Taylor Swift Shows Exactly Why Rape And Sexual Assault Goes Unreported

As is so often the case with famous celebrities, Taylor Swift is back in the news for all the wrong reasons. Swift is well aware that fame comes at a price, and all-too-often that price is privacy. It often seems that when fame comes calling privacy sneaks out the back door. Of course, in the entertainment business, stars like Swift use the media to raise their public profile. As a result many feel that Taylor has sold any right to privacy.

Many believe that Taylor and other stars manipulate the media, and consequently their fans, by feeding the gossip columns to keep the chatter alive. It is widely believed that Swift and One Direction star Harry Styles had a relationship purely as a media stunt to boost their careers. Since that time, we have seen thousands of stories in the gossip columns about Taylor and Harry’s relationship. Speculation has been rife over which of Taylor’s songs are about Styles or other men she has had a relationship with.

As Taylor has discovered, many claim that if you play with fire you are going to get burned. Swift will be well aware that when you feed the media tiger you risk unwanted intrusion. Vying for publicity often sets off the hacks, out to uncover the slightest whiff of scandal. Stories about stars like Taylor Swift are often misrepresented, exaggerated, and on occasion, just plain invented by outlets desperate for a story. If that story has a sexual element so much the better. Sex sells.

Sadly for Swift, sex, scandal and an invasion of privacy combined over the weekend to thrust Taylor into the spotlight for reasons she would have preferred remain private. Gossip site TMZ published a picture that appears to show Taylor being groped by a fan. The site diminishes Swift’s experience by using a lurid title and putting the words “sexual assault” in inverted commas. TMZ directly questions the credibility of Swift’s claim by writing “it’s hard to see how this pic unduly prejudices anyone.”

As Cosmopolitan reports, the picture was taken during one of Swift’s meet and greet sessions with fans before a concert in 2013. One of the fans was a DJ named David Mueller who reportedly groped Taylor’s rear. In her official court deposition, Swift alleges that Mueller put his hand “up my dress and grabbed onto my a** cheek.”

“Right as the moment came for us to pose for the photo, he took his hand and put it up my dress and grabbed onto my a** cheek and no matter how much I scooted over it was still there.

“It was completely intentional, I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. I remember being frantic, distressed, feeling violated in a way I had never experienced before.”

Mueller was fired from his job when Swift complained and subsequently tried to sue Taylor for defamation and complained that her allegations cost him his job. According to Gossip Cop, Swift has counter-sued and has said that she will donate any damages received to charities supporting victims of sexual assault.

Many people seem to delight in seeing celebrities like Swift exposed in this way. TMZ revels in the fact that Taylor wanted this picture and the details of the case kept private and that they breached that privacy. It seems that they totally fail to understand why victims of sexual assault need to have their privacy protected.

Taylor Swift's alleged stalker arrested for following her to Texas airport https://t.co/dvI664O0E3 pic.twitter.com/Go6gx0beXd

— NME (@NME) November 14, 2016

Swift has taken a stand by taking court action against Mueller and she has an absolute right to protect her privacy until such time as the case is settled. Swift’s experience may be seen by some as fairly trivial in the grand scheme of things, but no one should be subject of unwanted sexual attention. What right does anyone have to touch another person in a sexual way without consent?

Sadly Swift’s experience shows exactly why so many rape and sexual assault cases go unreported. In 2009, a study by academics at the University of Surrey claimed that only around 14 percent of these cases are ever reported to police.

The study claims that there was “a vicious cycle of public attitude” towards rape and sexual assault, which ultimately leads to victims like Taylor not being believed. Swift’s style of dress and raunchy dance moves lead some to think that Taylor brought the alleged assault on herself. Until those attitudes change, we need stars like Swift to speak out, but Taylor is also entitled to privacy.

[Featured Image by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP]