After more than a quarter of a century playing a police officer, Mariska Hargitay continues to advocate for real life victims. Recently, Dateline NBC’s Andrea Canningwent on the Today show, highlighting the newest episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. It was then that Canning says Hargitay actually helped a Michigan prosecutor with thousands of sexual assault cases.
It came about like this: Michigan prosecutor Kym Worthy discovered that there were 11,000 untested rape kits in an evidence locker. She took it upon herself to work to get them tested. Testing kits like that, and at that volume not only cost money but a lot of money. That’s where Hargitay comes in. “So, who stepped in?” Canning says. “None other than Law and Order’s Mariska Hargitay.”
Canning explains that Hargitay “helped them raise the money to get this done.” Because of Hargitay’s efforts, Canning says that 22 serial rapists were brought to justice. The work, Canning says, is “having a ripple effect across the country [and] is making changes everywhere — for police departments for prosecutors’ offices.”
Olivia Benson’s Traits Carry Over to Mariska Hargitay’s Real Life
Just earlier this year, Harigtay was actually mistaken for a New York City Police Department police officer while shooting on location for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. While filming the final episodes of the latest season, a witness told People that Hargitay was approached by a little girl who had gotten separated from her family. The little girl had mistaken Hargitay for a real police officer since she was dressed in character as Captain Olivia Benson.
Hargitay told People back in January, that after playing this character for so long (since the show began in 1999) she’s had “those moments where I’ve sort of slipped into her. If there’s a crisis, I just take over and lead like that. Being strong and fearless.” When the little girl approached Hargitay, the actress had apparently paused filming for 20 minutes just to reunite the girl with her family.
