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Post by rambabe on Mar 18, 2010 12:25:08 GMT -5
Mariska updated her blog about last nights episode WitnessMariska’s Blog 3/17/10 How We Can All Help Women in the CongoBy: Mariska Hargitay and John Prendergast The epidemic of rape and sexual violence in the Congo takes center stage in an all-new episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, airing on Wednesday night. Portraying the world’s worst violence against women — taking place half a world away in Central Africa — in a TV show set in New York City is a challenge. But Law and Order: SVU creator Neal Baer and writer Dawn DeNoon have managed to convey the facts on the ground in Congo through the eyes of a Congolese woman portrayed in the episode. See rest of article at www.mariska.com/blog/
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Post by finaddict on Mar 19, 2010 18:49:30 GMT -5
An awesome episode and the way the Congo horror story was presented was well done. An excellent transistion.
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Post by oowsvu on Mar 24, 2010 14:43:16 GMT -5
3/22/10 Haiti on My Mind
Last night’s 60 Minutes featured a segment entitled “The Lost Children of Haiti,” which opened with these heart-breaking words from journalist, Scott Pelley: “Almost half the victims of the earthquake in Haiti are under the age of 18, which means about half a million children are still living on the streets, in crowded orphanages or in makeshift camps. Untold thousands of kids are separated from their families, threatened by hunger, disease, sexual assault and even a modern day slave trade.”
It’s been almost three months since the devastating earthquake took the lives of more than 200,000 people, injured more than 300,000 and left nearly a million people homeless.
Among these children lost to such circumstances, images of kids being found become that much more precious to me. I will never forget the picture of 7-year-old Kiki being pulled from the rubble, arms stretched up to the sky, a smile shining brightly across his face. The photograph, taken by NY-based photographer, Matthew McDermott, is one of many joyous moments captured on film. But there are also hundreds of other photos that are too much for my heart to bear. Mass burials, thousands lining up (and trampling each other) to get food, children living in tent camps without electricity or water, overcrowded hospitals, collapsed buildings, a city in complete ruin.
Many people continue to lend their time, money and voices, to helping rebuild Haiti. Among them are my friends Maria Bello, who has been effortlessly helping to get much-needed resources to Haiti through Artists for Peace and Justice, and Dave Chameides, who has blogged about his two-week trip to Haiti and how to donate to the relief effort.
There’s still so much more we can do. The Huffington Post has a great list of ways to help, and organizations, schools, and companies around the world continue to raise money and gather items for those affected by the disaster. One of my favorite stories is of a group of kindergarten, first- and second-grade students in Lancaster, PA, who collected more than 700 jars of peanut butter to send to Haiti.
Fashion Delivers has received $20 million in product donations from home goods and apparel companies like American Apparel, Armani Exchange, Free People, and Jay Z’s Rockawear. And I joyfully donated 300 T-shirts from my line, “Inspired by… Mariska Hargitay.
I hope that you will be inspired to join in the effort and share your stories of how you’ve already done so.
xo,
M
P.S. A lot of you have been writing in asking when we’ll be designing more tees, so I wanted to let you know that unfortunately we’ve decided to halt production as of now. I’ll be sure to tell if you we decide to make more!
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Post by finaddict on Mar 24, 2010 18:19:56 GMT -5
I am glad Mariska is involved in helping the children of Haiti. There are many worthwhile orgs. doing good work there.
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Post by rambabe on Apr 2, 2010 11:38:00 GMT -5
Mariska's blog was updated 4/1/10 Mariska’s Blog 4/1/10 A home in HaitiIt’s been raining in New York a lot lately. Pouring rain. Homes have flooded, streets have flooded, towns have flooded. It’s been raining in Haiti, too, and hurricane season begins in a month. More than one million people are without a home, living on the streets surrounded by piles upon piles of rubble and garbage, a tarp or a sheet their only shelter from the harsh weather conditions. If you have $60, or can get six of your friends to fork over $10 each, you can give someone a home in Haiti. My dear friend and fellow fearless mama, Maria Bello, told me about this amazing organization, aHomeInHaiti, which is sending waterproof tents to three orphanages and a camp that holds more than 80,000 people in Haiti. Until the Haitian government is able to open more stable relocation camps for their people, your tent could be the only thing protecting someone from the rain. posted by mariska 11:59pm www.mariska.com/blog/
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Post by finaddict on Apr 2, 2010 19:41:28 GMT -5
Awesome cause. 60 dollars is not to much for almost anyone to help.
