Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, NBC’s longest running crime TV drama starring the amazing Mariska Hargitay as Lieutenant Olivia Benson is getting a visit from outgoing Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden as himself. Several new stories suggest that Biden will be sharing screen space with Hargitay’s cop avatar Benson as a way to highlight her work to end rape kit backlog. The episode in question is part of the upcoming 18th season of the show and will make it to air in September.
The move mirrors advocacy efforts led by Mariska Hargitay and Biden in a bid to “end the real-life rape kit backlog and end domestic violence”. And this isn’t the first time this duo have joined hands for a cause. Over the years, Hargitay and Biden have teamed up for several notable causes such as PSAs for Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation and its No More campaign to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
The reason why this is such an important story is how the advocacy efforts have led to substantial results. In Detroit, of the 11,341 rape kit log, nearly 10,000 have been tested which has led to the identification of 762 suspected serial rapists impacting 40 states and 50 convictions.
So there you have it, the true power of intelligent, sensitive storytelling and its far-reaching impact. Here’s hoping this compels other stars to also lend hand to causes that are central to both society and the individual.