Mariska Hargitay Reveals Personal Experience with Sexual Assault

The 'Law & Order: SVU' Star and Advocate for Sexual Assault Survivors Shares Her Own Story in a Bid to Remove Stigma and Shame

Mariska Hargitay, star of 'Law & Order: SVU', has revealed that she was raped by a friend in her 30s in a personal essay published by People magazine.
Hargitay, who plays a detective specializing in sexual crimes on the show, is also the founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.
In her essay, Hargitay discusses her initial denial of the assault and her journey towards acknowledging it and seeking justice.
She hopes that her story will help to remove the stigma and shame associated with being a survivor of sexual assault, and advocates for a societal response to sexual assault survivors that is similar to the celebration of cancer survivors.
Hargitay's revelation has been praised by several advocacy groups, including the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault.