Mariska Hargitay revealed this week that she’s a survivor of sexual assault — one thing various orgs advocating on behalf of victims are singing her praises over, for good motive.

The actress penned a gut-wrenching piece for Individuals this week detailing her expertise — which detailed what she says was an outright rape dedicated by somebody she thought-about a good friend in her 30s. She does not specify when it occurred, however she does keep in mind it vividly.

She says, “I attempted all of the methods I knew to get out of it. I attempted to make jokes, to be charming, to set a boundary, to motive, to say no. He grabbed me by the arms and held me down. I used to be terrified. I didn’t need it to escalate to violence. I now comprehend it was already sexual violence, however I used to be afraid he would change into bodily violent. I went into freeze mode, a typical trauma response when there is no such thing as a possibility to flee. I checked out of my physique.”

Afterward, Mariska says she erased this incident from her narrative and tried forgetting it — though, this subject continues to be very clearly close to and expensive to her coronary heart … evidenced in the truth that she based the Joyful Coronary heart Basis, a nonprofit geared toward serving to SA survivors.

After all, there’s additionally the actual fact she’s been enjoying Det. Olivia Benson on ‘Legislation & Order: SVU’ for years now … and her character is continually out to catch predators of this nature as effectively.

Mariska has been getting praised for sharing her expertise, however there are some advocacy teams on this house that wanna present her extra love and appreciation … together with the Nationwide Sexual Violence Useful resource Heart, the New York Metropolis Alliance In opposition to Sexual Assault, the Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community and the New York State Coalition In opposition to Sexual Assault.

Reps for all 4 orgs inform TMZ that Mariska coming ahead continues to strip away the stigma of victims feeling afraid or ashamed to come back ahead and converse their fact … noting what she’s doing right here is useful to numerous different folks on the market on the planet.

Scott Berkowitz of RAINN says, “Mariska Hargitay has already finished a lot for survivors of sexual violence via her profession and her basis. To now share her private story is one other courageous and vital act, and we stand by her and all survivors who take this step.”

All of the teams right here inform us nearly the identical factor — that Mariska’s recounting echoes a lot of what victims undergo collectively … and that speaking about it encourages others to do the identical. With somebody as high-profile as her talking out, it helps pave the way in which.

As MH says herself, “The expertise was horrible. Nevertheless it doesn’t come near defining me, in the identical manner that no different single a part of my story defines me. No single a part of anybody’s story defines them.”