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Why Understanding Coercive Control In The Sean ‘Diddy' Combs Trial Is Critical
Why Understanding Coercive Control In The Sean ‘Diddy' Combs Trial Is Critical

Forbes

time3 hours ago

  • Forbes

Why Understanding Coercive Control In The Sean ‘Diddy' Combs Trial Is Critical

Tired frustrated african wife ignoring angry black despot husband arguing blaming upset woman of ... More problems, jealous man shouting at sad girlfriend, family fight and controlling boyfriend, disrespect The Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial -- charging the music mogul and entertainer on federal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy -- remains a trending topic on social media and seems to be the center of most pop culture water cooler conversations. While most people are drawn to the trial for its juicy details and highly sensationalized and disturbing allegations, some argue that the trial highlights deeper issues that exist within the judicial system and the continued oppression of women of color. More specially, the Diddy trial highlights potential flaws in the judicial system in how issues of coercion, trauma, and physical and sexual abuse are handled and the chronic and ongoing discrediting, silencing, and disbelief of Black women in the public eye. Judge Arun Subramanian barred expert testimony on coercive control, which allowed the defense to capitalize on presenting evidence without context. For instance, during cross-examination, the defense had witness 'Jane' read text messages between herself and Diddy aloud, suggesting consent or friendliness — a tactic often used to undermine credibility without expert context on trauma or coercion. That said, a new witness ('Jane') has corroborated Cassie Ventura's and 'Mia's' testimonies, describing similar patterns of coercion, surveillance, and transactional silence. Although the testimony provides new insight, it does not truly help to paint a clear picture of abuse – much less sex trafficking or racketeering -- because, again, it lacks contextualization within the frame of coercion and trauma. The term 'coercive control' was first coined by social worker Susan Schechter and has been instrumental in better conceptualizing the cycle of abuse in abusive relationships and the effects of abuse on survivors. Coercive control is the idea that abusers rarely use brute force as a method of control but instead rely on coercive mental and emotional abuse tactics to control, which are just as effective, if not more so. These types of behaviors might include intentionally confusing their partner and causing them extreme anxiety. Or, continually tearing a partner down emotionally.' Simply put, coercive control can be thought of as a pattern of controlling behavior, manipulation, and emotional abuse over time. Some argue that using experts in the field to introduce coercive control to the jury may help them better contextualize much of the evidence they are considering. Not doing so leaves them without crucial context for understanding how prolonged abuse operates without physical violence. But this is not an issue that only exists in the Diddy trial. While there has been some progress in recognizing coercive control in legal contexts, particularly in certain states and internationally, it is still not universally or explicitly defined in most legal systems. However, the topic of intimate partner violence overall is not completely foreign in the judicial system. 'Battered woman syndrome' has historically been used in court to describe the psychological effects of intimate partner violence on women, which can include trauma and cognitive harm. While still in wide use in courtrooms as a legal defense, the concept has long been a source of debate, with many experts framing it as part of general PTSD. While using battered woman syndrome as a framework to understand abuse is helpful, it does not fully capture the associated patterns and effects of non-violent abuse. Consequently, legal advocates have argued for decades for a better descriptor that emphasizes nonphysical forms of abuse as well as physical abuse. Yet, the concept of coercive control remains relatively limited in courts. According to recent studies, coercive control is present in almost 60% of relationships in which intimate partner violence is present, and even non-violent coercive control can cause PTSD, depression, and ongoing fear in survivors – all of which is critical information that the jury in the Diddy case should be aware. Moreover, coercive control is so harmful that it is criminalized in the UK, and seven states have passed laws that say coercive control is a form of domestic violence, though how they have applied those laws varies by state. U.S. courts have been slow to adopt the concept, and some argue that Judge Arun Subramanian's decision reflects this stalled progress. Interestingly, despite coercive control not being widely recognized in the U.S. court system, the general idea of coercion is very much the same. Coercion by the U.S. legal system is described as being compelled, forced, or threatened to act in a specific way. Barring this understanding from the Diddy trial not only takes away context but also helps to perpetuate the narrative that the survivor is somehow complicit in their abuse. This is especially true for Black women, who, despite being more likely to be involved in an abusive intimate partner relationship, are less likely to get the help they need to leave the relationship. This can look like responding to allegations of abuse with 'She's just saying that to get money' or 'If it was so bad, why didn't she just leave.' These are both examples of victim blaming and shaming that are often directed toward Black women and add to them silenced, discredited, not believed, and ultimately invisible Others argue that coercive control remains limited in U.S. courts due to it being coercive and hard to identify. There is also ongoing debate among experts about whether codifying language around coercive control is helpful or harmful. After all, gaslighting and manipulation can be harder to identify than physical abuse, explicit threats, or stalking behaviors. More covert and implicit behaviors are also easier for abusers to deflect, excuse away, and blame their partner for.

