Cassie Breaks Silence After Diddy Abuse Footage Surfaces: ‘I Will Always Be Recovering from My Past’

• Cassie broke her silence on Thursday morning, posting a statement to Instagram
• “My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time,” the singer wrote in her post
• The note comes six days after the release of a video showing Cassie’s ex Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs physically abusing her in 2016

Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura is speaking out for the first time following the release of a 2016 video that showed her being physically abused by ex Sean “Diddy” Combs.

On Thursday, May 23, Ventura, 37, 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.”

She went on to explain that “the outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now.”

“But this is only the beginning,” Venture wrote. “Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. 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 also said. “Thank you.”

Ventura first made allegations against Combs in a now-settled lawsuit filed last November, claiming the music mogul raped and sex trafficked her over the course of an abusive 10 years.

“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,” she said in a statement. “With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.”

Combs, 54, denied the allegations, his attorney calling them “offensive and outrageous.”

On Dec. 6, the rapper spoke out about Cassie’s claims. “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” he wrote in the statement, which was obtained by PEOPLE. “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday.”

But he changed his tune after CNN published surveillance video on May 17 that showed Diddy kicking, dragging and throwing things at Ventura as she allegedly tried to leave a hotel room while he was sleeping.

“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life,” Combs said in a statement via an Instagram video. “Sometimes you gotta do that. I was f—ed up. I mean I hit rock bottom but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.”

“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video,” he said, captioning the post. “I’m truly sorry.”

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has since said that they are “unable” to charge Combs in connection with video of the assault, as it was filmed “beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted.”

In her post on Thursday, Ventura acknowledged the backlash she received after filing her suit.

“My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time,” Ventura wrote. “It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in.”

She then spoke out to other victims of domestic abuse. “I offer my hand to those that are still living in fear,” she said. “Reach out to your people, don’t cut them off. No one should carry this weight alone.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.