Taylor Swift donated an undisclosed amount to actress Mariska Hargitay's charity for sexual assault survivors after winning her countersuit case against former DJ David Mueller.
Swift announced in her statement on Aug. 14 that she would be making donations to multiple organizations that help sexual assault survivors in defending themselves. She has since then donated to Joyful Heart Foundation, a charity founded by Hargitay, who plays New York Police Department sex crimes detective Olivia Benson on "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit."
Joyful Heart Foundation CEO Maile M. Zambuto told Huffington Post that their organization will only be the first that the 27-year-old award-winning singer will donate to.
"Taylor is aware of the Joyful Heart Foundation and follows our work. Her team got in touch with me and we talked a lot about her commitment, all along throughout this ordeal, to wanting to be of service to survivors," Zambuto said.
While the CEO is unable to reveal the exact amount Swift donated, she said that it was a "generous financial investment in the movement to end sexual violence."
Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004 after a number of survivors wrote letters to the actress on their stories of surviving sexual violence. She reacted to Swift's donation on Twitter, writing, "For sharing your story, your resources, your time, your voice: @taylorswift13 you are a force. #grateful for you."
Mueller was found guilty of assault and battery after groping Swift in a backstage meet-and-greet in 2013. Swift's statement on winning the trial was posted on social media in a tweet by James Corden. "I acknowledge the privilege I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this," the statement read.
Zambuto is optimistic that Swift's move will help other survivors open up about their experiences. Swift could have taken a lesser risk by keeping the trial quiet, said Zambuto, but instead the singer chose to speak out.
"I hope that Taylor's very public experience ― and her decision to speak out ― not only helps empower other victims to speak up and take action, but offers them solidarity," she said.