Kanye West And Bianca Censori Staying At Elite Mental‑Health Retreat Amid Relationship Scrutiny
Kanye West And Bianca Censori Staying At Elite Mental‑Health Retreat Amid Relationship Scrutiny

Yahoo

time12 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Kanye West And Bianca Censori Staying At Elite Mental‑Health Retreat Amid Relationship Scrutiny

, who made headlines for his brief appearance at the Diddy trial late last week, has been spending most of his time at a high-end wellness facility in Mallorca, Spain. Despite the ongoing retreat, Kanye briefly left to spend about ten minutes attending the criminal trial in New York City, a move that generated controversy. Although initially turned away due to not being on the approved guest list, Kanye West was later added to the roster and given reserved seating among Diddy's family and close associates. According to RadarOnline, the rapper and his wife, , have been checked into The Balance Rehab Clinic, which reportedly charges $170,000 per week. The luxury retreat offers comprehensive services, including accommodation, meals, therapy sessions, and yoga. "Our mental health and luxury addiction treatment facilities are created to be a safe haven where you can find recovery, peace, rest, and happiness," The Balance Rehab Clinic's official website states. "Our luxury rehab centers and high-end treatment facilities are located in Mallorca, Zurich, London, Marbella, and Offshore." It adds, "Our qualified team of physicians, psychiatrists, and holistic therapists are here to provide you with a unique and exceptional experience. Our luxury rehab centers offer you more than just treatment; we offer guidance to rediscover your soul and achieve your best self." The reason behind the couple's stay may tie back to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against Kanye by former employee Benjamin Provo. RadarOnline claims that court documents confirm West's presence at the clinic over the past few weeks, offering insight into why he has been away from the public eye. "He's bleeding money and credibility," a source told the outlet. "He needs to prove to fans and the corporate partners he has left that he was off his rocker when spewing such filth, and going to rehab seems like just what the doctor ordered – literally." Videos from Miami, Texas, and Los Angeles recently captured the couple together in public, most notably after Bianca's spa appointment in Beverly Hills, where she donned thigh-skimming shorts, a black zip-up hoodie, and heeled sandals. Kanye, seated beside her, wore a subdued expression, drawing speculation about the state of their relationship. The contrast of Bianca's bold outfit and Kanye's muted demeanor fueled online discussion. The timing of their joint stay is notable, coming just months after Kanye seemed to confirm their relationship had hit rocky terrain. In his unreleased track "BIANCA," previewed during a livestream by DJ Akademiks on April 2, Kanye claimed Censori left him following his string of controversial social media posts. "My baby she ran away," he raps in the single. "But first she tried to get me committed / Not going to the hospital 'cause I am not sick, I just do not get it." The lyrics paint a raw and troubled picture of their marriage. "Until Bianca's back, I stay up all night, I'm not going to sleep / I really don't know where she's at." The track dropped just days after West sparked breakup speculation with a cryptic post about betrayal and heartbreak. "When you look at that betrayal list I realized I was just a part of peoples strategies," he wrote, adding, "I make decisions from my heart and mind. So when my heart is broken, it breaks my mind too." He concluded the post with a redacted text message, reportedly saying, "Just like to see people fulfill their dreams so they can sh-t on me later." At the time, fans noticed West had wiped his Instagram clean and allegedly unfollowed Bianca, further fueling divorce rumors. Despite the apparent distance, their joint stay at the retreat suggests they may be working to repair their relationship. For now, Kanye's followers remain hopeful that the prestigious clinic and Bianca's support will help stabilize his mental health, as he navigates courtroom pressures, personal transformation, and the spotlight. Only time will tell if this marked withdrawal from the public stage leads to meaningful changes for the rapper.

I looked P Diddy in the eye as brave Cassie gave her stomach-churning testimony – his brutal reaction left me cold
I looked P Diddy in the eye as brave Cassie gave her stomach-churning testimony – his brutal reaction left me cold

The Sun

timea day ago

  • Entertainment
  • The Sun

I looked P Diddy in the eye as brave Cassie gave her stomach-churning testimony – his brutal reaction left me cold

