05/08/2026
After 16 years, the Joyful Heart’s End the Backlog Campaign has achieved what once felt impossible: all 50 states, with Maine becoming the 50th and final state, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico have enacted at least one pillar of r**e kit reform in a testament to the power of sustained, survivor-centered advocacy, led by actress Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay plays the iconic Captain Olivia Benson on the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the longest-running primetime drama character in television history. Currently in season 27, she also serves as the series's executive producer and director.
At the heart of their advocacy work is the “End the Backlog” campaign, which aims to eliminate the backlog of hundreds of thousands of untested r**e kits sitting in storage across America, so that survivors can get the closure they deserve.
“This did not happen overnight. It happened because survivors spoke their truth. It happened because advocates refused to let urgency become complacency. This moment is a promise that the system can and will be transformed into a source of light, not darkness. To the survivors who have carried this cause in their hearts: this milestone belongs to you. We are far from done, but how glorious to take this moment to honor how far we have come together.”