Latest news with #sexualtrauma
CTV News
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend says she cried for three days after reading Cassie's lawsuit
Sean "Diddy" Combs appears at the premiere of "Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story" on June 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) NEW YORK — Sean 'Diddy' Combs' recent ex-girlfriend told Combs that she cried for three days after reading R&B artist Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura's 2023 lawsuit against the music mogul, a case that described hundreds of drug-laced marathon sex sessions with Combs and other men as 'horrific encounters.' The woman, who is known in court by the pseudonym Jane, testified Monday that she felt like she was 'reading my own sexual trauma' as she read the lawsuit, which was settled within a day for US$20 million. She read aloud in Manhattan federal court a text message that she sent Combs three days after the lawsuit was filed in November 2023. She said that she had been crying for three days and felt nauseated. She said three pages of the lawsuit addressing what Cassie referred to as 'freak-offs' and what Jane has called 'hotel nights' followed her experience with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder 'word for word, exactly my experience.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey raised the subject of the lawsuit as Jane testified for a third day about her experiences with Combs for over three years until his arrest last September. Cassie testified for four days earlier in the trial, saying she engaged in the weekly sexual performances as Combs mostly watched or filmed her sexual activities with male sex workers in sessions that often lasted for days. Cassie dated Combs for nearly 11 years, ending in 2018. Combs has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could put him in prison from 15 years to life if he is convicted. Prior to bringing up Cassie's lawsuit on Monday, Comey elicited from Jane that she had protested the way Combs was treating her in the weeks before Cassie sued. She read aloud for the jury hundreds of text messages that she had exchanged with Combs, including some in which she complained that he seemed to be forcing her into the sexual encounters by threatening to take away her Los Angeles home. He had begun paying for the residence months earlier. She pleaded with him to recognize the damage the sex marathons were doing to her, writing: 'I am not an animal.' Jane's testimony was expected to fill the bulk of the trial's fifth week, as prosecutors move closer to finishing the presentation of their evidence before the defense gets its turn. As in her previous two days on the stand last week, Jane became emotional and cried briefly on Monday, but was mostly composed as she discussed her experiences with a man she said she loved. She acknowledged that she had reviewed some of the sex sessions with prosecutors prior to beginning testimony last Thursday. Comey asked her what she saw on them. 'I saw me,' she responded, before adding: 'following a pattern.' She added that with the 'majority of these tapes it was like the same show over and over again.' Jane said that after she expressed her frustrations and desire to only have sexual relations with Combs, the verbal fights between them would sometimes be resolved when he would say all the things she wanted to hear and promise to spend time with her without a 'hotel night.' Then, she said, when she saw Cassie's lawsuit, 'I almost fainted.' Article by Michael R. Sisak, Larry Neumeister.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend says she cried for three days after reading Cassie's lawsuit
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' recent ex-girlfriend told Combs that she cried for three days after reading R&B artist Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura's 2023 lawsuit against the music mogul, a case that described hundreds of drug-laced marathon sex sessions with Combs and other men as 'horrific encounters.' The woman, who is known in court by the pseudonym Jane, testified Monday that she felt like she was 'reading my own sexual trauma' as she read the lawsuit, which was settled within a day for $20 million. She read aloud in Manhattan federal court a text message that she sent Combs three days after the lawsuit was filed in November 2023. She said that she had been crying for three days and felt nauseated. She said three pages of the lawsuit addressing what Cassie referred to as 'freak-offs' and what Jane has called 'hotel nights' followed her experience with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder 'word for word, exactly my experience.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey raised the subject of the lawsuit as Jane testified for a third day about her experiences with Combs for over three years until his arrest last September. Cassie testified for four days earlier in the trial, saying she engaged in the weekly sexual performances as Combs mostly watched or filmed her sexual activities with male sex workers in sessions that often lasted for days. Cassie dated Combs for nearly 11 years, ending in 2018. Combs has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could put him in prison from 15 years to life if he is convicted. Prior to bringing up Cassie's lawsuit on Monday, Comey elicited from Jane that she had protested the way Combs was treating her in the weeks before Cassie sued. She read aloud for the jury hundreds of text messages that she had exchanged with Combs, including some in which she complained that he seemed to be forcing her into the sexual encounters by threatening to take away her Los Angeles home. He had begun paying for the residence months earlier. She pleaded with him to recognize the damage the sex marathons were doing to her, writing: 'I am not an animal.' Jane's testimony was expected to fill the bulk of the trial's fifth week, as prosecutors move closer to finishing the presentation of their evidence before the defense gets its turn. As in her previous two days on the stand last week, Jane became emotional and cried briefly on Monday, but was mostly composed as she discussed her experiences with a man she said she loved. She acknowledged that she had reviewed some of the sex sessions with prosecutors prior to beginning testimony last Thursday. Comey asked her what she saw on them. 'I saw me,' she responded, before adding: 'following a pattern.' She added that with the 'majority of these tapes it was like the same show over and over again.' Jane said that after she expressed her frustrations and desire to only have sexual relations with Combs, the verbal fights between them would sometimes be resolved when he would say all the things she wanted to hear and promise to spend time with her without a 'hotel night.' Then, she said, when she saw Cassie's lawsuit, 'I almost fainted.'
