Gabrielle Union has added her support to Rihanna’s controversial new video “Man Down,” which follows the story of a woman who seeks revenge on a man who sexually assaulted her.
”#mandown video did a GREAT job of getting the ENTIRE world TALKING abt RAPE. I hope tht it leads 2 HEALING & PREVENTS RAPE,” Gabrielle, who has spoken openly about being a rape victim, Tweeted over the weekend.
Since it was first released earlier this month, Rihanna’s video has taken heat for its lyrical content and depiction of Rihanna, who plays a young island girl, shooting a man in broad daylight after he sexually assaults her in an alley.
Gabrielle previously revealed that at the age of 19, while she worked in a shoe store, she herself was the victim of rape, but she revealed on Twitter over the weekend that she attempted to – like the girl did in the video – kill her rapist.
“Durin my rape I tried 2 shoot my rapist, bt I missed. Over the yrs I realized tht killin my rapist wouldve added insult 2 injury,” she admitted in her Tweets.
“He put his gun dwn durin the rape & asked me 2 had it 2 him,” she further explained of the horrific incident.
Gabrielle said that it wouldn’t have solved anything by killing her attacker.
“The DESIRE 2 kill someone whose abused/raped u is understandable, bt unless its self defense n the moment 2 save ur life, just ADDS 2 ur troubles #mandown,” she added. “I repeat SELF DEFENSE 2 save urself/protect urself, I’m ALL 4. Otherwise victim/survivor takin justice N2 ur own hands w/ violence=MO trouble 4 U!!”
Since her ordeal, Gabrielle has raised money for rape crisis centers and worked to help others with similar experiences.
“Every victim/survivor of rape is unique, including how they THINK they’d like justice 2 be handed out,” Gabrielle wrote.
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