New Chris Brown documentary aims to ‘normalize surviving’ in the aftermath of domestic violence

“Chris Brown: A History of Violence” premieres Sunday, Oct. 27 on the ID network.

An upcoming Investigation Discovery (ID) documentary focused on allegations of abuse against Chris Brown doesn’t just want to shed light on the singer’s legal troubles. Filmmakers are aiming to “normalize” the survivor story.

According to ID president Jason Sarlanis, “Chris Brown: A History of Violence” is intended to help other survivors.

“This documentary acts as a cautionary tale for our audience to the extent it exemplifies the patterns and cycles of abuse that happen among men and women who are perpetuators of domestic violence. Being able to shine a light on that is really valuable for our viewers,” Sarlanis told The Hollywood Reporter (THR).

As previously reported by theGrio, the documentary, premiering Sunday, Oct. 27 at 9 P.M. as part of ID’s third annual No Excuse for Abuse campaign, will chronicle Brown’s rise in the music industry as a teen R&B star to his current public standing and continued allegations of abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

Brown’s trouble in the spotlight first began following an incident in February 2009 that left his then-girlfriend Rihanna hospitalized with injuries.

“When you look specifically at the story of Chris Brown and Rihanna and the tragic events that occurred in 2009, events like those are happening in households across the country with people who have far less name recognition and this allows us to tell those stories on a bigger stage,” Sarlanis says of the doc, produced by Ample Entertainment. “It might not be the same example in homes across the country, but it’s the same tactics being used by abusers, and so recognizing those tactics, however they materialize, is critical to empowering our viewers.”

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In the 15 years since the altercation with Rihanna — and subsequently pleading guilty to one count of felony assault — Brown has only continued to rack up troubling charges and allegations.

The documentary, which seeks to probe how someone manages to seemingly succeed in a high-profile career despite multiple alleged instances of violence, will also introduce a new Jane Doe accuser. The Jane Doe has accused Brown of sexual assault aboard a yacht owned by Diddy in December 2020. When approached for a response to these and other claims, Brown’s attorneys told ID’s producers the allegations made in the program were “malicious and false.”

However, producers told THR they hope to demonstrate the ways in which many survivors navigate complex feelings — including feeling the abuse was somehow their fault.

“Our Jane Doe story is so reflective of nearly half of all incidences of abuse going unreported in this country. And I believe her story will resonate, sadly, with far too many of her viewers,” Sarlanis said, adding, “We need to normalize surviving. One in four women are impacted by this. That number is staggering and to have any shame associated with being a survivor will perpetuate the very cycles that allow that number one in four to continue. Ultimately, our goal has to be to get that ratio lower.” 

Immediately following the premiere of “Chris Brown: A History of Violence,” Sunny Hostin, co-host of “The View,” will moderate a discussion on intimate partner violence for viewers.

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