Reunion Online

Nine years ago, a Verizon Wireless employee named Amy became a victim of domestic violence. Despite court orders and a legal battle, Amy's husband continued to stalk her, interrupted her work, and ultimately killed her. She was just one of thousands of women affected each year by such violence, and one of far too many to be killed as a result.

Almost a year ago, CBS News broadcast a two part series on a five month investigation into tens of thousands of untested rape kits nationwide.

When Valerie Neumann woke up dazed and physically bruised the morning after her 21st birthday, the awful reality began to sink in that she had been raped. Neumann then made the difficult decision many sexual assault victims make -- to submit to the ordeal of a rape kit at her local hospital.

Last night, the organization held a fundraiser attended by Mariska Hargitay, Rosie Perez, Stephanie March, B.D. Wong, Chris Meloni, Maria Bello, and more.

For the last 11 years I've been on every case, sitting on every jury and hanging on every "dun dun" that "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has to offer. But beyond implementing the law and keeping the order, it's the relationship between detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler that has planted "SVU" on the TV landscape.

This week, Valerie Neumann, a rape victim who was profiled in a CBS News investigation into the national rape kit backlog, is pounding the halls of Congress asking dozens of lawmakers to support legislation that will require DNA from all rape kits to be tested.

Mariska Hargitay's character on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has devoted her life to helping survivors of assault and abuse, and the actress is doing her part in real life as well. Her Joyful Heart Foundation, inspired by Hargitay's experiences on the show, aims to aid and inspire people who have suffered sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.

When Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay decided to team up with Los Angeles based T-shirt brand Michael Stars to create a limited-edition tee to benefit women and children who have overcome domestic violence and sexual assault, her famous friends joined forces to celebrate the charitable partnership.

Interview with Mariska Hargitay for More Magazine

While she may play tough as nails detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, this Hollywood actress is showing off her big heart by using her spare time to give back to women in need. Hargitay and her Joyful Heart Foundation joined forces with philosophy to build “healing kits” for women in shelters throughout the LA area to draw attention to the massive budget cuts to the state’s domestic violence services.