Jiordan Castle

This past Thursday on “Good Morning America,” Rihanna broke her silence about Chris Brown’s February attack in a tell-all conversation with Diane Sawyer. Despite how long it’s taken for the singer to come forward, her message is fresh and relevant, albeit hard to digest. This long-anticipated moment stems from the realization that as a role model, her silence could influence other victims of domestic abuse to return to their abusers.

“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,” Rihanna, 21, said. “I could not be held responsible for telling them, ‘Go back.’” In her interview with Sawyer, she reiterated the point that women need to look at an abusive relationship from a different perspective. “Love is so blind,” she said.

Though so much time has passed since Brown’s attack earlier this year, Rihanna’s message is still pertinent for sufferers of domestic abuse. As a major icon in today’s society, she can offer widespread support to other victims in the same situation. Her feelings appear to be universal; women are not alone in feeling conflicted over loving a volatile partner. That love makes a hard situation considerably harder in the spotlight. “He was definitely my first big love,” Rihanna said.

I can’t say that I blame Rihanna for keeping quiet for all these months. And though I’ve had my suspicions about her loaded silence in the past, I am especially glad to see her stepping out where she is needed. Young women and girls everywhere can take something positive from this otherwise tragic occurrence. Rihanna’s voice, no longer limited to making popular music, may serve as a beacon of hope for countless others