Reunion Online

Even as most of the headlines coming out of Washington these days contain the word sequester, another bill is moving along, making progress without quite so much drama. But the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), passed in the Senate and due for action in the House, is no less important.

A disturbing story about law and order today. In the city of Detroit, the woman who holds the job of Chief Prosecutor discovered that thousands of sexual assault cases have been in limbo for decades because evidence from so-called rape kits is languishing on forgotten shelves. It is not a problem unique to Detroit, but it is one that has seen serial rapists, and even murderers, exist undetected for years.

What are you wearing tonight for Valentines Day?

Ms. Hilty collaborated with her friend and trainer Dasha Libin on the event, which raised money for the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization founded by Mariska Hargitay that helps victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other abuse. And Ms. Libin is the creator of a workout called Kettlebell Kickboxing, which she usually teaches out of her studio on lower Broadway.

She plays a blonde bombshell desperate to star in a Broadway musical in TV favourite Smash. And Megan Hilty was a hit herself as she lead an exercise class in New York on Saturday.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay totally inspired us in our March 2013 cover story with her words of wisdom on everything from loving her curves to gaining self-confidence.

Sunday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the launch of this year's16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. In the time it takes me to write this paragraph, 26 people--given our statistics probably all women--will be assaulted by an intimate partner in the U.S. In the roughly 48 hours between my writing and posting, at least six women in the US and hundreds if not thousands around the world will be killed by violent spouses.

This holiday season, why not give a glam gift that gives back? New York City-based jewelry company Me&Ro recently teamed up with actress Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation to create the “Fearlessness Pendant,” designed to raise awareness and funds for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.

This pendant brings a graceful twist in a smaller size to the classic dog tag design and is engraved with "Fearlessness" as a reminder that embracing fearlessness inspires one to approach life with an open heart and to be strong in the face of life's adversities.

On the Nov. 14 episode of Law & Order: SVU, Mariska Hargitay’s character wore a necklace that made a powerful statement in support of real-life survivors of violent crimes.