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend says she cried for three days after reading Cassie's lawsuit
NEW YORK (AP) — Sean 'Diddy' Combs' recent ex-girlfriend told Combs that she cried for three days after reading R&B artist Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura's 2023 lawsuit against the music mogul, a case that described hundreds of drug-laced marathon sex sessions with Combs and other men as 'horrific encounters.' The woman, who is known in court by the pseudonym Jane, testified Monday that she felt like she was 'reading my own sexual trauma' as she read the lawsuit, which was settled within a day for $20 million. She read aloud in Manhattan federal court a text message that she sent Combs three days after the lawsuit was filed in November 2023. She said that she had been crying for three days and felt nauseous. She said three pages of the lawsuit addressing what Cassie referred to as 'freak-offs' and what Jane has called 'hotel nights' followed her experience with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder 'word for word, exactly my experience.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey raised the subject of the lawsuit as Jane testified for a third day about her experiences with Combs for over three years until his arrest last September. Cassie testified for four days earlier in the trial, saying she engaged in the weekly sexual performances as Combs mostly watched or filmed her sexual activities with male sex workers in sessions that often lasted for days. Cassie dated Combs for nearly 11 years, ending in 2018. Combs has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could put him in prison from 15 years to life if he is convicted. Prior to bringing up Cassie's lawsuit on Monday, Comey elicited from Jane that she had protested the way Combs was treating her in the weeks before Cassie sued. She read aloud for the jury hundreds of text messages that she had exchanged with Combs, including some in which she complained that he seemed to be forcing her into the sexual encounters by threatening to take away her Los Angeles home. He had begun paying for the residence months earlier. She pleaded with him to recognize the damage the sex marathons were doing to her, writing: 'I am not an animal.' Jane's testimony was expected to fill the bulk of the trial's fifth week, as prosecutors move closer to finishing the presentation of their evidence before the defense gets its turn. As in her previous two days on the stand last week, Jane became emotional and cried briefly Monday, but was mostly composed as she discussed her experiences with a man she said she loved. She acknowledged that she had reviewed some of the sex sessions with prosecutors prior to beginning testimony last Thursday. Comey asked her what she saw on them. 'I saw me,' she responded, before adding: 'following a pattern.' She added that with the 'majority of these tapes it was like the same show over and over again.' Jane said that after she expressed her frustrations and desire to only have sexual relations with Combs, the verbal fights between them would sometimes be resolved when Combs would say all the things she wanted to hear and promise to spend time with her without a 'hotel night.' Then, she said, when she saw Cassie's lawsuit, 'I almost fainted.'
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Hidden Cost Of Trauma: How Unhealed Wounds Impact Women's Wealth
Shay "Your Love Diva" Levister is the founder and CEO of Shay Better Coaching. Trauma doesn't just live in the mind or body—it lives in your bank account, too. Sexual assault and unhealed sexual trauma, in particular, can impact emotional well-being, but can also have long-term financial consequences that many women never realize until it's too late. From under-earning to self-sabotage in business and relationships, the cost of unhealed wounds is far greater than most are willing to admit. Sexual trauma can disrupt the very foundation of a woman's self-worth, and when self-worth is compromised, so is her ability to attract, retain and multiply wealth. The World Health Organization reports that one in three women worldwide experiences some form of physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. Workplace sexual harassment can significantly disrupt women's careers, leading to financial stress and diminished career attainment. A 2017 study, 'The Economic and Career Effects of Sexual Harassment on Working Women,' found that women who experienced workplace sexual harassment often decided to leave a job early and many said it affected their career advancement. These career disruptions can have long-term financial consequences, including reduced lifetime earnings and hindered professional growth. Women with unhealed trauma often struggle with self-worth and assertiveness—two critical factors in salary negotiations and career growth. This is especially costly in leadership and entrepreneurial roles, where confidence and visibility directly impact income. Sexual trauma can also send individuals into survival mode, causing them to operate from a place of fear, whereby they believe they must cling to what they have instead of taking strategic risks. This can lead to: • Staying in toxic jobs because leaving feels too risky • Accepting lower pay instead of advocating for financial growth • Overworking to prove their worth Scarcity thinking is an invisible tax on a woman's potential, keeping her stuck in cycles of burnout instead of expansion. Beyond the personal cost, the economic burden is staggering. A 2017 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the associated lifetime costs of rape to be $122,461 per victim. This includes medical care, mental health treatment, lost productivity and legal costs. For the insured, this could mean an average of $948 in out-of-pocket costs for medical services, including hospital stays and prescription medications, upfront. However, a 2022 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that uninsured survivors of sexual assault faced average medical charges of $3,673 for emergency care following an assault, including expenses for forensic examinations, emergency contraception, STI testing and follow-up care. These figures underscore the immediate and significant financial impact that sexual violence can have on individuals in addition to the long-term economic burden previously estimated by the CDC. Unhealed trauma can also seep into relationships. In my work, I've seen that women with unresolved wounds may attract what I call "emotional or financial takers." If a woman subconsciously believes love must be earned through over-giving, she may end up financially supporting others at the expense of her own growth. Many women I have worked with have also developed money avoidance behaviors as a result of their sexual trauma. Avoidance might look like refusing to check bank accounts due to financial anxiety, overspending to self-soothe rather than building financial security or neglecting investments and long-term financial planning. When financial literacy and empowerment are neglected, wealth-building opportunities slip through the cracks, reinforcing the cycle of instability. Understanding emotional triggers is the first step toward breaking cycles of financial fear, shame and self-sabotage. I recommend women focus on a few key areas: • Self-worth. Greater confidence can lead to higher earnings as you feel empowered to negotiate more, lead confidently and demand your value. • An abundance mindset. If you see opportunities, you are more likely to embrace calculated risks and expand your income streams. • Aligned relationships. Look for partners and collaborators who fuel—not drain—your purpose. • Financial awareness. Focus on wealth building and reducing avoidant behaviors to make smarter money moves. Healing is more than emotional relief—it's a strategic move toward wealth. When a woman does the inner work to heal, she shifts from surviving to thriving, creating space for growth in every area of her life. The information provided here is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice concerning your specific situation. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
