Team Diddy Questions Rape Reporting, Drawing Controversial Comparisons**

The defense for Sean 'Diddy' Combs argues against the testimony of expert Dr. Dawn Hughes on the underreporting of sexual assault, comparing it to other underreported crimes. Critics are calling out the defense's logic as desperate.**

On April 25, 2025, legal representatives for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs filed an opposition against government expert witness Dr. Dawn Hughes in his ongoing federal case. The document, labeled "Filing #271," has garnered significant scrutiny for its unconventional arguments. The team, which includes notable attorneys such as Teny Geragos and Marc Agnifilo, controversially asserts that the underreporting of rape claims is not as significant as suggested and draws comparisons to other crimes like drunk driving and tax evasion.

According to the filing, Team Diddy critiques Dr. Hughes' stance that rape is “underreported,” questioning the relevance of her testimony in a case centered around sex trafficking rather than rape specifically. They argue that since crimes such as drunk driving are not covered in surveys like the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), it implies that those crimes may also be underreported, possibly at rates that surpass those of sexual assaults.

Critics of the defense are taking issue with what they see as flawed reasoning. The filing quotes Hughes stating that “sex crimes and crimes against women are the most underreported crimes that we have,” to which the defense responds with incredulity, calling her claims “extreme.” They argue that Hughes’ testimony—and that of other advocates in similar roles—features conceptual and evidential deficiencies.

As the legal imbroglio unfolds, many observers are noting a noticeable desperation in Team Diddy's attempts to discredit expert witnesses, prompting widespread discussion about the implications of their arguments for survivors of sexual violence and the broader implications for societal discourse around these serious issues.