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Post by rambabe on Apr 13, 2010 11:52:31 GMT -5
Mariska's Blog was updated 4/12/10. Guest blogger is Sarah Tofte. It is mostly about Sarah & Mariska's day on Capitol Hill and includes a blog post from "Heard on the Hill" which I will post. Heard On The HillBy Emily Heil and Elizabeth Brotherton Roll Call Staff Laying Down The Law. Should her Emmy Award-winning run on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” ever end, actress Mariska Hargitay might just have a future on Capitol Hill. HOH caught up with the actress just before she appeared at a Wednesday evening forum at the Library of Congress looking at how shows such as “SVU” can play a role in educating the public about health issues. Hargitay had spent her day on Capitol Hill lobbying as a representative of the Joyful Heart Foundation, a group that she founded in 2004 to help empower victims of sexual assault. The actress asked Members to hold a hearing on the backlog of untested rape kits — and she said she got a promise from Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, to do just that. “It was a very exciting day,” Hargitay said. “We seem to have gotten our point across.” Hargitay noted that she probably wasn’t the only reason for the successful outcome; several other groups have been lobbying for a hearing for awhile. But she said her day on Capitol Hill went “spectacularly well,” adding that she met with several other Members, including Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) — “sort of a thrill on several levels,” she said. Hargitay appeared alongside “SVU” executive producer Neal Baer at the forum, sponsored by the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s Hollywood, Health and Society program. The actress recalled that she didn’t really even understand problems such as sexual assault and domestic violence until she started receiving letters from viewers sharing their own tragic abuse stories. “I remember the breath sort of leaving my body as the first letter came,” she said. “And [they’ve] been coming in the thousands ever since.” For the rest of Sarah's blog go to www.mariska.com/blog/167
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Post by finaddict on Apr 13, 2010 18:02:21 GMT -5
Look likes Mariska was successful On the Hill..Awesome.
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Post by oowsvu on Apr 18, 2010 17:05:10 GMT -5
4/18/10 Gratitude I have the most thoughtful, creative and generous fans. Really. You continuously open your hearts to me through your emails, letters, and unique and creative gifts. I can’t tell you how much it all means to me, and how grateful I am for your kindness. I wish I could thank each one of you individually, respond to your emails, give you a call, or gather everyone together for one giant group hug. But between being a mom, working long days and running JHF (sleep fits in there somewhere), it’s sadly impossible. So I thought I’d write a little something here to let you all know that your actions never, ever, go unnoticed or unappreciated. Among the many cherished gifts you’ve given me is a beautiful, handmade “fan book” that I received a few weeks ago while shooting on location in NYC. The day was hectic and grueling, but when Cassandra Marie approached me and handed me the album she had made, I was reminded of why I do what I do. Cassandra not only collected 58 letters from 61 fans, but filled the pages with inspirational quotes, photos and little pieces of art. I couldn’t give the book the attention it deserved during the day, but later than night, after we wrapped, I got cozy on the couch and read every word. Some letters made me laugh and some made me cry. The honesty and love that poured from the pages did a number on my heartstrings. When I reached the last page, I closed the book and sat there, my heart overflowing with joy because those letters are mirror-images of yourselves. YOU are the ones who are inspiring, YOU are the ones making a difference in my life and the lives of those around you with your courage and generosity of spirit. YOU are the ones changing the world. And I thank you for that. You all hold a very special place in my heart. xo, M P.S. Here’s a shout out to the 62 fans who shared your stories with me: Emily, Emma, Rachel, Nicole, Jessica, Kait, Amber, Jennifer, Tina, Dob41, Savannah Noelle, Summer, Nicole Marie, Bianca, Lynsey, Linda, Catherine, Katie W., Chelsea Martin, Mercedes, Lydia, Ashlee, Charlyn, Candice, Holly, Jackie, Jen D, Kerry P., Elsa M., Mabelyn, Misbah, Angie, Kait, Nicole R., Michelle H, Kimmy, Whitney, Andrew S., Gabby, Brooke, Kathleen, CC Latham, Olivia, Vanessa, Amy, Randi Elizabeth, Tiffany Nicole, Natalie Dale, Sandy Hill, Nikki, D, Lorielle, Geraldine, Karen, Tyler Alesia, Chelsea Callaghan, Erika Dawn, Cassandra Maria, the team at StopMIRA (Nicole, Heather, Jessica, Lauren). posted by mariska 4:57pm www.mariska.com/blog/168
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Post by rambabe on Apr 27, 2010 11:50:20 GMT -5
