Rihanna: Speaking Out About Assault Is ‘Helping Save Lives’

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Rihanna enters the John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, November 03, 2009
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Rihanna arrives in style at the Chanel Pret a Porter show as part of the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010 at Grand Palais on October 6, 2009 in Paris, France
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Diane Sawyer interviews Rihanna (photo released: November 2, 2009)
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Rihanna is spotted at the Karl Lagerfeld Pret a Porter show on October 4, 2009 in Paris, France

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FIRST PUBLISHED: November 9, 2009 6:30 PM EST

NEW YORK, New York --

While Chris Brown says he’d prefer to keep the details of his February assault on Rihanna private, Rihanna has been speaking out – and she says she’s doing so to help others.

In a new interview with MTV’s “It’s On With Alexa Chung,” Rihanna opened up on why she sat down for a candid interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, which aired last week.

“Are you glad that you can now move on now that you’ve done that?” Alexa asked the singer, who appeared casual in a red and black striped hoodie.

“Yeah, and that’s one of the main reasons I did it,” Rihanna explained. “And also to give insight to people who have been through what I have.”

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, over the weekend Chris Brown released a statement to MTV News in the wake of Rihanna’s revealing ABC interview.

“While I respect Rihanna’s right to discuss the specific events of February 8, I maintain my position that all of the details should remain a private matter between us,” he said. “I do appreciate her support and wish her the best. I am extremely sorry for what I did, and I accept accountability for my actions. At this point, I am taking the proper steps to learn about me and grow from my mistakes. I only hope that others in similar situations can learn from our experience as well. Abuse of any kind is always wrong. The rest I leave it to God.”

In fact, Rihanna says she knows her personal pain has helped others, as she told Alexa.

“[The fan response has been] insane, and for a little statistic — there’s the domestic violence hotline, and the calls went up 59 percent,” she noted. “While people are busy giving negative feedback and making up stories, it’s actually helping save lives.”

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