“To Ms. Ventura and the other brave survivors that came forward, I want to say first: We heard you.” – Judge Arun Subramanian. 

Survivors have power when they speak out. We stand with Cassie and “Jane,” the survivors who testified in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case. It is incredibly painful and retraumatizing for a survivor to share their experiences and we hope that more survivors can find the strength to come forward because of their bravery. As Judge Subramanian said himself, today’s sentencing is a message to abusers and victims alike that exploitation and violence against women is met with real accountability. 

But accountability is not limited to the courtroom. It also means funded services and compensation for survivors, civil action and restorative practices, safe workplaces across all industries, and policies that protect victims and not those in power.

Accountability can only happen when we believe survivors.