Diddy trial: Dr. Dawn Hughes testifies abuse victims don't leave relationships as they consider sexual abuse "very private harm"

On Wednesday, May 21, clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes was called to testify in Diddy's ongoing criminal trial. As per CNN's live coverage of the trial, Dr. Hughes provided the jury with information on sexual assault, traumatic stress, domestic violence, and the like.

According to her website, Dr. Hughes, Ph.D., ABPP (American Board of Professional Psychology), is a clinical and forensic psychologist who currently serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology at New York's Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College. She specializes in the "assessment and treatment of interpersonal violence, traumatic stress, and the anxiety disorders."

As per CNN, Dr. Hughes testified as a "blind expert" in the United States vs. Sean Combs trial. She explained that it is common for victims not to leave their abusers and stay in abusive relationships. She claimed that abusers also use physical violence and other methods to trap their victims.

Furthermore, Dr. Dawn Hughes reportedly testified that sexual abuse is considered "a very private harm" by victims, which allegedly prevents them from seeking help.

“They experience a tremendous amount of shame, humiliation, degradation,” the doctor reportedly added.

According to her, it is also quite common for abuse victims to use various substances to "numb" themselves.

For the unversed, Combs' ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, accused the rapper of physical and sexual assault in her testimony last week. She was in an on-and-off relationship with Combs for over a decade, between 2007 and 2018.

Diddy trial: Cassie Ventura threatened to kill a man over blackmailing to leak a s*x tape in a 2014 audio recording

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What else did Dr. Dawn Hughes say in her testimony in the Diddy trial?

Sean Combs Sex Crimes Trial Continues In New York City - Source: Getty

During her testimony in the Diddy trial, Dr. Dawn Hughes explained how financial and emotional factors affect a victim’s ability to leave an abuser. According to CNN, she said it’s hard for victims to escape if the abuser controls their living expenses.

Dr. Dawn Hughes also claimed that opening up about the abuse while it is happening is very hard for the victim. She added that victims tend not to recall every specific instance during which they were abused. Furthermore, they use hedging language while sharing moments of abuse.

“Many victims will wait months, even years, before telling about what happened to them," claimed the psychologist.

Defense attorney Jonathan Bach reportedly criticized Dr. Dawn Hughes, claiming that she was a biased professional witness. He also asked if she had ever testified in defense of a man accused of a sexual crime.

“I don’t evaluate offenders,” she reportedly responded.

Assistant US Attorney Mitzi Steiner confirmed that a defense attorney of Diddy, Brian Steel, had previously retained Dr. Hughes as an expert witness in another case. However, Bach claimed that she didn't testify as a witness in that case.

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