Survivor Stories: Rihanna

Photo credits: BBC

Rihanna, one of the most influential and globally acclaimed pop artists of her generation, has been mesmerizing fans with her rebellious imagination, dramatic introspection, and unapologetic confidence for years. Yet, what many fans are unaware of is an experience with emotional and physical abuse. A physical altercation with then-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009 left her battered and bruised, both physically and psychologically, in a way that would take years to get over, not just the beating itself, but also the constant scrutiny she faced in the media afterward.

In her candid interview with Vanity Fair, Rihanna was candidly upset about feeling “punished over and over” for something she did not have the choice of enduring. When pictures of her bruised face were published, the incident was turned into tabloid sensationalism, with her pain gracing the headlines.

“I just never understood that,” she said, “how the victim gets punished over and over. It’s in the past, and I don’t want to say, ‘Get over it,’ because it’s a very serious thing that is still relevant; it’s still real.”

For Rihanna, the pain was compounded by being forced to relive the experience time and again in the public eye.

“To talk about it and say it once, much less 200 times, is like … I have to be punished for it?” she reflected, describing how the media’s fixation transformed her into a “poster child for victims of domestic abuse.” But she also recognized the importance of speaking out in order to show solidarity with “a lot of women, a lot of young girls … and young boys too” who are still enduring and living through similar realities.

In 2012, Rihanna briefly reunited with Chris Brown, an action that was met with widespread disapproval. She continued to explain that she believed she understood him in a way that many others did not.

“I felt that people didn’t understand him,” she said. “I was very protective of him… I thought I was strong enough to handle it.” But eventually, she realized the painful truth: “In that situation, you’re the enemy … if you put up with it, maybe you are agreeing that you deserve it.”

From celebrity rumor to critique of the abuse cycle, Rihanna endured misperception, pity, and blame from her fans and the tabloids. Rihanna’s candor changed her from victim to activist, reminding the world that healing is not a straight line and that courage sometimes comes in taking back one’s story, even when the world will not let it rest.

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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues. 

In this series, Survivor Stories, we explore and share the stories of survivors of violence and crime. Through this, we advocate for justice and more attention to victims such as the survivors we feature.