Mariska Hargitay, star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, hosted the first annual Joyful Heart Gala which benefited the nonprofit she started to help victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Hargitay and friends such as Hillary Swank, Marcia Gay Harden, Bobby Flay, and Jill Hennessy raised $1.2 million for the foundation.
"I started the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2002 to help survivors of sexual assault heal their minds, bodies and spirits and reclaim their lives. Playing Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit opened my eyes to the epidemic of sexual assault in this country. It wasn't just in the scripts for the show, but in the many emails I received from viewers disclosing their stories of sexual assault for the first time.
I felt a great responsibility to these brave women to let them know that they had been heard and that they could have hope. I studied the subject, trained to become a crisis counselor, and have used my visibility as an actress to become an advocate. The result was The Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing support and encouragement for survivors of sexual assault.
In creating programs for our members, we quickly realized that everyone heals differently. We provide an extensive network of resources for women and our own groundbreaking retreats that include art therapy, surf camps, swimming with dolphins in the wild, yoga and writing workshops that complement traditional counseling and therapy. When women are abused and assaulted, it is like the doors to their souls slam shut. The goal of Joyful Heart is to let the light, and the life, back in--to banish the darkness and let the healing begin." (From the Joyful Heart Foundation's Web site).
To shop for products on Uptown Liz that support sexual assault victims (and the Joyful Heart Foundation), click here.
1 comment:
Mariska, great actress great person. Beautiful and talented, humble, good character, generous. Ah! Mariska that good if all celebrities had their character
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