Rihanna donates $2.1m for domestic violence victims in lockdown

Singer Rihanna is joining forces with Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey to help victims of domestic violence living in Los Angeles during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Thursday, the ‘Needed Me’ artist’s Clara Lionel Foundation announced that the duo is co-funding a $4.2-million (Dh15.4 million) grant to the Mayor’s Fund for LA “to address a surge in domestic violence” in the city amid the coronavirus crisis.

Citing an increase in domestic violence incidents since last month’s implementation of LA’s Safer at Home order, the foundation will aid the Mayor’s Fund in providing 10 weeks of support for victims in the form of shelter, meals and counselling for individuals and their children.

As widespread closures stay in effect in LA, options for reporting and receiving treatment for domestic violence have become more limited, and many shelters have reached capacity.

It’s estimated that more than 10 million people in the United States experience domestic violence each year.

This is not the first contribution the Fenty Beauty mogul has made to coronavirus relief. In March, the CLF and rapper Jay Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation pledged $2 million to support workers without documentation, children of front-line health care workers and first responders, as well as incarcerated, elderly and homeless populations in New York City and Los Angeles during the public health emergency.

Prior to that, the CLF donated $5 million to assist local food banks in serving at-risk communities in the US, accelerate testing and treatment worldwide and provide equipment for health care workers, among other causes.

Dorsey, who also helms mobile payment company Square, announced on Twitter earlier this week that he is “moving $1 [billion] of my Square equity (~28% of my wealth)” to fund global COVID-19 relief.

“After we disarm this pandemic, the focus will shift to girl’s health and education and [universal basic income] ... ,” he wrote. “I believe they represent the best long-term solutions to the existential problems facing the world.”

Later in the thread, he added, “It’s important to show my work so I and others can learn.”