Rihanna
speaks out

NINE MONTHS AFTER her assault at the hands of former boyfriend Chris Brown, Barbadian pop star Rihanna has finally broken her silence on the incident.

In a preview of an interview coming in the December edition of Glamour magazine, Rihanna, who has been named one of Glamour's 12 Women Of The Year, spoke extensively about the furore immediately following the February assault, which happened in the wee hours of the morning of the Grammy Awards.

"I felt like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day. It was like, 'What, there are helicopters circling my house? There are 100 people in my cul-de-sac? What do you mean, I can't go back home?'," she told the magazine.

She also spoke about the difficulty of going through that experience in the public eye, particularly after the graphic photo of her battered face was leaked to the media, saying:

"It was humiliating; that is not a photo you would show to anybody. I felt completely taken advantage of.

"I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it's my life. I was disappointed, especially when I found out the photo was [supposedly leaked by] two women."

The singer, whose new album Rated R is set for release on November 23, said her family and friends had been "extremely supportive" and that "everyone has been there for me".

However she also indicated that despite the support, she sometimes still feels isolated.

"But at some point you are there alone. It's a lonely place to be - no one can understand. That's when you get close to God."

She said the incident and the fallout had made her "stronger, wiser and more aware" and spoke about the veil of secrecy that often surrounds domestic violence.

"Domestic violence is a big secret. No kid goes around and lets people know their parents fight. Teenage girls can't tell their parents that their boyfriend beat them up.

"You don't dare let your neighbour know that you fight. It's one of the things we [women] will hide, because it's embarrassing. My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see, and they have followed every step of my recovery.

"The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women, because I feel like I represent a voice that really isn't heard. Now I can help speak for those women."

Rihanna's interview in Glamour comes ahead of an interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America on ABC tomorrow at 8 a.m. (Barbados time) and on Friday on 20/20 at 11 p.m. (Barbados time).

Rihanna, along with United States First Lady Michelle Obama, is one of two women featured on Glamour's December issue covers. (AL-F) * amandalynch@nationnews.com