Cassie Ventura thanked her supporters and spoke out against domestic violence Thursday, in the singer’s first statement since the release of 2016 footage that showed her being brutally assaulted by Sean “Diddy” Combs.

“The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning,” Ventura, 37, wrote on Instagram, prompting supportive comments from fans as well as stars such as Kelly Rowland and Tinashe. “Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past.”