Chris Brown Charged with Assault of Rihanna

The latest news of a celebrity bent swirling around on the internet has to do with Chris Brown's alleged assault of Rihanna. News reports were initially very reticent about divulging Rihanna's identity, calling her only, an unnamed woman. However, according to the blog Young, Black and Fabulous the official arrest report was leaked. The alleged report is said to have identified Robyn Fenty as the complainant. Those in the know know that Rihanna's legal name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. While current charges are "criminal threats", there is a chance that "domestic assault " charges may be added. The case has been turned over to the LA County District Attorney.

The coosome twosome a la Jay Z and Beyonce has never acknowledged that they are in a relationship. While news reports have been cagey about the particulars of the incident, both Rihanna and Brown pulled out of last night's Grammy's. Per the "Los Angeles Times", it is alleged that while returning from Clive Davis's pre-Grammy party that Chris Brown and an unnamed woman became involved in an altercation. After stopping their car the incident escalated and LA's finest were called in to quell the disturbance. Though sources have not named the woman, the assumption is that it was Rihanna. US Weekly reported that the woman in the incident had been definitively identified as Rihanna. By the time the police arrived Brown had departed but he later surrendered to authorities at LAPD's Wilshire Division. Chris Brown has since bonded out of the LA County Jail and hired Mark Geragos as his attorney. If Geragos's name is familiar, you'll remember he has represented a number of high profile clients. Among them were Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder and Scott Peterson.

The Larger Issue

While two celebrities the likes of Chris Brown and Rihanna being involved in this situation has a high titillation factor, the bigger question is whether or not Chris Brown committed this act and if so what caused him to behave in this manner. Though domestic assault charges have not been levied, Chris Brown is no stranger to domestic violence. According to Wikipedia, from the ages of 7 to 13, Chris Brown endured his mother's struggles at the hands of a violent boyfriend. In an appearance on the Tyra Banks show Brown spoke candidly about his mother's abuse and his endeavor to not engage in abusive behavior. If Chris Brown did perpetrate this type of ugliness then whether the victim was Rihanna or someone else is immaterial. The larger issue is that he may be suffering from the after effects of the abusive situation he experienced in his formative years. Some believe that this type of exposure during Brown's younger years might make him less likely to abuse; however, many believe just the opposite. Speaking with Kelly Boros who is Manager of Communications at the Houston Area Women's Center, a support organization helping victims of domestic violence, I found that someone raised in an abusive household is far more likely to model that behavior in their adult lives. This is especially true if the person does not deal with their experiences in any substantive manner. Ms. Boros added that for adults who have dealt with abuse in their pasts, counseling can be a useful tool to help with the effects as well as identify the triggers that cause the problem to escalate.

The Celebrity Factor

Though incredibly talented, blessed with killer bods and intimidating good looks, Chris Brown and Rihanna are also very young. Brown and Rihanna, both incredibly popular in their own right have only served to whet the appetite of gossip mags and fans alike by joining forces. One can only imagine the pressure of a life lived in the spotlight. I remember my own youth and the angst and pathos involved. Adding to that the intoxicating mix of money, celebrity and high drama must only make it that much harder. The bottom line is that this is a sad state of affairs for such a promising talent to find himself in these circumstances. Even if he is exonerated, it bears mentioning that he should, if he hasn't already, seek counseling. As for Rihanna, one hopes she takes whatever corrective action is necessary to deal with the after effects of what has happened.

Sources:

http://theybf.com/index.php/category/chrihannagate-09/

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-grammychrisbrown9-2009feb09,0,3180469.story

http://www.usmagazine.com/news/rihanna-identified-as-alleged-victim-in-http://chris-brown-assault

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Brown_(entertainer)