Rihanna thought Chris Brown was “perfect” until he attacked her. The “Umbrella” singer – who was left bruised after her then-boyfriend assaulted her in his car after a pre-Grammy Awards party in February – believes the horrifying ordeal has made her stronger because it was so unexpected.

She said: “I’ve definitely emerged stronger. Going through a rough experience like that makes you tougher and to get through it takes a lot of guts. I’m naturally a survivor, but it’s been hard. Just when you think somebody was perfect and that it can’t happen to you, it does.”

Rihanna, 21, has never spoken about the incident until recently, and says she has finally opened up because she feels she has a duty to those who look at her as a role model.

She explained to Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “With any big life experience, it makes you more resilient. Many people go through something real like this. To sufferers, it’s almost as if you’re not allowed to talk about it.”

“I like to think that from the beginning of my career, people have looked up to me. Hopefully this story is something else that people can take inspiration from. I want to send a message to young women who have been through this sort of violence that there is help out there.”