For the last 18 years, Mariska Hargitay has graced our screens as Oliva Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. With the return of the new season, I couldn’t help but reflect on her character and the way she’s developed and changed over the years; though there’s always one thing that remains true. Olivia Benson is a strong, multi-dimensional character who strives for equality.
1. She Advocates for Sexual Assault and Domestic Abuse Victims.
The core premise of her character surrounds itself on this. Despite gender, ethnicity, or circumstance, Olivia is always there to listen (or fight) when the time comes. She shuts down victim blaming the moment she senses it and works to stray victims away from shame. Through her own experiences with sexual assault, both on the job and in her home life, she is able to provide an honest perspective on what life after entails. She gives a helping hand to the women and men whose lives have been affected and altered from traumatizing cause while giving them the strength to come forward.
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2. She Is a Woman in a Male-Dominated Field.
From the moment I started watching the show until the most recent episode, it’s been evident that Olivia is the toughest of all the characters. Despite being one of the only featured women in the series, she is at the top of her field. There are so many times when assaulters or men in higher power try to use the fact that she’s a woman to try and intimidate, but Olivia has yet to be stopped.
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3. She Embraces Her Womanhood.
There’s no denying that over the last 18 seasons, Olivia has gone through a lot, but it appears things are beginning to look up for her. Within the last year, she adopted a baby boy named Noah, whose mother was a victim. The audience has started to see a softer side of Olivia because of this. She’s proving that she can be a badass woman who fights for people’s rights while still raising a child. Olivia demonstrates how possibilities are endless and you don’t need to sacrifice your femininity and relationships to be a highly respected woman.
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4. Her Activism Extends Outside the Show.
By now we all know that Olivia Benson is the best, but what about Mariska Hargitay? As a result of her work on the show, she created the Joyful Heart Foundation. This decision was inspired by the messages she was receiving from fans about their own personal struggles with assault in their lives. Thus, she created this foundation with the hope of providing help and support to those still healing. According to their website, they hope to carry out their mission of eliminating domestic abuse, sexual assault, and child abuse through, “healing, education, and advocacy.”
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