S Poddar
Sean “Diddy” Combs, the renowned music mogul, is facing another wave of serious allegations. A new lawsuit accuses the 54-year-old rapper of drugging and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy in a New York City hotel room back in 2005.
The young boy was an acting and rapping wannabe, who, with family in tow, had appeared in New York for various meetings with music industry executives. At what should have only been an audition, this child had reportedly been spiked by one of Combs’ associates via a drugs-laced drink. Upon that, according to this lawsuit, Combs repeatedly assaulted the child again, who, at his behest, was sodomized upon, after which he reportedly passed out.
It does not end there with the alleged attack. Combs is accused of threatening the child in an attempt to frighten him into keeping quiet over the alleged attack by threatening that if he were to speak out, it would be at his own peril. This silence may have been due to fear and continued to keep him silent all those years until he became confident enough to break that silence.
This is not the first recent allegation against Combs. Another lawsuit alleges that the rapper sexually assaulted a 17-year-old up-and-coming musician at a Making the Band audition in 2008. The victim claims that Combs coerced him into oral sex, both with himself and a bodyguard, over the course of a three-day audition process.
These latest accusations add to a disturbing trend of accusations against Combs. In the last twenty years, several people have made sexual assault and abuse allegations. Some of these allegations include unwanted advances at parties and even forced sexual encounters.
All these allegations have been strongly denied by Combs’s lawyers as publicity stunts, but the accumulating evidence, to say nothing of the increasing numbers of victims emerging from their hiding places, paint a disturbing picture of someone who may have abused their position and influence over a very long period.
As these cases open to the court of law, it is very important to remember how strong the victims are who have chosen to speak out. Their courage in talking about their horrific experiences becomes a success in bringing justice and accountability to those who committed such heinous acts.
