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This week marked the beginning of Diddy’s second week in his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial. Yesterday, May 21, 2025, was the eighth day of the proceedings. Dr. Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist, took the stand and gave her testimony. She explained key concepts to the jury, including the experiences of sexual abuse victims, traumatic stress, and domestic abuse.
During her testimony, Dawn highlighted the state of victims in abusive relationships and also shared her insights on trauma bonding and PTSD.
Diddy’s trial, along with jury selection, began on May 5, and the opening statements were given on May 12, which was followed by testimony from his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
What insights did Dr. Dawn Hughes share during her testimony at Diddy's trial?
Dr. Dawn Hughes gave her testimony on Wednesday. While she did not reference Diddy or any of his accusers, she shared her expert insights in general. It should be noted that Dr. Dawn was present in court as a blind witness; she did not review any evidence of the case and did not comment on any specifics related to it.
She explained to the court how difficult it is for a victim suffering from abuse in a relationship to leave. She said that sometimes it takes a victim months or even years to tell someone about their suffering. She highlighted that a trauma bond is what makes it difficult for the victim to leave, as per CNN.
She then explained to the court what a trauma bond is—where the abuser mixes love and kindness with control, which confuses the victim and makes it difficult for them to leave. She also said that in such a situation, a victim often apologizes unnecessarily and finds it hard to say no, due to fear of abuse. She also added that PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) makes it difficult for a victim to recall the details of what they have gone through.
Hughes also shared how sexual abuse is especially difficult and isolating for victims of domestic abuse, as those acts are personal and bring shame, as per The Washington Post.
''If you can’t talk about what’s happening in the relationship, you can’t get help,'' she added.
She also claimed that trauma survivors often get involved in drug use. She said that substance abuse becomes a preventative measure or a coping mechanism for survivors to deal with their pain. She added that sometimes survivors take drugs so that they cannot remember or feel.
Dr. Dawn has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University, and she has testified in numerous high-profile cases, including R. Kelly’s sex trafficking trial. Other than Dr. Dawn, Special Agent Gerard Gannon and Diddy’s former executive assistant, George Kaplan, also testified on Wednesday.
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