01 April 2009

How Rihanna can help other women

I don't usually focus on celebrity gossip, but violence against women is a big concern.

Reports out of Hollywood suggest that singer Rihanna is not cooperating with prosecutors in the assault case against Chris Brown. As the Celebrity News Service (CNS) describes the case, Rihanna "was left badly bruised and injured after an alleged altercation on February 8 following the Grammy Awards with her boyfriend at the time, R&B singer Chris Brown." But now she just "wants the whole thing" to go away.

It is not unusual for victims of domestic abuse to refuse to follow up to ensure that their abusers are held accountable. Maybe it's a kind of Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe they crave "love" so badly that they'll put up with anything just to have that connection. Or maybe they have self-esteem issues and believe that they deserve to be treated badly.

These things do not excuse the abuser's behavior. No one deserves to be battered and bruised by a loved one.

That is why I wish Rihanna would be strong and use her celebrity status to speak out against domestic violence and cooperate with authorities in holding Brown accountable.

In doing so, she would instantly become a better kind of role model for other women and girls.

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