Alleged Chris Brown/ Rihanna Altercation Re-Enacted In Disturbing PSA
DoSomething.org public service announcement aims to spread awareness of dating violence.
By Gil Kaufman-MTV News
Using what it claims are "actual detective notes," the teen organization DoSomething.org has released a disturbing public service announcement (below) that re-enacts a domestic-violence altercation that is unspecified but clearly based on the alleged incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna. The PSA aims to spread awareness about dating violence. (Warning, the clip contains violent imagery.)
The nearly two-minute video features a somber voiceover narrator reading the police transcript of a report on the incident as a pair of young actors play out the scenario that police claim took place on February 8, in which Brown is alleged to have beaten and bitten his girlfriend during an argument inside his rented car. While the clip does not portray the bloodied, bruised aftermath of the alleged fight — and distances itself from Brown and Rihanna by using white actors — it paints a grim picture of dating violence.
The PSA ends with the words, "Mad? Do something about it. One in three teens are abused in a relationship." The video encourages teens to wear three bracelets, one blue, two black, to illustrate the statistics about dating abuse (they are available at dosomething.org/abuse).
Commenting on the clip, DoSomething CEO Nancy Lublin told The Associated Press, "We didn't want to be overdramatic. Our goal was not to shoot a Lifetime TV movie. ... There was no need to sensationalize things. It was bad enough."
Lublin noted that the organization purposely used white actors to move the conversation away from the celebrity singers, who are both black, and onto the more general topic of domestic violence.
"The public is very focused right now on Chris and Rihanna," Lublin said. "I think people need to realize that this is an issue that goes beyond those particular people, and it affects everybody of every race. And so we wanted this to not be an exact re-enactment. We wanted instead to say: Could this be you?"
Brown, 19, has been charged with two felony counts, assault and making criminal threats, in the case and is due back in court on April 6 for his arraignment, at which time he could enter a plea.
Go here for domestic-violence resources, or check out Think MTV for a video handbook on spotting the warning signs of abuse.
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