It all began early on the morning of Feb. 9, the day after the 2009 Grammy Awards; celebrity gossip blog Oh No They Didn't received confirmation that R&B singer Chris Brown was being investigated by the LAPD in an alleged assault on a female. Instantly, rumors started swarming that the victim was his superstar girlfriend Rihanna.Information leaked very slowly, but later in the day TMZ confirmed that the victim of the alleged attack was indeed Rihanna, and the celebrity gossip world went certifiably insane. What had gone wrong?

The news that Brown had been abused by a child was greeted with mixed reactions. Experts agree that adults who come from abusive families are more likely to abuse their own families later in life. On the subject of the way his father abused his mother, Brown was quoted as saying, "I remember one night he made her nose bleed. I was crying and thinking, 'I'm just gonna go crazy on him one day.' ... I hate him to this day."

And where was Rihanna in all of this? She spent most of the week with her friends and family, taking what was probably a much-needed break from the spotlight.

But the question in all of this is: when does the invasion of privacy become detrimental? A photo of Rihanna after the attack that was leaked by the LAPD on TMZ may have granted Chris Brown his walking papers: "Brown, even if guilty, may walk free because of the unauthorized release of this photo," said an LAPD source, as the majority of the public would side with Rihanna after seeing this picture, and it's unfair for a jury to be asked to make an objective decision on something they've already made up their minds on.

Domestic abuse is nothing to joke about in any instance. Survivors around the world have voiced their opinions, saying that Brown should be everything from imprisoned to castrated. And everyone is waiting, with baited breath, for Rihanna's take.

But she's staying silent, and maybe that's what she needs. So paparazzi, please: While I love a good story as much as you do, give the girl a break, or Rihanna supporters everywhere will be forced to come after you and hit you with a massive umbrella.

Ella, ella.