The news of Chris Brown’s physical assault of Rihanna took them from superstardom to domestic violence statistics.
The two 19-year-olds skipped traditional teenager experiences when they were catapulted into fame and fortune as recording artists. The couple had been dating for about a year until Chris decided to make Rihanna his punching bag. I’m pretty sure that Chris didn’t know it was “National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.”
It was not surprising that the first official comments to come out on either side was from the parents – the fathers, to be exact. After all, Chris and Rihanna are still just kids. Jay Z, who signed the Barbados beauty to a Def Jam contract, reportedly “hit the roof” when he heard the news. A few days later, Chris released a statement saying that he was “sorry” and “saddened” about the incident.
I hope this sad and sorry story will be used as a teachable moment to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of domestic violence among young people. The statistics aren’t rosy.
Youth is a time of extreme vulnerability for girls and young women to being victimized in relationships. U.S. Department of Justice statistics reveal that females ages 16-24 are three times more likely than any other age group to experience partner violence. One in three teens reports knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped or physically hurt by their dating partner.
That is troubling, but it gets worse. In one report on teen violence, female high school students were asked whom they would talk to if someone they date is attempting to intimidate, control or physically harm them. In a policy brief, “The Imperative of Developing Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Intervention Programs in Secondary Schools,” 86 percent said they would confide in a friend, while only 7 percent said they would talk to police. Parents, counselors, ministers or other caring adults weren’t even considered.
Maybe this is because Family Violence Prevention Fund and Advocates for Youth found that 81 percent of parents surveyed either believed teen dating violence is not an issue or they don’t know if it’s an issue. Most parents have not talked to their male or female children about dating violence.
We live in a violent world. In the African-American community, there is a certain level of accepted violence, whether it’s sexual street harassment or knocking your woman upside the head. This is unacceptable.
Some powerful men, from athletes to politicians, seem to think that being abusive or violent is part of the job description. The messages that young people are getting is that when you have money or power, you can make anyone your victim. This is unacceptable.
Unless Chris Brown got some behavior-altering drugs put into his beverage on the night of the assault, this was probably not his first time being abusive. If Chris is truly sorry, he can help his fans learn a valuable life lesson by speaking out on the dangers of domestic violence.
He needs to roll out some anti-violence ads geared towards young people. He should make hefty donations to projects like the National Teen Dating Violence Prevention Initiative. Rihanna needs to do likewise.
Chris and Rihanna can use their star power to emphasize an important message: Violence has no place in a relationship
