Mariska Hargitay's 16-Year Fight Ends Backlog

Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation has successfully concluded its 16-year End the Backlog initiative. This campaign aimed to reform the handling of untested rape kits nationwide. As of May 1, 2026, all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico have enacted at least one pillar of reform.

Maine was the final jurisdiction to pass legislation, fulfilling the initiative's goal. The reforms ensure annual inventories, mandatory testing of new and backlogged kits, and survivor-accessible tracking systems. Hargitay highlighted the achievement as a "watershed moment" for survivors.

The End the Backlog initiative, launched in 2009, was motivated by the high rate of sexual assault in the U.S. and the statistic that a sexual assault occurs every 68 seconds. The foundation's work, including the documentary "I Am Evidence," has aimed to bring accountability and dignity to survivors' experiences.

Hargitay, who began as a rape crisis counselor in 2004, emphasized that this milestone belongs to the survivors who spoke their truth and the advocates who persisted. She stated the system is transforming into a source of light, promising continued efforts toward justice.