Chris Brown Wants To Come To Australia And "Raise Awareness About Domestic Violence"

Chris Brown has tweeted his intentions to “raise awareness about domestic violence” if allowed to tour Australia at the end of the year.

Last week, following a public backlash against Brown’s planned December gigs down under (on account of his criminal convictions from 2009, following the assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna), the Government issued a Notice of Intention to Consider Refusal of his visa.

That gives him a little under a month to provide evidence as to why he should be let into Australia.

Overnight, Brown took to Twitter to make his case.

It wouldn’t have been out of character for the famously testy Brown to become defensive over his potential banning and ignore the issues being raised. So, it’s refreshing to see him accept his reputation, take responsibility for his “mistakes” and try to “prevent spousal abuse.” It’s the kind of growth we need to see from those with his history of violence.

But… has he grown? In June of this year, police were called after Brown caused a disturbance outside of the home of his ex-girlfriend, Karrueche Tran.

Whether or not Brown comes to Australia this December, let’s hope he makes good on his pledge and starts to address domestic violence more transparently than he’s done in the past. (He is right in saying that the youth would listen to entertainers about such issues; certainly a lot of his fans are keeping their head in the sand over his past abuse, so him encouraging them to deal with it head on can only be a good thing.) It’ll require more than words, however. Brown’s actions will need to reflect his supposedly more humbled Twitter persona too.

Are you experiencing sexual assault or domestic and family violence? Seeking to support someone who is? Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.