Yesterday marked exactly one year since Taylor Swift won her lawsuit against the man who sexually assaulted her during a meet and greet in 2013.
The DJ lost his case, and Swift countersued for a single symbolic dollar to serve as an "example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts". She was consequently named one of Time magazine's "Silence Breakers" for their Person of the Year issue.
Since then, Swift has been notably absent from public life, choosing to address her fans directly onstage during her Reputation Tour rather than giving interviews or posting on social media.
And last night was no different. During her Reputation show in Tampa, Florida, Swift gave an emotional speech thanking her fans for their support during what was a "really, really horrible part" of her life.
Before a performance of "Long Live" — a song she dedicates to her fans at every show — Swift said we have "so, so, so much further to go" when it comes to how we as a society treat victims of sexual assault.
Protect Taylor Swift at all costs
Swift got visibly emotional, tearing up as she told the crowd it had been a year since her trial ended, and a year since "the jury decided in [her] favour, and said that they believed [her]".
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry to anyone who wasn't believed," she went on, "because I don't know what turn my life would have taken if people didn't believe me when I said that something had happened to me."
During the speech, fans in the crowd held up single dollar bills to represent the symbolic dollar Swift won in her case, and to show support for her and all victims of sexual assault.
#repTourTampa 💗💗💗
And after the show, Swift posted on her Instagram story thanking them for their display of love and support.
Read Swift's speech in full here:
This exact day a year ago, I was not playing a sold out stadium in Tampa. I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado, and I was there for a sexual assault case. This day a year ago was the day the jury decided in my favour, and said that they believed me. I'm don't want to– I guess I just think about all the people that weren't believed, and the people who are afraid to speak up because they think they won't be believed. I just wanted to say I'm sorry to anyone who wasn't believed, because I don't know what turn my life would have taken if people didn't believe me when I said that something had happened to me. I guess I just wanted to say that we have so, so, so much further to go, and I am so grateful to you guys for being there for me during what was a really, really horrible part of my life. I just wanted to say that, and I wanted to thank you for everything. I know that when I meet you guys at meet and greets before and after the shows, you tell me about the hard times you've gone through in your lives, and I really appreciate you trusting me with that information. 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'm just so happy to see you and to have you and to know you through the ups and downs of my life. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry, I just haven't really talked about it, so I'm just not composed at all. A while ago, I wrote a song that's about how I feel when you guys come together and are so wonderfully supportive and incredible. For me, this song is always going to be about you. Ups and downs, win or lose, you guys have always been there for me. So thank you for that.