Cassie thanked her friends, family and fans for support since the video emerged

Since a video of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulting singer Cassie surfaced, Cassie has made her first public remarks.

The celebrity, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, claimed that experiencing domestic abuse “broke me down to someone I never thought I would become”.

CNN broadcast the video of the 2016 attack last week. In a lawsuit filed last year, Ms. Ventura claimed that her former partner and producer had physically abused her.

In an Instagram video, Diddy expressed his regret over the weekend, saying, “I was disgusted when I did it.” Now I’m repulsed.”

Ms. Ventura expressed gratitude to her friends, family, and the public for their support in a statement that was shared on Instagram.

“The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning,” she stated.

“The main problem is domestic violence. I never imagined being the person I became when it broke me down. I’ve worked very hard to get to where I am now, but I will never truly be over my past.”

“All I ask is for everyone to first believe the victims with an open heart. Telling the truth in a circumstance where you have no control requires a lot of courage, Ms. Ventura wrote.

Attorneys representing Ms. Ventura informed CBS News, a US partner of the BBC, that Diddy’s remarks were “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,” attorney Meredith Firetog stated.

The most recent of several accusations made against the rapper and businessman, Sean “Diddy” Combs, came earlier this week when a model claimed that the rapper had drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2003.

In a complaint, Crystal McKinney claimed that Mr. Combs invited her to his New York studio, where he gave her copious amounts of drink and drugs until she passed out.

Representatives of Mr. Combs have been contacted by BBC News for comment.
In the course of a federal investigation into human trafficking, federal agents raided his residences in Miami, Florida, and Los Angeles, last month.