Scroll To Top
Music

Taylor Swift Commemorates Sexual Assault Trial with Inspiring Speech

dsaf

After triumphing in a sexual assault case that won her $1 and the cover of Time, Swift rang in the one-year anniversary with an empowering speech.

On stage at the Tampa stop of her Reputation Tour, Taylor Swift became emotional discussing her August 2017 trial victory against radio host David Mueller, who groped her during a meet-and-greet.

"A year ago I was not playing in a stadium in Tampa, I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado. This is the day the jury sided in my favor and said that they believed me."

After Swift privately told Mueller's supervisor what had happened, he was fired from his job. In 2015, Mueller launched a civil case against her, her mother, and his former boss, radio promotions director Frank Bell.

Not only did Mueller lose the case, Swift won the countersuit against him for assault and battery. He was forced to pay the $1 she requested in damages.

"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 in an emotional on-stage speech.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry to anyone who ever wasn't believed 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," she added.

"We have so much further to go, and I'm so grateful to you guys for being there for me [in] what was really a horrible part of my life," Swift concluded. "You guys have seen me go through so many ups and downs in my life -- just due to the public nature of the way my life is -- and I just wanted to say that I'm so happy to see you and to have you and know you through the ups and downs in my life."

Watch the full speech below.

30 Years of Out100Out / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Ariel Sobel