Rihanna admits she made a 'mistake' returning to Chris Brown after assault

Rihanna stunned fans earlier this year when she briefly reconciled with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown after he assaulted her.

But as the Bajan singer, 21, breaks her silence on the violent altercation, she admits she was wrong to go back to him and feels 'embarrassed' she ever loved a man who could raise his hand to her.

In an interview with ABC's Good Morning America, Rihanna's voice quivers with emotion as she recalls the horrific incident in the early hours of February 8.

She said she feared going back to Brown had sent her fans who may be in the same predicament the wrong message.

Speaking to veteran broadcaster Diane SawyerDiane Sawyer, she said: 'I fell in love with that person - that is embarrassing.

'That's embarrassing - that that is the type of person I fell in love with, so far in love, so unconditionally that I went back.'

In a message of defiance to abuse victims who blame themselves, she said: 'I am strong. This happened to me. I didn't cause this, I didn't do it. This happened to me and it could happen to anybody.'

Rihanna was left battered and bruised after an argument with Brown in his rented Lamborghini as they were returning from a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles.

Days later, a police photo of Rihanna's injuries were leaked onto the internet, causing humiliation for the singer.

The 21-year-old said she was horrified when details of the internet spread around the world.

She said: 'It made it really difficult. I just felt, oh my God, here goes my little bit of privacy. The whole world knowing.'

But despite their fight, Rihanna and Brown tried to repair their broken relationship and were spotted holidaying together at Sean 'P DiddyP Diddy' Combs' beach house in Florida.

In retrospect, Rihanna soon realised it was the wrong decision and ended their relationship.

She explained: 'When I realised that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn't be held responsible for telling them "go back".

'Even if Chris never hit me again who is to say their boyfriends won't. Who is to say that they won't kill these girls?

'I just didn't realise how much of an impact I could have on these girls' lives until this happened. It was a wake-up call for me...

'Especially when I took myself out of that situation and I'll say that to any young girl who is going through domestic violence.

'"F" love. Come out of the situation and look at it third person and for what it really is, then make your decision because love is so blind.'

Brown pleaded guilty to assault in August and was sentenced to six months of community service, 12 months of domestic violence counselling and five years probation.

He was also slapped with a restraining order which requires him to stay at least 100 yards from his ex for five years.

In September, Brown, 20, spoke of his regrets over the incident on Larry KingLarry King Live.

He said: 'After the incident, it was like a lot of media frenzy. A lot of stuff going on.

'I mean, with me and her, it was just like we just wanted to get away and kind of, I wouldn't say rekindle our relationship but just build that friendship back up that we had lost briefly with because of the two sides.

'It was sort of like Romeo and Juliet story, like both sides not wanting us to kind of have contact so we just got away.'

He added: 'I'm pretty sure we can always be friends and I don't know about our relationship, but I just know definitely that we ended as friends.'