A photo released last week by TMZ depicted 21-year-old R&B singer Rihanna with painfully swollen eyes, cuts and bruises. According to Los Angeles Police Department reports, she and her boyfriend, 19-year-old R&B singer Chris Brown, began arguing as they left a pre-Grammys party Feb. 7. The argument turned into a physical fight during which Rihanna sustained many injuries to her face and body including a split lip, bloody nose, swelling, bruising and bite marks, according to the police report.
Brown was released on $50,000 bail and has been charged with making criminal threats, however the district attorney's office is still investigating the case. Brown released the following statement through his publicist Michael Sitrick: "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person."
I have a hard time believing it, though. Brown says nothing remotely close to a heartfelt apology to Rihanna. I think he's battling with remorse over the consequences of his actions more than guilt and responsibility for what he has done.
The photo was leaked anonymously during Brown's investigation, and while it has not been confirmed as authentic by the LAPD, the media has bypassed this detail to release the photo in their publications anyway. I hope Rihanna is able to move on despite all the rumors, accusations, unfounded reports and leaked photos during an unsolved investigation.
The most appalling part of this entire ordeal is the media's refusal to respect Rihanna's privacy. She is a domestic violence victim. She deserves some common decency and respect in this matter and that includes her own privacy. Though she is a public figure, she is a victim of a crime and a human being who needs time and space to recover. She has already been hurt physically. Prying into her business is only going to cause her more emotional pain — pain that lasts longer than cuts and bruises.
What's especially surprising is Brown claimed that during his childhood, his mother was physically abused by his stepfather, and that the experience changed his attitude towards women. On an episode of "The Tyra Banks Show," he told the host, "I treat them differently because I don't want to go through the same thing. I don't want to put a woman through the same thing that person put my mom through." I want to know what caused Brown to change his mind. Is he just a hypocrite or is there a reason behind his violent actions?
The recent and very widespread news coverage of a high profile couple dealing with a domestic violence case should spark some debate about the issues of educating teenagers about the signs of abuse. Esta Soler, the founder and president of Family Violence Prevention Fund, said, "This incident has brought the issue into sharp focus. This type of education is not happening in any broad or consistent way. We need to take it to scale, to make sure it's happening in every community."
Instead of Rihanna getting more unwanted attention during this very emotionally trying time, I think more attention should be placed on the rise in domestic violence and understanding why women cannot run away from an unhealthy relationship. Some women ignore the signs of abuse or blame themselves. Many times, women truly believe that their situation is normal. I think education about domestic violence is vital to helping both young men and women understand the repercussions of abusive relationships and be able to detect signs of any unhealthy relationships.
Kelsey Hopson is a columnist for the Kansas State Collegain at Kansas State University. Courtesy of UWIRE.