As psychologist Dawn Hughes details the impact of abuse, defense attorneys push back, a former executive assistant details the responsibilities of working for Diddy and how protecting his image was paramount.

Dawn Hughes, a board-certified clinical and forensic psychologist, testified on Wednesday in the federal criminal sex trafficking case against hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. 

Hughes, who notably testified as an expert witness in the 2022 defamation trial of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, said she was at court to provide contextual information about individuals who experience domestic violence and traumatic stress. 

“They [abuse survivors] experience a tremendous amount of shame, humiliation, degradation,” Hughes said when discussing sexual abuse, according to CNN. “They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t even want to think about it in their brain.”

For individuals who are abused, Hughes testified that many stay in relationships, and financial dependence and lack of resources are major factors as to why one stays. 

She also spoke about trauma bonds and how abusive relationships often have an element of love and kindness to them, thus making it harder for abuse survivors to leave.

“There’s this pattern of returning and reconciliation, and then returning,” Hughes testified.

During her testimony, she explained that abuse can severely impact memory, making it difficult for survivors to recall individual incidents. However, survivors may be more likely to remember an event if it coincided with a significant date, such as an anniversary, holiday or birthday.

Defense attorney Johnathan Bach, however, was unconvinced.

As Bach cross-examined Dawn Hughes, she testified that she had not reviewed specific details of the case. Her cross-examination led to several sidebars as the defense scrutinized her six meetings with the prosecution, some of which took place after the trial had begun. As a blind expert witness, her role was solely to provide expertise on domestic violence and sexual abuse rather than comment on the case details themselves. She maintained that discussions between the prosecution and her did not include specific details about the case.

Bach also challenged Hughes’ credibility, arguing that she approached the stand with a particular “perspective.” He further warned the court that expert witnesses could be “dangerous” due to the “aura of authority” they bring.

Following Hughes, Combs’ former executive assistant George Kaplan, took the stand. Kaplan, who joined Combs Enterprises in 2013, testified that he worked 80 to 100 hours a week. His responsibilities included ensuring the chef and housekeeping staff were prepared for the day and setting up Combs’ bathroom with his medications. He would exchange daily calls with Combs, who expressed what he needed, which allegedly included drugs or alcohol.

Kaplan also testified that a part of his responsibility was to protect Combs’ image.

“Protecting him and protecting his public image was very important and that was something I was very keen on doing,” Kaplan said.

Almost monthly, Combs allegedly threatened his job, Kaplan testified. Combs allegedly wanted to be surrounded by the best and “those around him at the time were not performing at that level,” Kaplan recalled.

At the start of the day, special agent Gerard Gannon finished his testimony, expressing that agents who searched Combs’ Miami beach house in March 2024 found an assortment of pills and a “crystal rock-like substance” in a Gucci bag in Combs’ closet. There were also six people at the home when they searched the premises, including a music producer, a property manager and other facilities personnel.

Looking ahead, musician Kid Cudi is scheduled to testify on Thursday morning.