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USA Network Stars Support NO MORE Campaign to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Upcoming Law & Order: SVU Marathon on August 30
NEW YORK – August 25, 2015 – On Sunday, August 30th, USA will air a special Law & Order: Special Victims Unit “NO MORE Excuses” marathon featuring stars of the Network’s original hit series lending their support for the effort to end domestic violence and sexual assault. The marathon, in partnership with Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation and the NO MORE campaign, will include custom wraps and PSAs with important information and resources during each episode from 12pm/11c to 11pm/10c.
USA talent participating in the effort includes SUITS’ stars Gina Torres, Patrick J. Adams and Sarah Rafferty, GRACELAND stars Aaron Tveit and Daniel Sunjata, ROYAL PAINS star Mark Feuerstein, MR. ROBOT star Rami Malek, and WWE Superstar John Cena. The marathon will also include original wraps with Mariska Hargitay and other current and former SVU cast members such as Raul Esparza, Kelli Giddish, Chris Meloni, Danny Pino, Peter Scanavino and Ice-T. The episodes in the marathon include a plethora of guest stars including: Gloria Reuben, Maria Bello, Peter Gallagher, Jason Beghe, Jesse McCarthy, Kathy Griffin and Sophia Bush.
“It’s been a great privilege being a leading partner in NO MORE from the beginning,” said Mariska Hargitay, founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation. “Society continues to misplace shame and blame on survivors—both women and men. That has to end. By confronting the myths and excuses we rely on to avoid ending domestic violence and sexual assault, NO MORE fills me with confidence and renewed determination that we will put an end to the violence.”
The 11-episode marathon will address various issues including domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. During each episode, viewers will be encouraged to seek out additional information and resources online, including national hotlines to speak with trained counselors and advocates. Throughout the day, USA, Joyful Heart, and NO MORE also will use social media platforms to encourage conversation and inspire greater action to stop and prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. People can follow and join the dialogue by using #NOMOREexcuses.
NO MORE is a public awareness campaign designed to engage bystanders around ending domestic violence and sexual assault. The NO MORE PSAs, produced by Joyful Heart and directed by Hargitay, highlight the myths and excuses that create misplaced blame on survivors and allow perpetrators to escape accountability. The goal of the PSA campaign is to help normalize the conversation and break the social stigma surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault. By increasing visibility and fostering more dialogue, NO MORE will change social norms, improve public policies, and generate more resources to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. More information is available at www.nomore.org.
USA has been a leading champion of the effort to stop domestic violence and sexual assault, teaming up with Joyful Heart and NO MORE more than a year ago to create the “NO MORE Excuses” SVU marathons. Throughout five marathons held since April 2014, more than 25 million viewers have tuned in and gotten critical information and support. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN, the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other NO MORE coalition partners have seen tremendous increases in calls and website traffic during each marathon. For example, during the April 2014 marathon, the National Sexual Assault Hotline saw a 106% increase in the number of people helped; the National Domestic Violence Hotline had a 21% increase in calls; 1in6.org experienced a 116.2% increase in web traffic and the NO MORE website received a 2,463% surge in traffic. In addition, the hashtags #sayNOMORE, #NOMORE and #NOMOREexcuses trended nationally during the marathon.
Read more at Futon Critic.
About Joyful Heart Foundation
The mission of the Joyful Heart Foundation, created by Hargitay, is to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues. For more information, please visit: http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/
About USA Network
The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented eight straight years, USA Network is seen in more than 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at www.usanetwork.com.
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:
12:00 PM: LEARNING CURVE - As Detective Tutuola's son prepares to tell his father that he is getting married, his fiancé is brutally assaulted by a local street gang. He is the latest in a string of recent hate crimes against gay men, and before SVU can make an arrest, a school teacher is similarly brutalized even though he does not fit the pattern. As the detectives search for a connection, they learn that he was dismissed from an elite private school for having an inappropriate relationship with a student. In trying to help ADA Cabot make her case, they quickly realize that the facts do not add up and that another teacher may hold the clues to what really happened.
1:00 PM: SOPHOMORE JINX - After a female student is murdered at a local college, Benson and Stabler turn their attention to the school's basketball team. However, the college blocks their investigation at every turn because they are not willing to risk the negative publicity that the investigation could bring to the school and the upcoming championship.
2:00 PM: ABUSE - Stabler and Benson suspect parental neglect may have led to the tragic death of the son of two famous singers, leading them to fear for their little girl Ashley. Benson realizes that the career-obsessed parents are ignoring Ashley and that her desperate cries for attention have led to a pattern of physical injuries. When Benson pushes the case further, the parents' reaction puts her job in jeopardy.
3:00PM: RIPPED - When a teenage baseball star tries to rape a friend, his actions are attributed to “roid rage,” while Stabler’s own rage issues come to the surface.
4:00PM: PERSONAL FOULS - SVU investigates an accusation that a revered high school basketball coach sexually abused his players, but they ultimately may need the cooperation of a reluctant pro superstar to make the case.
5:00PM: FRIENDING EMILY - An underage girl disappears after following her older sister to a college party in Manhattan. The SVU detectives mobilize to recover the missing girl but find themselves thwarted by a high-tech kidnapper using the internet to cover his tracks. As the case hits a dead end, DA Barba returns with some unlikely help. Meanwhile, Rollins is distracted by the sudden appearance of her very troubled sister.
6:00PM: GRAY - Detective Stabler goes to his daughter Kathleen's university to discuss rape prevention at a Take Back the Night rally. When a girl from the crowd accuses another student of rape, Stabler and Detective Benson are assigned the case. What emerges are conflicting accounts and fiery accusations without substantial evidence to back them up. Kathleen finds evidence against the student but Detective Stabler fears that she will be expelled from school if it is used at trial.
7:00 PM: PIXIES - The investigation of a gymnast's murder involves her strict trainer, a wealthy benefactor and a competitor (Kate Mara).
8:00 PM: CLOSET – An investment banker's death leads to the agent of a professional football quarterback who seemed to be having an affair with the victim. Meanwhile, Benson's dating of a newspaper editor causes a conflict with her position at the department.
9:00 PM: LEGITIMATE RAPE – A popular sports reporter seeks out Detective Benson to accuse a cameraman of rape and stalking. The SVU squad and ADA Barba begin their preparations for a difficult trial when the victim learns she is pregnant as result of the rape. As the case proceeds, the defense uses controversial tactics in its efforts to persuade the jury.
10:00 PM: GRIDIRON SOLDIER – A college recruit from Georgia becomes a victim of team hazing and violence in New York City.
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