4/26/10 Not a Social NetworkerSome of you may have read the post on JHF’s Facebook page from Executive Director, Maile Zambuto, about my presence online, particularly on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. I wanted to remind everyone that I DO NOT have profiles on any of these sites and that any correspondence you have had with people using my name have not, in fact, been conversations with me. Knowing that people have caused others harm by using my name saddens me. I can assure you that if I was to join any of these sites (which I don’t plan on doing any time soon), I will make an official announcement here on Mariska.com. Though I have contacted these social network sites to let them know about fake profiles in my name, I unfortunately can’t keep people from continuing to create them. If you come across such profiles, please disregard them. I can confirm that JHF’s Facebook page, along with SVU’s official Facebook page and Executive Producer Neal Baer’s Twitter account are legit. Now and again, I will post a message and/or tweet there and will be a guest blogger on sites like the Huffinton Post, but I will let you know on my own blog when I am doing so. The Internet will continue to expand and more social networks will pop up. I encourage you to proceed with caution when logging on to these sites. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be careful about what information you share online. Remember, it’s called the world wide web so there are tons of people who can read what you write! Nothing is “private” online, and as long as sites allow users to sign up without verifying their identity, there will always be imposters. And I’m not just talking about people who pretend to be actors. I’ve heard countless stories about the dangers of the Internet and have confronted these issues on SVU. It’s serious stuff, so if you’re not sure how to be savvy member of the online community, check out some of the sites below and talk to people who are educated on the issue. xo, M www.mariska.com/blog/170National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Wired Safety OnGuard Online GetNetWise posted by Mariska 11:15pm
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Post by finaddict on Apr 27, 2010 19:19:46 GMT -5
sad more cant be done to prevent these imposters. It should be a crime and Mariska is correct that we need to be very careful what we post online.
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Post by almeda on May 14, 2010 5:24:20 GMT -5
True, we do need to be more savvy online.
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Post by rambabe on Sept 19, 2010 12:08:13 GMT -5
Mariska's Blog was updated 9/19/10 9/19/10 Goodbye Summer, hello Season 12! Can you believe that we’re already six episodes into Season 12?! It feels like just yesterday that I was flying across the country to work in a city I’d always loved but where I never imagined living. I had no idea at the time that New York—and SVU’s New Jersey sound stage—would become my home. Or that the crew would become my surrogate family, that I would meet my husband, and be inspired to start a foundation. Or that I’d have the privilege of sharing the screen with actors like Carol Burnett, Robin Williams, and Ellen Burstyn. I also had no idea a show honoring the brave men and women of NYC’s Special Victims Unit would shed such a bright light on subjects that are rarely talked about, and that the show would give a voice to thousands of survivors to speak out against sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. I am deeply honored to be part of SVU, and I look forward to another exciting year. So what does this year have in store? We start with our season premiere on Wednesday September 22nd at 9 pm EST, in which Benson and Stabler are on the hunt for Joan Cusack’s missing daughter. She is played by Bailee Madison, who, at ten years old, is already a huge talent (she played Nathalie Portman’s daughter in “Brothers.” And working with Joan was just an absolute pleasure. Also starring in the show are Peter Strauss — he’s amazing in a scene I have with him — and Lost star Henry Ian Cusick. The sparks fly between Henry and me in the first episode so the writers have brought him back for episode two. You see us in a scene you won’t soon forget! (That second episode is on at 10 pm on September 22nd. Our special two-hour premiere.) On September 29th, Jennifer Love Hewitt helps us tackle the subject of the rape kit backlog. As many of you already know, hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits are sitting in police and crime lab storage facilities across the country, with some kits in storage for more than ten years. Jennifer’s performance blew all of us away. Such depth of raw emotion is rarely seen on TV these days. Memorable. And remember to stay tuned into NBC at 10 pm that same night when we welcome LOLA—Law & Order: Los Angeles—to the Law & Order family. The SVU family is growing, too: we’re welcoming Precious star Paula Patton in episode 5. And then comes our new ADA Gillian Hardwicke, played by Melissa Sagemiller. Also coming to play with us are: Gloria Reuben, Rosemary Harris, David Krumholtz, Marcia Gay Harden and Christine Lahti. I’m thrilled to work with all the powerful actors who will be celebrating Season 12 with us—including my long-time friend, Maria Bello, who’ll be in two episodes! You’ve probably heard we’re moving too. Yes, after 12 years we’re moving our New Jersey set to Chelsea Piers in NYC. Look for our new Squad Room in episode 5. And SVU isn’t the only thing seeing changes this year. The M.com staff and I, in partnership with Joyful Heart, will be making some improvements, so stay tuned to the show and to the site for all the excitement the coming months will bring! posted by mariska 8:32am www.mariska.com/blog/
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Post by finaddict on Sept 20, 2010 15:51:15 GMT -5
thanks for posting the blog. It is hard to believe it has been 12 years since the show started. It and Mariska have come along way.