THE trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs has transformed the US District Courthouse in Lower Manhattan into the hottest ticket in the Big Apple. Since the start of jury selection on May 5, the world's media, online influencers, and true crime podcasters have descended onto 500 Pearl Street, hiring professional line sitters and standing on the courthouse's sidewalk before sunrise. 7 7 7 I was among the more than two dozen who attended jury selection and the first week of Combs' federal trial. During day three of jury selection, I locked eyes with Combs as he entered the 26th-floor courtroom, shackleless and with his hands pressed together. In that eerie moment, as Combs scanned the gallery, it felt as if he was conducting a deep analysis of each reporter, recording a photographic snap about the individual in his brain. The spectators in the courtroom exhaled a huge sigh during the graphic testimonies from exotic dancer Daniel Phillips, who was invited into the rapper's "freak offs", and his ex, singer Cassandra " Cassie" Ventura. Combs' twin daughters, D'Lila and Jessie, were noticeably missing from the gallery after day one of their father's trial. I watched as Combs stared daggers through his ex-girlfriend, never flinching, seemingly without an ounce of remorse as Ventura wiped away tears from her eyes Israel Salas-Rodriguez Still, Combs' three sons, Justin, Quincy, and Christian, and his mother, Janice, sat through the stomach-turning testimony from Ventura, who described in great detail the hellish sex marathons she was allegedly coerced into with over a dozen male escorts. I watched as some public spectators and journalists turned their heads away in distress as Ventura told jurors about the time Combs and an escort urinated on her. Ventura's husband, Alex Fine, who the defence wanted removed from the courtroom during her testimony, fearing outbursts, bravely watched from the gallery as his wife acknowledged the photos of male escorts she had sex with. The atmosphere in the courtroom grew sorrowful as Ventura continued her testimony, recalling the weekly drug-fuelled "freak-offs" and traumatising abuse she suffered at the hands of Combs. Throughout her nearly 96 hours on the stand, Ventura never looked in the direction of Combs. Diddy 'victim went DEAF after staying awake for 5 days to meet sick demands' However, I watched as Combs stared daggers through his ex-girlfriend, never flinching, seemingly without an ounce of remorse as Ventura wiped away tears from her eyes. Each time Ventura finished her testimony, she walked past Combs, seated steps away, without ever acknowledging his presence. 7 7 At the end of each day, reporters, influencers, and podcasters race toward the building's exit, rushing to retrieve their electronic devices from court officers. As I exited the courthouse, I witnessed a sea of journalists, TikTokers, and podcasters stationed under a tree at the neighbouring Columbus Park, or any available space near the federal building, filing notes, on the phone with editors, or recording roundup videos. As the sun sets on Lower Manhattan, many continue working their way through scripts or wait for their live shots on the evening newscast - all the while the sounds of emergency sirens and irate drivers blare in the background. And in the midst of the end-of-day filing chaos, steps away, there is another group of fresh journalists and professional line sitters seated on beach chairs, inside tents, near the courthouse entrance, waiting to do it all again the next day. We are now 26 days into the star's sex-trafficking and racketeering trial that has seen bombshell testimony and a cache of shocking evidence. The case centres on the accounts of three women, the eight men and four women of the jury were told, including Casandra Ventura, while several witnesses have also been called into the dock. As the trial enters its sixth week, key pieces of evidence have come to light - among those a trove of messages from Diddy's former chief of staff, who was tasked with planning sex marathons, personal texts between Diddy and Ventura and videos from the wild sex parties. Diddy's charges explained by a lawyer Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained the set of charges Diddy is facing to The U.S. Sun: "Diddy is facing three charges, or three sets of charges. "The first is racketeering, which you typically see with organized crime enterprises - so the mob, cartels, street gangs - but we're seeing it a lot more in sex trafficking cases. "And you don't need an organization like the mob, as long as it's an enterprise, which is something that consists of two or more people, and they engage in two or more RICO predicate acts, that's enough for racketeering. "Racketeering is a powerful charge because it allows the government to bring in all sorts of evidence of criminal activity, as well as all sorts of people, into that racketeering conspiracy. "And anyone who's a co-conspirator, they're on the hook for any criminal acts committed in furtherance of the conspiracy. "The most serious charge, though, is sex trafficking. "What separates sex trafficking from normal sex? Adults, of course, can consent to any type of sex, no matter how freaky it is. But sex trafficking has one of three elements: force, fraud, or coercion. "And the government is saying that Diddy used force to force these men and women to participate in these freak-offs, and he coerced them by drugging them. "The least serious charge is the prostitution, sometimes called the Man Act, and that's engaging in prostitution using some sort of interstate commerce across state lines. That obviously is unlawful. "Typically, you don't see federal cases for prostitution only, which is why it's the least serious of the crimes." Audio of a distraught Ventura threatening to kill a man over a "freak off" video was also released during the trial as part of her cross-examination by the disgraced star's lawyers. Cassie can be heard telling the unidentified man, who had claimed to have seen the video in 2014: "It's my f***ing life and I'll kill you". The audio evidence had been presented by Diddy's lawyers in an attempt to prove that Ventura had been a willing participant in the sex marathons. But she claimed that she was fearful the man would release the sex tape saying that it made her "feel sick". The trial continues, but one thing is for sure: there'll be more twists, turns and bombshells to come in the music mogul's shocking fall from grace. 7 7

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