Taylor Swift reflected on the one-year anniversary of her assault and battery countersuit against radio DJ David Mueller by offering support to the people out there “who weren’t believed” when they shared their stories of sexual assault.
While on stage in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday night as part of her Reputation tour, the 28-year-old singer held back tears as she opened up about the 2017 groping trial.
“A year ago I was not playing in a stadium in Tampa, I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado,” Swift began. “This is the day the jury sided in my favour and said that they believed me.”
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“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 said.
She continued: “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.”
“So I just wanted to say we have so much further to go, and I’m so grateful to you guys for being there for me for what was really a horrible part of my life,” Swift said as the audience cheered.
WATCH BELOW: Taylor Swift 2017 groping trial
“I wanted to thank you for just kind of … I mean I know when I meet you guys at meet-and-greets and after the shows, you guys tell me about the hard times that you’ve gone through in your lives and I really appreciate you trusting me with that information,” the Bad Blood singer said.
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“And you know 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 the downs in my life.”
Before continuing with her set, Swift added: “Sorry I just haven’t really talked about it, and so I’m just not composed at all.”
After her speech, many people in the audience held up $1 bills, which is the amount she was awarded following her case against the former radio host Mueller.
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In August last year, Swift was awarded $1 after jurors determined that fired Denver DJ Mueller assaulted the pop star by grabbing her backside during the backstage meet-and-greet in June 2013.
Her lawyer, Douglas Baldridge, called the $1 award “a single symbolic dollar, the value of which is immeasurable to all women in this situation.”
Mueller sued Swift and her mother, and their radio handler, Frank Bell, seeking up to $3 million for his ruined career.
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The six-woman, two-man jury also determined that Swift’s mother, Andrea Swift, and Bell, were within their rights to contact Mueller’s bosses about the allegation.
The judge dismissed Swift from Mueller’s lawsuit and drastically reduced the amount Mueller could collect.
The singer-songwriter said in her countersuit that she wanted a symbolic $1 and the chance to stand up for other women.
In a statement at the time, Swift said, “I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”
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