A moment of Privacy and Silence for Rihanna

At first, I thought about posting the heinous battered photo of this talented beauty that the press got a hold of who was savagely beaten by whom I hope is now her ex-boyfriend. Then, I thought, If I do that, I would be no better than the Post or TMZ who had the nerve to publish these photos. See below:

http://www.tmz.com/

Then, I thought, why not post a glamour shot of her. Then, I remembered my own days after I was raped. While not horribly beaten, I was still very bruised, as I am pretty tiny, was very disheveled, shaken and still wondering if I was dreaming. God... this must be a nightmare from my childhood because this is not happening to me again. The police, the photos, the exams- all just too horrible to bear, and I am just a nobody. Not famous. Just a nice girl working as an assistant at a fashion magazine at the time. I was still a victim, and so is Rihanna. Rape and domestic violence do not discriminate no matter who you are.

All I could think to myself when I saw these horrible pictures of her was how far away from the bathroom am I because I think I am going to be sick. Shame on the Post and TMZ for publishing these pictures. I would have died if this had been me. How much more can you bring one down when they are already the lowest of the low? She's a human being- not a dog.

It's not that I don't think that the pictures of Rihanna do raise the awareness of the problem of violence against women in this country- they do. But, most papers and media have a policy about not releasing the names of victims. They didn't release the Alex Kelly Victims' names until after the trial. They did not release the name of the Central Park Jogger until she came forward. They did not release the name of the horrible story of the Columbia Student who was brutally beaten, raped and tortured most recently and opted to name her "Lady Courage." Why is it that because Rihanna is famous they think it gives them the right to go against the standard?

I do believe there are women who make false accusations of abuse like the troubled woman at the center of the duke case. But I also believe these cases are rare.

Leave Rihanna alone... she is entitled to her dignity and her privacy.