A clip of Rihanna's 20/20 interview made its way to the internet this morning, in which the singer details her experiences with Chris Brown and the aftermath of the assault that landed them in headlines across the world.
In her first televised interview since the incident, Rihanna sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer to offer an explanation of the incident.
"That's embarrassing that that's the type of person that I fell in love with," Rihanna told Sawyer. "So far in love. So unconditional that I went back. It's humiliating to say this happened. To accept that? It's a traumatizing experience."
When asked why she went back to Chris after the assault, Rihanna pointed to her own personal shortcomings.
"I stayed. I even went back after he beat me, which was wrong," she said. "But again... I'm a human being and people put me on a very unrealistic pedestal. And all these expectations, I'm not perfect."
Rihanna went on to say that it was also love that drew have back into Brown's arms, but post scripted that declaration with "F [F*ck] love."
After months of enduring the paparazzi's flashing lights while remaining tightlipped on the situation, Rihanna says she finally decided to speak out to help others who may be going through similar ordeals with abuse.
"It's completely normal to go back. It's not right. I learned the hard way, but again, this is what I want people to know," she said. "When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn't be held responsible for going back."
"Even if Chris never hit me again, who is to say that their boyfriend won't? Who's to say that they won't kill these girls?" she continued. "These are young girls and I just didn't realize how much of an impact I had on these girls' lives until that happened."
Rihanna's full interview with Sawyer will air tomorrow (November 6) night.
- By Erin T. McMillon