A Silent Struggle: Mariska Hargitay's Personal Experience with Sexual Assault
In the hit series, 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,' we have long admired Capt. Olivia Benson, a fervent advocate for survivors of sexual violence for over two decades. That portrayal, however, is not entirely fictitious. Mariska Hargitay, the actress behind the resilient character, has recently revealed a painful personal truth.
Unwanted Confrontation: A Friendship Turns Horrific
Mariska recalls a chilling incident in her 30s when a presumed friend turned into a predator. "It was dominance and control. Overpowering control," she writes about her encounter. The horror she experienced was not about lust or sexuality. It was about one person's appalling need to exert power and control over another. Despite her frantic attempts to defuse the situation with humor, reason, and explicit refusals, she ultimately found herself overpowered and terrorized.
Trapped in Trauma: Disassociating from Reality
Hargitay describes her reaction to the assault as a defense mechanism commonly seen in victims of trauma - freeze mode.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
Next page
