Rihanna "Breaking the Silence" and Saves Lives

Urban Chameleon news

This past Friday, 20/20 premiered Rihanna's new video "Russian Roulet", which was a follow up nugget to Rihanna's interview with Diane Sawyer a week ago “breaking the silence” in regards to the abuse she experienced while in a relationship with singer Chris Brown. Since I missed the interview I looked for it on Youtube to watch especially since they mentioned that the women's domestic abuse hotline had received more than 70% more calls from teenage girls. I was wowed by the unbelievable direct impact this one interview had. Rihanna goes into detail about her physical, psychological and emotion journey including going back to Chris before finally deciding to end the relationship. Rihanna may have saved several lives that day and counting. Thanks god she spoke up.

In not having any direct or indirect experience dealing with domestic abuse I have in the past over looked the subject matter as an “idea” a horrific idea but meaning something with no lasting emotional connection, you hear about it, you’re affected in the moment and then move on. But in watching this interview, seeing again the image of Rihanna's battered face that was released by TMZ and to hear her taking us on her journey, this time the impression was imprinted. I looked up statistics for myself discovering that most abused women range in the ages of 16-24 years old. These are lives that have barely started.

A friend of mine who is a professor at Spelman College has been telling me about the many young women she’s witnessed in abusive relationships with young men from Morehouse too afraid to reach out for help. This is not to put any grand emphasis on a specific college…the point is it’s happening and everywhere.

I hope that by posting this interview it encourages all people to watch, whether male or female for in these instances it’s clear that not only women need rescuing but men do to and whether you are in abusive relationship or not breaking and helping to break silence is imperative…remember we are all here for each other.