Rihanna `couldn`t see` she was in an abusive relationship

Ex-boyfriend Chris Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault after hitting the star in 2009. The singer told GQ magazine she regrets staying in the relationship for so long.

She said: 'It was a situation I always told myself I would never allow myself to be in. It's something I would force girlfriends to get out of. But there I was, sitting in it. I witnessed physical abuse happening to my mum and I always said I would never let that happen to me, and then it was happening to me. Now, when I look back at it, it just bugs me out that I couldn't see it for what it was.'

A police photo of her bruised face was leaked to the media, which Rihanna said she found hard to cope with.

'Before that, I was just a little girl from the island [Barbados], singing pop music,” she said. “It was easy to think I was shallow and I had everything. It seemed like I had no problems in the world. And all of a sudden, boom! Everybody realises I do have problems. I have too much pride. I would rather put on a face. I would never let anyone see me cry. And I'm not like, 'Please cry for me, I've been in a bad relationship'. I hate that you know that and I don't want you to remember me for that.'