Taylor Swift sued former DJ David Mueller for sexual assault to ensure no one else suffered at his hands.
The 27-year-old pop star felt it was important to take legal action against the disgraced radio presenter, who a jury ruled in August had groped her during a meet-and-greet before one of her ‘Red Tour’ gigs in June 2013, because if he was so "brazen" in his behaviour towards her, he could prove even more of a predator to someone less high-profile.
Speaking to TIME magazine, she said: "I figured that if he would be brazen enough to assault me under these risky circumstances, imagine what he might do to a vulnerable, young artist if given the chance."
TIME have named a group they dubbed the ‘Silence Breakers’ – people who have spoken up about sexual misconduct, including Taylor, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Selma Blair, and Alyssa Milano – their Person of the Year and in the accompanying feature, the ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ hitmaker spoke frankly about the court case, admitting she didn’t hold back on the witness stand.
She said: "When I testified, I had already had to watch this man’s attorney bully, badger and harass my team, including my mother over inane details and ridiculous minutiae, accusing them, and me, of lying.
"My mom was so upset after her cross-examination, she was physically too ill to come to court the day I was on the stand. I was angry.
"In that moment, I decided to forego any courtroom formalities and just answer the questions the way it happened. This man hadn’t considered any formalities when he assaulted me, and his lawyer didn’t hold back on my mom–why should I be polite? I’m told it was the most amount of times the word ‘ass’ has ever been said in Colorado Federal Court."
Taylor was awarded a symbolic $1 in damages following the court battle – but she still hasn’t received it and she thinks that was a deliberate gesture from Mueller.
She said: "When the jury found in my favour, the man who sexually assaulted me was court-ordered to give me a symbolic $1. To this day he has not paid me that dollar, and I think that act of defiance is symbolic in itself."
The ‘Bad Blood’ hitmaker also gave advice to people who may be in a similar situation.
She said: "My advice is that you not blame yourself and do not accept the blame others will try to place on you. You should not be blamed for waiting 15 minutes or 15 days or 15 years to report sexual assault or harassment, or for the outcome of what happens to a person after he or she makes the choice to sexually harass or assault you."
Taylor Swift took a stand with groping case
