Demi Lovato did not mean to feud with Taylor Swift over their different reactions to Kesha's denied injunction to be released from her Sony Music contract and producer/alleged rapist Dr. Luke. After firing off in a series of Instagram comments that the "New Romantics" singer's $250,000 donation wasn't as meaningful as a public message of support, Lovato has cleared up her stance on Kesha's plight, relationship with Swift and sexual assault on Instagram.
Lovato posted a graphic on her Instagram about how many sexual assaulters there are versus how many incidents are reported, sent to trial, prosecuted and found false. Along with the startling graphic, Lovato clarified what she meant when she criticized Swift for "throwing money" at Kesha. Instead, Lovato is looking at the issue of assault at large and blamed her passions for getting in the way of her real message.
"As most people know, I tend to get fired up about the things I believe in, and although my heart and intentions are always in the right place, unfortunately sometimes my passion gets the best of me and causes me to say things that I probably shouldn't say. And when doing so it takes away from the real reason I am speaking up in the first place," Lovato wrote. "Our focus should be on the topic of victims of sexual and physical abuse being afraid to come forward with their stories. They're more likely to face retaliation and harassment than to see justice being served. Especially women."
Lovato once again called for women to support each other in cases of physical and sexual abuse and wanted to let victims know that they are not along.
"It baffles me that when it comes to serious issues like equality and abuse, too often women are not taken as seriously as men. All I want to see is women coming together and actually making a difference. A real change and shift in society," she wrote." Everyone has their own way of giving support to others, and at the end of the day, helping victims is all that matters. Ultimately, the message I want people to hear is it's okay to come forward with your abuse and if you do decide to take action, you are not alone."
Lovato's Instagram post follows a flurry of weekend social media activity for the "Stone Cold" singer. After a New York City judge ruled in favor of Sony Music on Friday (Feb. 19), Lovato spoke out in support of Kesha on Twitter. She also criticized "self-proclaimed" feminists for being silent on the issue, which many took as a slight against Swift (who was notably quiet on social media about Kesha).
Kesha is seeking to be freed from her contract with Sony Music and Dr. Luke. The "Timber" singer claims that she was assaulted multiple times by the mega-producer.
