The Latest on Slut-Shaming + Bodily Autonomy

In the sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura has testified that Combs beat and raped her. She also revealed a form of abuse that gets too little attention: when a partner or former partner threatens to release images of nudity or sexual activity. The fear of being exposed was so great, Ventura testified, that she decided to stay with Combs, putting her life at risk.

Ventura told the court that Combs had threatened multiple times to post online videos he had made of their sexual encounters and “freak-offs,” or days-long sexual performances involving sex workers and drugs, that he had recorded. He made it clear, she testified, that his intention would be to damage her reputation as punishment if she didn’t comply with his wishes. On one occasion, he showed her videos that she thought had been destroyed, saying, “I’m going to put out two embarrassing videos of you.” As a result, she felt “trapped,” she told the court.

Young women tell me that taking ownership over their bodies is a response to being treated as sexual objects. Central to many of their stories is the experience of having their most private images distributed publicly against their will, which shatters their sense of trust and makes them fearful in some cases to even leave their home.

As you follow the trial, remember that while details of the “freak-offs” may represent extreme behavior, the act of using footage of nudity or sexual encounters to blackmail or punish a partner or former partner is exceedingly common. In fact, whether you know it or not, you probably have someone in your life who has experienced this form of abuse.