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Diddy’s lawyers are banking on the ‘mutual abuse’ defence. Newsflash: it’s not a thing | Tayo Bero

Power isn’t equal in an unhealthy relationship. But it’s no surprise Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s team is deploying the tactic

Sean “Diddy” Combs ’s sex-trafficking and racketeering trial is under way, and the music mogul’s lawyers gave us a glimpse into what their strategy would be during jury selection last week, when they finally admitted that he was violent toward his ex Cassie Ventura. This demonization of female victims in order to absolve their male abusers works well in a society that already doesn’t believe women, and conveniently refuses to acknowledge how trauma and a tremendous imbalance of power can force them to stay in those violent relationships. And if Combs should somehow walk away from all this, then it’s crucial for us to listen to his accusers, for their testimonies to be on public record, and for him to no longer have access, at the very least, to the social and cultural capital that helped allow his alleged behaviour to thrive.

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