Taylor Swift Talks Groping Trial at Florida Concert
Taylor Swift on Tuesday night took a moment to acknowledge the one-year anniversary of her legal victory against a Colorado DJ, who she said sexually assaulted her during a 2013 meet and greet.
“This exact day, a year ago, I was not playing in a stadium in Tampa. I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado,” Swift told the crowd at Tampa, Fla.’s Raymond James Stadium. “Honestly, I was there for a sexual assault case. And this day, a year ago, was the day the jury sided in my favor and said that they believed me.”
The “Delicate” singer continued: “I guess I just think about all the people that weren’t believed and the people who haven’t been believed, and the people who are afraid to speak up because they think they won’t be believed.”
Swift then said, “sorry to anyone who ever wasn’t believed.” She elaborated, “Because I don’t know what turn my life would have taken if somebody didn’t believe me when I said something had happened to me.”
Swift concluded by admitting that “we have so, so much further to go” and expressed gratitude for her fans’ support. “I’m so grateful to you guys for being there for me during what was a really, really horrible part of my life.”
Protect Taylor Swift at all costs pic.twitter.com/DouswxyOen
— natasha (@natnieIs) August 15, 2018
Radio host David Mueller was fired from his post at Denver’s 98.5 KYGO country music station in 2013 after Swift alleged that he touched her inappropriately during a meet and greet. Mueller then sued the Grammy winner for defamation after he lost his job. But Swift filed a countersuit last August and won the case — and Mueller was ordered to pay her a symbolic $1.
Swift opened up about the years-long court process during a December interview with Time magazine. “Going to court to confront this type of behavior is a lonely and draining experience, even when you win, even when you have the financial ability to defend yourself,” the pop star said. “Even though awareness is higher than ever about workplace sexual harassment, there are still so many people who feel victimized, afraid and silenced by their abusers and circumstances.”
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