Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay lost her mother early in life. It's a trauma she never got over and rarely talks about publicly. But the actor recently spoke about losing her mother and dealing with traumas through her life.
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Speaking at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation's 18th Annual HOPE Luncheon Seminar on Tuesday, November 12, Hargitay opened up about her famous mother, movie star Jayne Mansfield.
"I lost my mother when I was 3 years old, and I grew up in a house of people dealing with the tragedy in their own way," Hargitay said. "Because there was so much grief, there wasn't room to prioritize anyone. We didn't have the tools that we have now to metabolize and understand trauma."
Hargitay and her two siblings were in the car when her mother got in a traffic collision in 1967. She sadly died from her injuries. It wasn't the only trauma that Hargitay faced, revealing she's a sexual abuse survivor.
Mariska Hargitay Talks Trauma
"I also suffered sexual trauma in my 30s. It wasn't until much later that I found the language to acknowledge it for what it was," Hargitay said. "I built a whole foundation that responded to trauma and survivors the way that I wanted to be responded to. I had the good fortune to find extraordinary therapists who introduced me to many different healing modalities."
Hargitay also accepted that a trauma is a part of her and that its formed aspects of her own personality.
"I don't know if I'll ever find the words to express my gratitude for those who have accompanied me in my journey. For those who mirrored my trauma back to me, who helped me integrate different parts of ourselves and metabolize my own trauma," Hargitay continued in her speech. "Complex trauma that so many of us carry. We all have a story. We all are carrying so much internally that other people can't see."
"One of the most important things — if not the most important things — that I learned is the depth and the singular beauty and far-reaching significance of the word respond," she added. "There is hope."
