot of my younger years believing I was stupid and that everything I did was my fault,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'When you feel bad about yourself you attract people that are not good for you and I had relationships that were abusive. They used to tell me I was fat, ugly, disgusting.' When the abuse turned violent, Ms Porter turned to spending. 'The only way I could ever feel good was buying frivolous stuff to make myself feel good,' she said. The 54-year-old admitted periods of spending coincided with moments in her life where she felt worthless. She recalled a horrifying incident with an ex-boyfriend who pushed her down the stairs and then accused her of being 'clumsy'. 'Even old school friends would come into my life and they'd rip me off, take advantage of me and get money out of me,' she said. In one such incident, Ms Porter's friend tricked her into signing a lease for a three-bedroom property and then refused to pay her share. At her lowest, Ms Porter was spending her $4,000-a-month income on clothes, shoes and bags, admitting she now has 'nothing to show for it'. She turned to alcohol and food for comfort, and ended up weighing 130kg at her heaviest. Over the course of seven years, Ms Porter's spending racked up to over $300,000. 'I would spend, spend, spend and then think "I haven't got money for rent",' she said. Ms Porter struggled to tell her family her spiralling debts as she feared her loved ones would think she was 'stupid'. After being sexually and violently assaulted, Ms Porter finally opened up to her family who advised her to speak to a counsellor. 'When I spoke to a counsellor about the abuse it was like opening a can of worms and initially my spending habits worsened because I was so upset and I needed to feel better about myself,' Ms Porter said. The counsellor suggested she see a financial advisor and she was subsequently declared bankrupt at the age of 28. With $40,000 worth of debt, she first entered into a Part IX debt agreement, which is an alternative to bankruptcy for individuals struggling to repay their debts. After paying back $10,000, Ms Porter's counsellor said her debts were taking too great a toll on her mental health. They advised the 'broken' Melbourne local to file for bankruptcy, a legal process where you're declared unable to pay back your debts. In Victoria, bankruptcy typically lasts three years and one day. Credit reporting agencies keep a record for five years from the date of bankruptcy or two years after your discharge, whichever is later. Ms Porter said her counsellor's belief in her completely changed her mindset. She rebuilt her life and landed a job as an IT supervisor at Telstra, where she quickly rose through the ranks. Years later, she took voluntary redundancy and used the money to enroll in a financial management course. After believing she would rent for the rest of her life, Ms Porter was shocked to learn that her consistent rental history, strong income, and savings from the redundancy made her an ideal candidate for a mortgage. Ms Porter went on to get a new job and bought a unit in Melbourne Docklands, the same area where she had rented for 13 years. The 54-year-old is now looking to the future and hopes to retire early, something that would have seemed impossible when she was younger. She stressed the importance of being kind to yourself during hardships and 'learning to love yourself' and realising 'you're stronger than you think you are'.
CNN
5 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
Smerconish Commentary: I'm not thrilled that Elon Musk is out
Michael Smerconish delves into why he's willing to give Musk and President Trump some credit for sparking a conversation about waste, fraud and abuse. "Well, Musk at least stepped into the arena, was willing to take his lumps, and made an effort," Smerconish said.
CNN
5 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
Smerconish Commentary: I'm not thrilled that Elon Musk is out
Michael Smerconish delves into why he's willing to give Musk and President Trump some credit for sparking a conversation about waste, fraud and abuse. "Well, Musk at least stepped into the arena, was willing to take his lumps, and made an effort," Smerconish said.
