Mariska Hargitay is doing something similar to her tough detective character on Law & Order in real life. On T.V., Hargitay often deals with domestic violence and sexual assault. Now, the actress is leading a group of others in Hollywood in a campaign against domestic violence and sexual assault called No More, which will include public service announcements directed by Hargitay herself.
Inquisitr reports that the public service announcements were funded by the Joyful Heart Foundation, which introduced a new circular blue symbol that Hargitay said she hopes will become synonymous with the fight against domestic violence. “The shame and stigma belongs with the perpetrator,” she said. “Let’s not stand by; let’s not accept it anymore. No more.”
The website for Joyful Heart foundation posted some grim statistics to make people aware of the real problem we are actually facing:
-One in three women (30%) report being a victim of domestic violence; one in five women (20%) report being a victim of sexual assault.
-60% of Americans, 15 years of age or older, know a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. Among the 70% of women who have experienced domestic violence and told someone about it, more than half (58%) said that no one helped them.
-Three out of four (73%) parents with children under the age of 18 said that they have not had a conversation about violence in the home.
-Three quarters of Americans (75%) say they would step in and help if they saw even a stranger being abused, but almost two thirds (64%) of Americans age 15 or older say if we talk more about domestic violence and sexual assault, it would make it easier to help someone.
“This is an epidemic that is afflicting our society and I believe that it is an epidemic we can change,” Hargitay said. “For the first time in history, the domestic violence and the sexual assault movements, the two communities, are coming together with this symbol. It’s to this movement what the pink ribbon was to breast cancer, what the red ribbon did for HIV/AIDS; it got people together, under one umbrella, talking about it.”
The television star has built up a reputation for her advocacy in domestic violence issues, and has also built up a reputation to bank it! This year Mariska Hargitay was placed near the top of the enviable list of highest-paid television actresses. She finished No. 2 on the list behind Modern Family star Sofia Vergara, earning $11 million from June 2012 to June 2013.
Some other powerful stars who are joining Mariska Hargitay in the No More campaign are Courteney Cox, Amy Poehler, Debra Messing, Tate Donovan and fellow Law & Order star Ice-T. Hargitay said she hopes the effort will take a national stature the way other celebrity-backed awareness campaigns have.
Image via wikipedia
