When Cassie Ventura broke her silence in November 2023, I remember it vividly. I had lain down for a nap at my nana’s house during a visit home to Virginia, and when I woke up, I had dozens of messages asking about my thoughts on the matter.

As a Black woman, my stance will always be to support other Black women, period. Furthermore, as a victim of sexual assault myself, I have an even softer spot for women who, unfortunately, can say they’ve experienced the same.

I applaud Cassie and the other women who have come forward because it’s no easy feat, and now my heart aches for them following a verdict that seemingly holds this man partially accountable for some of the vile allegations that have been brought forth against him.

What Was The Verdict?

According to CBS News, Diddy was convicted of two counts of prostitution-related charges, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He was acquitted of the more severe charges, which included racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, and is set to remain in detention as he awaits sentencing, now set for Oct. 3.

The Message It Sends To The Culture.

It would be remiss not to discuss the greatness of hip-hop without acknowledging some of its darker moments. This is one of them.

No matter how one feels about the outcome of the Diddy trial, the things heard throughout the various testimonies, including one from Cassie while she was just over eight months pregnant with her third child, cannot be undone.

For me, this echoes the concern of many women, Black women specifically, who never speak out against their abusers, not only out of fear that they’ll retaliate and do something awful, but when the deed is done by a man with power and the stature of someone like Diddy, it’s hard to tell whether justice will ever fully be served.

The case reinforces that powerful men are often untouchable and plays a role in the many victims who walk around with the burden of what it means to be sexually assaulted. At the same time, the alleged abuser continues to live their lives, basking in the glory of what it means to be a power player in the game of life.

Whether that power manifests as money or, in my case, the hierarchy of the family structure, it still plays a factor in the silence that women often carry with them to the very end. One that becomes a silent killer, becoming the underlying cause of chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.