Marrakech – Mariska Hargitay’s crime-fighting prowess isn’t just reserved for TV drama.
The “Law & Order: SVU” star has turned her on-screen skills into real-world action, playing a crucial role in investigating over 11,000 sexual assault cases in Detroit, Michigan.
In a dramatic twist set to unfold on the August 15 episode of the podcast “Dateline True Crime Weekly,” Mariska Hargitay takes center stage by funding a groundbreaking mission.
The podcast will reveal how Hargitay backed prosecutor Kym Worthy, who unearthed over 11,000 neglected rape kits gathering dust in a police evidence room.
Just seven months after Mariska Hargitay courageously shared her own story of sexual assault in a powerful January 10 essay for People, she’s back in the spotlight with a new act of bravery.
Hargitay’s essay, where she detailed a harrowing experience with a friend who used dominance and control, paved the way for her latest impact.
“It wasn’t sexual at all. It was dominance and control. Overpowering control,” Hargitay shared.
“I tried all the ways I knew to get out of it. I tried to make jokes, to be charming, to set a boundary, to reason, to say no. He grabbed me by the arms and held me down. I was terrified. I didn’t want it to escalate to violence,” Hargitay added.
In her raw and revealing essay, Mariska Hargitay highlighted how her experience with sexual assault left her in “freeze mode,” which is what she described “a common trauma response when there is no option to escape.”
Through her iconic role as Olivia Benson, Hargitay has not only connected with countless survivors but also channeled her personal pain into activism.
Her Joyful Heart Foundation has been a beacon of hope since 2004, working tirelessly to transform responses to sexual assault, support survivor healing, and end violence for good.
