Dear Joyful Heart Community,

Today is a very big day for Joyful Heart and we are so excited to share an update with you.

Mariska Hargitay, Joyful Heart's founder and president and star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, was on the TODAY Show yesterday morning to discuss a very important episode of SVU--one that addresses the often ignored effects of male sexual abuse. Basketball superstars Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony, as well as Mehcad Brooks (True Blood, Necessary Roughness) and Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years), guest starred to help share this important message.

You can catch Mariska's interview on MSNBC.com and a preview of the episode on our website. The full episode is now available on NBC's website.

While we know that women and girls represent the majority of sexual violence, we know that men are affected as well. They are victims of witnesses to violence. And while the vast majority of men are not perpetrators themselves, most perpetrators are men. This episode is groundbreaking for SVU and for the movement to end violence. SVU has never told such a powerful story about the effects of sexual violence on men. It's important to shine a light on this issue. Because men should not be relegated to sidelines as survivors of violence or supporters of the movement to end it. With this episode, in partnership with our friends at 1in6 and A CALL TO MEN, Joyful Heart is launching a new Engaging Men initiative.  

We invite any man who is a survivor of an unwanted or abusive sexual experience to get the support and resources they need--and deserve--to heal. It's estimated that one in six--19 million males in the United States--have had an unwanted or abusive sexual experience in childhood. We also invite all men to be a part of the movement to end violence. Preventing and one day ending violence takes all members of our society and men play a crucial role in bringing us closer to a world without sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Visit us online to learn more: men.joyfulheartfoundation.org and be sure to check out last night's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit online.