Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura’s husband Alex Fine has condemned Sean “Diddy” Combs after the release of shocking footage that appears to show the rapper assaulting the singer in a hotel hallway in 2016.
In an open letter shared on Instagram, Fine, who has been married to the “Me & U” singer since 2019, stood in solidarity with his wife as he condemned violence against women and girls, and told abusers: “You’re not safe anymore”.
“Men who hit women aren’t men. Men who enable it and protect those people aren’t men,” he began.
“As men, violence against women shouldn’t be inevitable, check your brothers, your friends, and your family. Our daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives should feel protected and loved. Hold the women in your life with the upmost [sic] regard. Men who hurt women hate women.”
Fine emphasised the need to believe women who come forward and speak about domestic violence, as he directly addressed survivors of sexual assault and abuse.
“To all the survivors you’re not alone, and there are men and women who care only for your wellbeing and safety. We want you to succeed and flourish,” Fine continued.
“To all the women and children, I’m sorry you live in a world where you’re not protected, and you don’t feel equal. I want to raise my daughters in a world where they are safe and loved.”
At the end of the letter, he turned his attention towards “abusers”, writing: “You’re done, you’re not safe anymore, you’re not protected anymore, the men by your side are just as weak”.
He added in the post’s caption that he had penned the letter some time ago, but the “words ring true not just today but every day”.
Fine shared the post on Instagram just hours after the release of footage that appears to show music mogul Combs chasing Ventura down a hotel hallway before dragging her to the floor and kicking her. Combs, wearing only a towel around his waist and a pair of socks, then attempts to drag Ventura back down the corridor.
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The incident allegedly took place in the InterContinental Hotel in the Century City area of Los Angeles. CNN verified the location based on publicly available photos of the former hotel’s interior.
The video appears to corroborate several allegations made in a lawsuit brought by Ventura in 2023, in which she claimed she was trafficked, raped and beaten by Combs on several occasions over 10 years. Combs had signed the R&B singer to his label in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37, and the pair entered into a relationship before the singer says a cycle of abuse began. Combs has strongly denied all allegations brought against him.
According to the complaint, which cited the hotel hallway altercation as occurring “around March 2016”, Combs became “extremely intoxicated and punched Ms Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye”.
After Combs fell asleep, Ventura said she had attempted to leave the hotel room, but he woke up and “followed her into the hallway of the hotel while yelling at her”, the complaint said.
“He grabbed at her, and then took glass vases in the hallway and threw them at her, causing glass to crash around them as she ran to the elevator to escape,” it stated.
Combs is currently facing a string of civil lawsuits, which have accused him of sex trafficking, sexual abuse and rape. In March, federal agents with US Homeland Security raided two of the rapper’s houses in Los Angeles and Miami.
Combs has strongly denied all of the allegations against him. His lawyers have branded the lawsuits and their accusations as money grabs, “baseless” or “sickening”. The entertainer has not been formally charged.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
The Independent has contacted representatives for both Combs and Ventura for comment.