smartgirlsattheparty:“When I started playing Detective Olivia Benson, I began to get a lot of
smartgirlsattheparty:“When I started playing Detective Olivia Benson, I began to get a lot of letters from viewers. I had gotten fan mail before, but these letters were different. They were coming from individuals who were disclosing histories of violence and abuse - a lot of them for the first time. I knew I had to do something, so I trained to become a rape crisis counselor, I joined Boards, I got involved. I was proud to be on a show that was brave enough to go into territory that no one was talking about, but I also knew I wanted to do more and play a larger role to help survivors heal and reclaim their lives. In 2004 I created the Joyful Heart Foundation with the mission to heal, educate, and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse, and to shed light on the darkness surrounding these issues. I’m very proud to report that since we began, we’ve provided direct services to over 5,400 people, and that we’re determined to change the conversation about violence and abuse.”- Mariska Hargitay -- source link