People magazine is reporting that Rihanna, who made her way to Mexico this week to recuperate from the injuries she received allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend Chris Brown in the early morning hours of February 8, has reunited with Chris Brown in an attempt to reconcile. The magazine reports that ChRihanna are staying together at one of P. Diddy‘s homes in Miami, FL. Having read the reports and seen the photo of Rihanna‘s battered face, I am stunned by this development:
Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together, PEOPLE has learned exclusively. The pair have reunited almost three weeks after Brown, 19, allegedly battered the “Umbrella” singer on Feb. 8, a source tells PEOPLE. “They’re together again. They care for each other,” says the source. The on-again couple are currently spending time together at one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s homes, on Miami Beach’s Star Island. Adds the source: “While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves.” In its latest issue, PEOPLE reports that Brown called Rihanna on her 21st birthday one week ago. “He called to wish her happy birthday,” a source told the magazine. “They’ve reached out to each other. It’s been mutual.” Brown was booked by LAPD for making criminal threats but the case has not yet been presented to the District Attorney, who will ultimately determine which charges, if any, will be prosecuted.
I am UTTERLY and completely shocked at this news. I cannot, for the life of me, imagine being so quick to forgive anyone laying their hands on me in a combative or threatening manner. Then again, we have no idea what really happened between Rihanna and Chris Brown on the morning of February 8. While I am saddened by this news, I don’t know that I or anyone has any right to judge what we don’t know. I do know that Rihanna was assaulted because I’ve seen the photo … beyond that, I dunno … I just don’t even know what to say. I guess Chris Brown‘s apology resonated with her … or something.
Rihanna‘s father, Ronald Fenty, has already gone on the record to say that he supports his daughter’s decision to allow Chris Brown back in her life:
Rihanna’s father Ronald Fenty has spoken exclusively from his home in Barbados about his daughter’s decision to get back with Chris Brown. Rihanna and Brown are holed up together at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mansion on Star Island near Miami. It comes just three weeks after Brown allegedly battered the singer the night before the Grammy Awards on Feb 8. Fenty says, “I love my daughter with whatever road she takes. I’m behind her win or lose. I will be supportive. If that’s the road she wants to choose, I’m behind her. I hope to see her soon. I talked to her after her birthday, and she told me she’s OK.”
On this, I do have something to say. There is no way I would casually support any loved one, especially my daughter, to put herself in harm’s way by letting an alleged attacker back into her life. I just cannot fathom how a father would be so willing to support this kind of decision. Mebbe I’m wrong but I really think that parents should more actively step in and try and guide their children when they appear to be making poor decisions. Mebbe my daughter would be pissed at me but at least I’d feel much more comfortable knowing that I was doing everything I could to try and keep her from getting hurt again. This whole thing is so … odd. I’m really at a loss.
What do y’all think? Are you just as dumbfounded as I am?
I’m not condoning domestic violence, that’s horrible, I just effing hate that biatch
this is terrible news. i am deeply saddened that she decided to go back to him, but when someone you love starts hitting you, there’s psychological damage that goes along with that. it’s incredibly confusing for the victim to be in that situation, and it’s not something you can just “get out of,” most of the time. you want to believe that he won’t ever do it again, or that when he does that it’s because he loves you. it’s just a really tough spot and i don’t think any of us should be trying to judge their situation.
and the added pressure from the public can’t help either.
@blackisslimming: by saying you hope he smacks her around again, that’s condoning domestic violence. don’t kid yourself.
@bridget: no it’s not, I just hate her, if I could, I’d beat her up myself. You’re basically implying that I think it’s fine for women in general to be beat up in their own home!! That’s bullshit, so I’m not kidding myself thank you.
I’m not really surprised they are back together. But all I can say is I hope they BOTH seek professional help before they decide to settle down and bring children in to this nightmare. Domestic violence is a pattern and I have a feeling ran in both of their families.
I am studying domestic violence for my PhD dissertation and a lot of the literature says that we need to think of it as a ‘process of leaving’. Leaving is difficult and often takes several tries. There’s a lot of factors that are involved that prevent women from leaving or encourage them to stay. Leaving can take years and every little act of resistance counts as part of the process of leaving.
It’s easy to judge a relationship from the outside of it; To say “what is she thinking going back to him?” But, from the inside, when he is being contrite and you still love him, it is very different.
Also, there are women out there everyday with injuries that make Rihanna’s pictures look like a walk in the park, who go back to their abusive husbands and boyfriends out of fear or non-existent self-esteem…or because they promise not to do it again. You can’t spot a wifebeater, the first time they lay their hands on you, it is so surprising and out of character that you simply let it slide, until it happens again.
I’m actually really pissed that Rihanna went back to him. There is NO reason. And because she still loves him is NO excuse either. She is 21, she’ll get over it.
@ kk-unfortunately, you are correct about domestic abuse and the history of complacency in the West Indies. I am Trinidadian. My Aunt is still married to(but doesn’t live with) her husband who was not only abusive towards her, but towards their five boys-now grown, as well. He still comes to occasional family gatherings.
I hope this opens up a dialogue about domestic abuse in this country, how it still continues and how it is perpetuated. Some people say well we don’t know what happened that night-I’d like to know what people think had to have happened that justified RIhanna walking away from that night with contusions and a busted lip.
I also want to hear from Rihanna, because so far it seems like we have only heard from the men, Chris Brown, Rihanna’s father….I think her female fans have a right to know what the hell is going through her head that she would go back to him.