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Post by rambabe on Sept 28, 2010 18:26:04 GMT -5
www.mariska.com/blog/9/28/10 End The Baclkog
I hope you had the chance to see the first two episodes of SVU. I just can’t say enough how great it was to work with Joan Cusack and Henry Ian Cusick. And we have other fantastic guest stars lined up as our twelfth season unfolds. Scheduled to join us are Gloria Reuben, Maria Bello, Marcia Gay Harden, David Alan Grier, David Krumholtz and Melissa Sagemiller as our new ADA. But first, in our next episode—one of the most meaningful we have ever done—is Jennifer Love Hewitt. She plays Vicki, a rape victim that is terrorized by a repeat assailant, and she gives a powerhouse performance. I told her while we were shooting, and I’ll say it here again, she blew all of us away with the depth, insight and conviction she brought to the role. The episode, “Behave,” shows not only how traumatizing a sexual assault can be, but how complicated, difficult—and yes, traumatizing—the road to justice can be. When Vicki makes the courageous decision to have a rape kit performed she thinks that she will finally get the justice she deserves. But what we learn in the episode is that simply having a rape kit collected is not a guarantee that anything will be done with the evidence. That is a lamentable—and unacceptable—reality of rape in the United States. Experts in the federal government, including the Department of Justice and members of Congress, have estimated that hundreds of thousands of sexual assault evidence kits are sitting untested in police and crime labs throughout the country. With rape, the victim’s body is the crime scene is the victim’s own body is . When a person reports a sexual assault, she—or he—can undergo an exam to gather DNA evidence from her or his body. Rape kit testing can identify an unknown assailant, confirm a suspect’s contact with the victim, corroborate the victim’s account of the assault, identify serial rapists by connecting crime scene evidence from separate incidents, and exonerate innocent suspects. National studies have shown that cases in which rape kit evidence was tested were more likely to proceed through the criminal justice system and lead to arrests. But the benefit of testing rape kits goes beyond providing prosecutors with investigative tools to bring offenders to justice. It goes beyond introducing the clarity of DNA evidence into the arena of rape and sexual assault, the crimes with the lowest reporting, arrest, and prosecution rates in the United States. These kits represent human beings who have suffered greatly. Testing their rape kits sends victims the fundamental and crucial message that they and their cases matter. As many of you know, in addition to my role as Olivia on SVU, I’m also I am the founder and president of the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that works to bring healing, education, and empowerment to survivors, and awareness to the public about sexual and family violence. When I first learned about the rape kit backlog, I was shocked that something like this could exist in the United States. Then I, along with Joyful Heart’s board and staff, was moved to action. Fortunately, we are not alone. Law enforcement, public officials, and advocates have paved the way and continue to work in partnership with us on this important issue. Often, the first step to bringing change to an issue is to shed light on it. That’s why I was so excited and moved when my Executive Producer and JHF Board member, Neal Baer, came to me with the idea for this episode. He was inspired to dedicate an episode to a brave, courageous survivor who shared her story with us last May. “Behave” honors her—and all survivors. Our hope is that when you watch “Behave,” you’ll be inspired to join the growing movement that is working to eradicate the backlog of untested rape kits. To get involved, you can: · Tune in to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Wednesday, September 29th at 9pm/8 central on NBC; · Join the growing community that’s talking about these issues by following Joyful Heart on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/TheJHF) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/joyfulheart) and invite your friends and family to participate as well; · Check back on this blog next week for the announcement of an exciting new public awareness effort from the Joyful Heart Foundation. Thank you, as always, for your dedication and compassion. I know with your support, we can work together to bring healing and justice to survivors of sexual violence and end the rape kit backlog. xo, Mariska posted by mariska 6:47pm
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