“Love and Hip Hop: New York” actress Cyn Santana shocked fans last night after revealing she was a victim of sexual assault.
Santana and Joe Budden have been battling a few challenges in their relationship, like not spending enough quality time with each other. Santana faulted her fiancé for working too much and for always leaving her at home alone with their 1-year-old son. She also admitted to Budden during episode 7 that she’d been suffering from postpartum depression.
Budden’s perfect solution for spending time with his wife-to-be is to hire a nanny. He also thinks hiring help for Santana will take a load off her mommy responsibilities. However, the 26-year-old mother refused to hire additional help for their baby boy, and Budden didn’t quite understand why.
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In Monday night’s episode 8, the “Pump It Up” rapper sought help from psychotherapist Jenn Mann to discuss his and Santana’s ongoing problems in their relationship. During their session with Mann, Santana opened up about her depression and the emotions it has incited, like anxiety and fear. She also told Dr. Mann as to why she was so against Budden hiring a nanny.
“My mom was a single mom and she would leave me with people she could trust,” Santana said, tearfully breaking down. “I think like three people in this life know, including Joe. My mom doesn’t even know. … When I was 5, I was raped … but I was raped by a woman.”
The 26-year-old said her female babysitter sexually abused her and now she “doesn’t trust” anyone with her 1-year-old son. “I don’t even let anybody change my baby’s diaper. I don’t trust anybody,” she added.
Dr. Mann suggested that Santana wasn’t suffering from postpartum depression, but that “all the unresolved feelings” about her “trauma” were “bubbling to the surface.”
“LHHNY” viewers watching the episode felt compassion for Santana and extended their sympathies.
“Damn I’m just now seeing this @Cyn_Santana … wow poor thing 😢 ! I’m sorry you had to go through that.” one fan wrote.
Another added, “#LHHNY cyn Im so sorry for what happened to u love, you are gorgeous and u matter! My heart ❤ is breaking for her.”
One person tweeted, “I feel @Cyn_Santana pain. Just wanna let her know that @drjennmann is absolutely right, ‘It was not your fault, Cyn.’ You are not alone, mamma, and so are the others who have or are going through the same thing. We will make it through the battle!”
Santana and Budden have seemingly moved past their issues and are preparing to walk down the aisle soon. The New York rapper proposed to Santana on Dec. 19 during a Christmas special for his podcast “The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory & Mal” in New York City. He got down on one knee after asking Santana, “Is this the best relationship you’ve ever had?”
Santana nodded her head in a yes manner and replied to Budden, “I want to spend this life and the next with you.”
