Diddy’s Alleged Sex Crimes Were Hiding in Plain Sight
The indictment against music mogul Sean Combs should be a reminder that we often fail to recognize trafficking even when it’s right in front of us.
Our mental image of abuse comes from movies, even as the reality stares us in the face.
Photographer: John Lamparski/Getty ImagesVictims of sex trafficking, it is said, are often hiding in plain sight. I was reminded of that truism this week when Sean Combs, the music mogul also known as “Puff Daddy” and “Diddy,” was indicted for alleged conduct dating back to 2008. The offenses include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
According to the indictment, Combs forced women “to engage in frequent, days-long sexual activity with male commercial sex workers” in events “Combs referred to as ‘Freak Offs,’” which prosecutors described as “elaborate sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, and often electronically recorded.” The potential sentence for the charges ranges from a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life in prison.