Mariska Hargitay and Her SVU Colleagues Fight Rape Myths

If Law and Order: SVU has done one thing right, it’s unleashing the Hargitay. We already knew the actress was making a documentary about the rape-kit backlog; now she’s also teamed up with Amy Poehler, her SVU colleagues and other celebs to fight myths about sexual assault and domestic abuse.

Think Progress reports that Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation has partnered with the group NO MORE on a series of P.S.A.s meant to fight pernicious ideas like “she was asking for it,” “why doesn’t she just leave?” and “well, she was drunk.” The campaign has been running since September, but the newest batch of ads targets a specific issue, and that’s the assumptions faced by male survivors of sexual abuse:

Blythe Danner and Katie Couric are also involved. Hargitay said in an announcement:

“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.”

Unfortunately, it’s going to take more than P.S.A.s to fight these pernicious assumptions—but a bunch of famous faces certainly won’t hurt the cause. Now, if only Law and Order: SVU were just a little more conscious of the part it could play.