Mariska Hargitay Opens Up About Being Raped by a Friend in Her 30s

Actress Mariska Hargitay revealed in a first-person essay that she was raped by a friend in her 30s, describing the experience as one of dominance and control. She details the terror she felt at the time and how she tried to escape the situation but ultimately went into freeze mode. Hargitay downplayed the assault and tried to push it to the back of her mind, but now acknowledges the trauma and has found healing through her foundation, Joyful Heart. She emphasizes that the experience doesn't define her and encourages others to recognize that no single part of anyone's story defines them.