According to CNN, singer Rihanna, in an interview given to Good Morning America on Thursday, came clean about why she went back to now ex-boyfriend Chris Brown after he beat her so badly she ended up with a cut, bruised face and a broken lip. “Love is so blind”, said Rihanna, “The minute the physical wounds go away, you want to go back. But, when I realized my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part,” she said. Rihanna was referring to being a role model for young girls who, because she went back to Chris Brown after being abused, might think, if they’re in a similar situation, they should too. Now, realizing that, as a role model, she has a responsibility to her young fans, she’s speaking out and telling them not to do what she did.
Rihanna went on to explain her decision to go back to Chris Brown was probably as a result of his being the first guy she really fell in love with. But, when a photo showing Rihanna battered and bruised was leaked to the press, Rihanna realized how serious a situation it was, as well as how embarrassing. That’s when she got out of the relationship with Chris Brown. Chris Brown, of course, was charged with felonious assault, which he plead ‘not guilty’ too. He was found guilty in August and sentenced to five years probation plus six months of community service.
As a popular singer and at the young age of still only 20 herself, Rihanna has an immense impact on the lives of young girls and the decisions they make. Teenagers often idolize the singers they love, and will do what a singer tells them is the right thing to do,as well as copy what a singer is doing herself. This is not only restricted to the clothing Rihanna wears and the hairstyles she has, but also the way she lives her life. And, because she is so young, Rihanna has more power over young teenage women than an older singer like Whitney Houston or Celine Dion. Rihanna is close to their age and “cool”. So, if a cool, beautiful young women tells them staying with an abusive boyfriend like Chris Brown is definitely not the right thing to do, some will listen to that and get out of their abusive situation.
As for Rihanna herself, even Oprah Winfrey who’s had her own share of abusive relationships told her back on her show in March, “If a man hits you once, he will hit you again. He will hit you again.” Oprah, herself a role model for millions of women, has said this truism over and over again during the 25-plus years she’s been the world’s most popular talk show host, and thankfully women have listened to her. If Rihanna can have young women follow her lead, just like Oprah has managed to do, then her abusive relationship with Chris Brown will have a silver lining.
In the Good Morning America interview, Rihanna also said, “This happened to me. — I didn’t cause this. I didn’t do it. This happened to me, and it can happen to anybody.” An important message for young women to hear as many abused women blame themselves for the abuse their husbands or boyfriends perpetrate on them. With words like that, Rihanna has come a long way from abused girlfriend to excellent role model. She should be proud of herself.
SOURCES: CNN – Rihanna speaks: “Love is so blind”
