Rihanna: I learned from Brown incident

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Barbados-born recording artist Rihanna says she's learned a lot from her high-profile domestic violence incident involving her former beau, singer Chris Brown.

Brown, 20, was ordered to go for counseling and do community service work after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna, 21, last February.

Rihanna has been keeping a low profile since the incident, but Usmagazine.com said Tuesday she has spoken publicly for the first time about it with Glamour magazine.

"It has taught me so much," Rihanna told Glamour. "I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day. It was like: 'What? There are helicopters circling my house? There are 100 people in my cul-de-sac? What do you mean, I can't go back home?'"

The singer went on to say she was mortified when a photo of her battered face made the rounds on the Internet shortly after the incident.

"That is not a photo you would show to anybody," she said. "I felt completely taken advantage of ... like people were making it into a fun topic ... and it's my life. I was disappointed, especially when I found out the photo was (allegedly leaked by) two women."

Rihanna said she hopes other people will be able to learn from her personal experience.

"Domestic violence is a big secret," she noted. "My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see, and they have followed every step of my recovery. The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that."