‘Law and Order’ Mariska Hargitay Says She Feels Like a ‘Victim of Secondary Trauma’ After 25 Years on the Show

Mariska Hargitay attends The WMC 2023 Women's Media Awards in New York City on Oct. 19, 2023. John Lamparski/Getty Images for The Women's Media Center

“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay said she was a “victim of secondary trauma” after more than two decades of playing in the legal drama series.

Speaking with singer and actress Selena Gomez for Interview magazine, Hargitay shared how her role on the crime show affected her life away from the set due to feeling overwhelmed by the dark subject matter.

“When I started the show, I wasn’t aware of how deeply it would go into me,” she said. “My husband Peter is always like, anytime I go anywhere, my first question is, ‘What’s the crime rate here?’ So it’s on the brain.

“There’s been times when I didn’t know how to protect myself, and I think I was definitely a victim of secondary trauma from being inundated with these stories and knowing that they were true. Those were the parts that I didn’t know how to metabolize, just because of the sheer volume of it.”

Hargitay debuted as Detective Olivia Benson on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” during its premiere in 1999. On the show, she joins other detectives as they investigate and prosecute sexual crimes that were “ripped” from real headlines.

Hargitay’s experience on the show led her to create a nonprofit to provide support to victims of abuse.

“That’s also why I started Joyful Heart [Foundation], so I would feel like, well, at least I’m doing something about it,” she said.

Created in 2004, the Joyful Heart Foundation seeks to “transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.”

“Our work is paving the way for innovative approaches to treating trauma; igniting shifts in the way the public views and responds to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse; and reforming and advancing policies and legislation to ensure access to justice for survivors,” the nonprofit’s website reads.

Speaking on the balance of motherhood and acting, Hargitay discussed how she has integrated her children into her demanding schedule, which has led to a “happier” and “fuller” life.

“There’s been so many times where I’m torn or frustrated because in our jobs, you can’t say, ‘Guys, I’m not coming in today.’ But I’ve integrated them here,” she said. “My kids come to work with me. Are there things I miss? Yeah. The flip side is that my kids are really proud of me.”

“There were days where the nanny did a little extra, and that was hard,“ she added. ”But I brought [my oldest son] to work with me every day for the first year. And you can, too. It’s doable. I am happier and living a fuller life, and they feel that and see that. And when I’m with them, I’m with them,” she continued.

After 25 years on “Law and Order,” with season 26 on the way, Hargitay said she can hardly believe how much time has passed.

“It totally feels crazy. I’m in denial about it,” she said. “During, I call it the school year, there’s so much to do and so many problems to fix and so many scenes to shape. And when there’s so much to do, you just do it. There’s not a lot of time in terms of sitting around thinking about it. I feel a little bit like I woke up one day and it was 25 years later.”

Hargitay’s Career

Born in Santa Monica, California, on Jan. 23, 1964, Mariska Hargitay is the daughter of 1950s actress Jayne Mansfield and former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay from Hungary. In 1982, she was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA and placed fifth in the Miss California USA beauty pageant.

Hargitay has appeared in several shows such as “Freddy’s Nightmares,” “All American Girl,” “Baywatch,” “Gabriel’s Fire,” and “Thirtysomething.” She also had a recurring role as police officer Angela Garcia in “Tequila and Bonetti” and as Detective Nina Echeverria in the short-lived “Prince Street.”

However, Hargitay is best-known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on NBC’s “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” Hargitay won an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for her performance on the show.

Hargitay married actor Peter Hermann in 2004, and they have three children together, two of whom were adopted.