I think this is a little too soon but couples can put this behind them and move on… I have been in a relationship that was violent…he hit me a couple of times and i said he has to get help and i left him.He said he would get help and that it would never happen again and he did get help for several months and we got back together..That was 5 years ago and he has never laid a hand on me since and he truly is a different man … So to all those people out there saying once a beater always a beater are WRONG..they can get help and become a better person..they should not be defined by that forever..People can grow and change..I do think she needs to take more time and he needs to get more help but who are any of us to say that he can’t get better.. I hope he does and learns from his mistakes….we all deserve a second chance.
A boyfriend once slapped my face and grabbed me by the throat. I moved out the next day. I haven’t seen him since.
Rihanna is pathetic.
@Elle: what a ridiculous statement! Her female fans don’t have a fucking right to know that!! Nobody has a ‘right’ to know what somebody else is thinking, famous or not!! How fucking stupid.
I hope this isn’t true…so sad
J is right on the money with that one. I’m no PhD, I’m a former victim. It took years of abuse for me to even see how bad it was. My abuser was very manipulative and had a firm control over my life that I didn’t even see coming. Often, there is no easy way out, as much as it may seem so to an outsider. Between the abuse you still love that person and are extremely conflicted about what is right and wrong. Rhianna is NOT pathetic! We don’t know EXACTLY what happened, sure. We can think what we want but ultimately she has to see it all clearly for herself. I still love my abuser dearly and sometimes wish that I was still with him. That’s what therapy is for – to reconcile the feelings victims have towards our abusers. The best advice we can give her is to be strong, know who she is, and to have faith. Send her well wishes, even if you don’t support her decision.
I can’t believe that you guys are saying we don’t know what went down, that there are 2 sides to the story. No matter what was going down (except she had a gun to his head and was about to shoot him) a man should never hit a woman unless his life is a stake. I don’t care if she threw his keys..I don’t care if she was being a bitch..it doesn’t matter. Instead of breaking her face, break up with her. Not just that he threatened to kill her. Nothing good can come out of this. I hope Rhianna has friends and family that are telling her the truth and not just what she wants to hear.
This is no suprise. Most battered women leave their abusive partner an average of 7 times before they finally break free. If you have never been in an abusive relationship, you can not judge. There is a whole brainwashing that goes with it. It happens to intelligent beautiful successful women. (This story is your proof.)
I’m disapointed with Rhianna…I thought she was stronger…”take a bow” now doesn’t mean a thing when she’ll sing that again.
I think this will go on like Whitney Houston, I just hope that her career doesn’t end too soon like Whitney’s did.
About her father: I’d be hurt with my father if he “supported” my decision of going back to a guy who beat me.
And all that bullshit about “we don’t know what happened”…what do you think that happened that can erase the fact that he beat her?! even if she called him names or whatever, I don’t see injuries on Chris Brown’s face, so even if she started an argument with him or wtv, he didn’t have the right to beat her…and that’s all that matters.
Do you see a certain pattern Trent? Every comment made with no surprise came from someone who is familiar with domestic violence including myself. Most of us have taken course, read books, and found a way in our lives how to deal whether it be from a prior relationship, sibling, close friend or parent. Sucks. We don’t have to know the details, we don’t have to be fans, just noting a familiarity. Shame.
This is so sad… mostly because my best friend is going through the same thing right now. For me, it’s FRUSTRATING because as an outsider you see the physical/emotional abuse and yet you can’t do anything about it… Especially when the victim is in denial about what happened. (“He didn’t mean it”… or… “I deserved it”…). These poor women keep going back to their dead beat boyfriends – just to get smacked around some more. My friend is such a great girl… she had everything going for her… Until she met this guy who put her under his spell… it’s been about a year and a half now… When I helped her move out of their apartment the first time, she told me all these horror stories about things that happened while they were together. And now she’s back with him. It doesn’t make sense to me how (even if it is a syndrome) you can get back involved in that situation when you KNOW just how harmful it is. I just wish there was some way for us to reach out to these women who feel they can’t do any better. And the scariest part of all – is that they usually know very well that it’s wrong. They keep the abuse secret from EVERYone for as long as they can…. so what is it that makes them stay? And what can we do to help an abuse victim see things from a new light??
Also, I feel that Rihanna’s dad did the right thing by standing behind his daughter… Honestly – battered women will come to you when they decide they want to… until then, all we can do is wait and hope the day comes when they finally decide they need us. At least that’s the way I look at it… When my friend finally realizes she is better than this – I’ll be here for her. (Even after her b/f refuses to let her see me).
We absolutely do have the right to judge Rihanna and Chris Brown and the reluctance to do so is what will send a negative message to girls. We know she didn’t bruise herself in that car, he did it. And now they are back together. It is dysfunctional and self-destructive. I fear Rihanna is going to have to learn the hard way and that is very sad.
Rihanna is an adult…and if she decides to get beat up again quite frankly hr father has no power over that decision
THANK YOU TRENT!!!!! That’s EXACTLY what I was thinking! If one of my two girls grew up to be in a relationship with an abuser, there is NO WAY I would “support her decision”. I would HOPE & PRAY that I would take the high road, and NOT support her decision & try DESPERATELY to get her to leave the man. It’s hard to be at odds with your child, but you have to do WHAT IS RIGHT and actually PARENT.