Katie Couric's Notebook: Dating Violence
The painful story of Rihanna and Chris Brown has been tabloid fodder since the Grammys.
Brown, just 19, is facing criminal charges for allegedly beating Rihanna and making serious threats against her life.
While it's unfortunate that this personal drama is unfolding publicly, the incident is shining a spotlight on teen dating violence.
One in five teens reports being physically or sexually abused by a partner. Young women between the ages of 16 and 24 are the most likely to be abused. Rihanna is 21.
There's an opportunity for a real conversation here. Talk to your children. Listen to how they feel about what happened and Rihanna's decision to reconcile with Chris Brown. Ask them why they believe Brown's record sales haven't been affected. But most of all, remind them that love isn't supposed to hurt … except when someone breaks your heart.
That's a page from my notebook.