This week, I had the honor of being interviewed by CNN entertainment reporter Lisa Respers France for a piece on the P Diddy trial and the ongoing victim-shaming directed at Cassie Ventura.
Cassie is expected to testify throughout the week, but the online discourse continues to ask:
Why did she wait so long to speak out? Why file a civil lawsuit instead of pressing criminal charges? Why didn’t she just leave?
These questions are rooted in misunderstanding trauma, power, and the psychology of survival. And more importantly—they reveal how deeply society still shames survivors instead of supporting them.
As a survivor myself—and now a certified violence prevention specialist and relationship coach—this conversation isn’t just theoretical. It’s personal. And it’s why I was honored to lend my voice to CNN’s piece.
I’ve seen this pattern again and again: our silence and judgment keep survivors trapped. When we ask why she stayed, we’re really asking, “Why didn’t she act how we think we would have?”
But the truth is: Shame doesn’t belong to the survivor. It belongs to the abuser.
I’m so proud to be part of this dialogue—especially on a platform like CNN—because it’s long overdue. As the P Diddy trial continues for the next eight weeks, I hope we stop asking what she did and start asking what was done to her.
🔗 Read the full CNN article here:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/13/entertainment/cassie-ventura-diddy-trial
Let’s keep this conversation going—so victims of abuse can be heard, heal, and feel safe speaking their truth.
