Mariska's Own SVU Heartache

Devastated TV cop helps real-life victims.

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TV COP Mariska Hargitay has been a crusader for victims of real-life sexual abuse, inspired by the horrific dramas of torture and torment played out on her show, Law & Order: SVU.

When she joined the show in 1999, she researched the role of Det. Olivia Benson by training to become a rape crisis counselor — and sources say she’s haunted by victims’ reallife stories.

Since then, the 55-year-old actress has met with dozens of women who have been through brutal cases of sexual assault, which drove her to launch the Joyful Heart Foundation for survivors in 2004.