Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura has been spotted out for the first since Sean "Diddy" Combswas arrested.
The singer, wearing a black bucket hat, a black T-shirt, dark wash jeans, and matching sneakers, was spotted meeting up with friends for dinner in New York City two days after her former boyfriend was taken into police custody at a Manhattan hotel on Monday, Sept. 16.
A day later, the music mogul wasindicted on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution months after several lawsuits were filed against him related to allegations of sexual abuse.
The first to be filed was from Cassie, who on Nov. 16, 2023, filed a complaint alleging that during their relationship,she was stuck in a decade-long “cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking” that included a 2018 rape after she tried to leave Combs and multiple instances of domestic violence.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships," expressed Cassie in a statement at the time.
While the two announced that they resolved the claims in the lawsuit to their "mutual satisfaction," a day later, Ben Brafman, Combs' lawyer, issued a statement expressing that the decision to settle "does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims" and "is in no way an admission of wrongdoing."
A source previously told PEOPLE that Alex Fine — Cassie's husband with whom she shares two daughters — had been supportive throughout the legal process and has "had her back through a lot."
In May, he spoke out after CNN released surveillance footage from 2016that showed Combs attacking Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel.
“Men who hit women aren't men. Men who enable it and protect those people aren't men. Our daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives should feel and loved. Men who hurt women hate women," he wrote in an Instagram statement at the time.
In a since-deleted apology video, Combs said he was "truly sorry," adding, "My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video."
The resurfaced clip prompted a response from various people, includingDenise Brown, sister of the late Nicole Brown Simpson, andAubrey O'Day.Cassie then released a statement on Instagram expressing her thanks "for all of the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet."
"With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from the past. This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me," she added in her statement.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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