Family Law

Rihanna Reportedly a Victim of Domestic Violence

By Erin Kelley

Victims of domestic violence are often silent. Many times this crime goes unreported, but this time the victim and alleged attacker are celebrities and the incident happened in public.

Singer Rihanna and boyfriend Chris Brown reportedly had a dispute that turned violent shortly after midnight on Feb. 8. Rihanna was reportedly injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. Brown later turned himself in to the police.

Although Rihanna and Brown are not married, domestic violence among unmarried people is not uncommon. According to a study by the Department of Justice, each year approximately 5.3 million women and 3.2 million men 18 years of age become victims of domestic violence at the hands of their intimate partners.

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior engaged to gain power and control over an intimate partner. It can include emotional, psychological, sexual or physical abuse. Rihanna reportedly suffered physical abuse. On Friday, February 20, her rep released a statement: “At the request of authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Brown. She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time.”

One week after the incident, Brown released a statement saying he was “sorry and saddened” by what happened. Brown was released on $50,000 bail on Feb. 8 and will be due in court on March 5 if authorities decide to press formal charges against him.

TMZ.com published a leaked photo, allegedly of Rihanna, taken shortly after the attack. The woman in the photo appears to have been beaten and her eyes are closed. The LAPD launched an internal investigation over the leaked photo, seemingly confirming that Rihanna was the battered female in the photo.

Learn more about domestic violence and divorce. If you have been a victim of domestic violence, you should contact your local authorities and get immediate help. You may also seek counsel from The National Domestic Violence Hotline through the Web site or by calling 800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).

Full post as published by The Divorce Blog on February 23, 2009 (boomark / email).