In a moving essay for People magazine, Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law & Order: SVU,” courageously shared her personal experience of being raped in her 30s. Known for her portrayal of Olivia Benson, a dedicated cop seeking justice for victims of sexual assault, Hargitay revealed the harrowing truth about her own past trauma, stating, “The man who raped me was a friend. Then he wasn’t.”
Hargitay, 59, recounted the terror she felt during the assault and her desperate attempts to escape. “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,” she wrote.
The actress disclosed how difficult it was for her to process the event, explaining that she “cut it out” of her memory as a survival mechanism. “I now have so much empathy for the part of me that made that choice because that part got me through it. It never happened,” she admitted.
When Hargitay eventually shared her experience with those close to her, their supportive and gentle responses helped her confront and understand the gravity of what she went through. “They were gentle and kind and careful, but their naming it was important. It wasn’t a confrontation, like ‘You need to deal with what happened,’ it was like looking at it in the light of day,” she said. “Then I had my own realization. My own reckoning.”
In 2004, Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation to support survivors of abuse and sexual violence in their healing journeys. “I was building Joyful Heart on the outside so I could do the work on the inside. I think I also needed to see what healing could look like,” she reflected.
Hargitay also noted how portraying Olivia Benson has been therapeutic for her. She acknowledged that survivors of sexual assault who have found strength through the show have, in turn, been a source of strength for her. “They’ve experienced darkness and cruelty, an utter disregard for another human being, and they’ve done what they needed to survive. For some, that means making Olivia Benson a big part of their lives — which is an honor beyond measure — for others, it means building a foundation,” she wrote.
With her 60th birthday approaching, Hargitay expressed a renewed determination to combat sexual violence. She envisions a world where survivors are celebrated rather than shamed. “This is a painful part of my story,” she concluded. “I’m turning 60, and I’m so deeply grateful for where I am. I’m renewed, and I’m flooded with compassion for all of us who have suffered.”
Hargitay’s powerful essay underscores her unwavering commitment to advocacy and healing, both for herself and for the countless survivors she continues to inspire.
