Full Media Archive

Publication	Title
	Memphis Police official says rape kit backlog is shrinking July 15, 2014 • The Commercial Appeal By Daniel Connolly As of June, 1,185 previously untested kits have been tested. An additional 2,495 kits remained at forensic labs, and 5,553 remained untested. read more
	Metro Changes Rape Kit Policy After Finding Nearly 100 Unprocessed In Past Ten Years August 26, 2015 • WSAV3 By Sheila Parker There are estimates that as many as 400-thousand rape kits in the United States are gathering dust on police evidence shelves – going untested. The issue has caused outrage and led to some reforms at local, state and federal levels. We wanted to find out what the status was here. News 3 has been looking into the problem for months . ... read more
	Miami PD to begin work on state’s largest backlog of untested rape kits January 4, 2016 • Miami Herald By David Smiley An effort to identify and process every untested rape kit in Florida has found that more than 3,700 exist in Miami-Dade County, including 2,243 held by Miami police alone — the most of any law enforcement agency in the state. read more
	Michael Stars Charity Tee February 14, 2013 • Haute Pink Pretty By An Dyer What are you wearing tonight for Valentines Day? read more
	Michael Stars launches limited T-shirts • The Beach Reporter By The Beach Reporter Michael Stars is teaming up with actress Mariska Hargitay and Joyful Heart Foundation to introduce an updated capsule collection of limited-edition tees and tanks that launched nationwide last week. read more
	Millions Earmarked to Clear 'Disturbing' Rape Kit Backlog September 10, 2015 • NBC News By Kate Snow, Rich McHugh and Tracy Connor New effort underway to clear rape kit backlog. read more
	Minnesota's rape kit reform bill becomes law as Duluth passes a milestone on its backlog May 23, 2018 • Star Tribune By Jennifer Bjorhus In Minnesota's most ambitious effort to process untested rape kits, the Duluth Police Department has eliminated its entire backlog and submitted 415 kits for laboratory testing, a step that could open the door to justice for scores of sexual assault victims. The kits, sitting in storage for as long as 25 years, were inventoried in 2015 after the Legislature ordered a one-time audit of all untested kits held by law enforcement agencies across the state. Departments reported more than 3,400 untested kits; Duluth had the most, with more than 550. read more
	Missouri rape kit audit set to be done in early 2018 November 27, 2017 • Associated Press By Associated Press The Missouri Attorney General's Office says it hopes to determine by early next year how many untested rape kits are on shelves in Missouri, a first step in an effort to improve the state's response to sexual assault. read more
	Money to Address Rape Kit Backlog in Congressional Spending Bill Dec. 10, 2014 • BuzzFeed By Alison Vingiano Advocates praised the inclusion of $41 million to handle thousands of untested rape kits. read more
	More than 40 police agencies to get $79M to test rape kits September 11, 2015 • USA Today By Steve Reilly and Charisse Jones A USA TODAY/TEGNA joint investigation finds thousands of untested rape kits sitting in police department evidence rooms across the country. Rape victims, politicians and police are speaking out, hoping to change that. read more
	Mother's Day Gift Guide: 15 Items for Your Chic Mom May 1st, 2012 • Fashion ETC By Fashion ETC 10 percent of sales from each necklace goes to the Joyful Heart Foundation during the month of May. read more
	Mother’s Day Gift Guide: 5 Perfect Presents for a Cause April 26th, 2012 • Where Can I Find The Perfect By Libby Steven The sale of each of these head-turning coral baubles goes to the Joyful Heart Foundation. read more
	Mother’s Day Giveaway 2012 – Bloomingdale’s Crystal & Resin Necklace by Aqua May 2nd, 2012 • 5 Minutes for Mom By Lesley This Mother’s Day, Bloomingdale’s is thrilled to support the Joyful Heart Foundation, a special charity founded by celebrity mom Mariska Hargitay. Bloomingdale’s invites us to help support this important cause by shopping Bloomingdale’s and bloomingdales.com for two must-have gifts (perfect for mom, or any fashionista!) that support the cause. read more
	Natasha's Justice Project, Stony Brook University To Study Rape Kit Backlog September 16th, 2011 • The Huffington Post By Frank Eltman A recently formed organization that contends there is a nationwide backlog of untested rape kits told The Associated Press on Monday that it was teaming with a New York university to try to figure out how many are sitting on police department shelves as a first step in clearing the logjam. read more
	National Rape Kit Backlog Gets a $35 Million Boost Dec. 9, 2014 • Epoch Times By Genevieve Belmaker The massive national backlog of rape kits is being targeted by Manhattan’s district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr. According to Vance, there is a backlog of “hundreds of thousands of rape kits” across the country in police warehouses. read more
	Nearly $80 Million Will Be Used to Finally Test Thousands of Rape Kits September 10, 2015 • Jezebel By Anna Merlin Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Loretta Lynch were in New York Thursday to announce that the White House has awarded $41 million in new rape kit testing grants to police departments across the country, added to the $38 million in grant money that Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance already contributed. That $79 million will be used to test 70,000 backlogged rape kits across the country. Finally. ... read more
	Nearly half on isle know child abuse victim, study says January 18th, 2012 • Hawai'i Tribune Herald By John Burnett The study, "Perceptions of Child Abuse and Neglect in Hawaii," found that 47 percent of Hawaii County residents say they know a victim of child abuse. It also found that 89 percent of Big Islanders believe child abuse is a major problem. read more
	Neiman Marcus Links With Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation September 2, 2014 • WWD By Lisa Lockwood ODE TO JOY: Neiman Marcus teamed up with the Joyful Heart Foundation, founded by actress and advocate Mariska Hargitay of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for its 10th anniversary celebration. Neiman’s presented The NO MORE Lounge at Joyful Heart’s bi-annual Joyful Mele gala Sunday night in Hawaii, where Hargitay started the foundation. Neiman’s also sponsord Joyful Mele. The event raised more than $500,000, all of which will be reinvested to support Joyful Heart’s work in Hawaii. ... read more
	Nevada lawmakers allocate funds to test rape kits December 17, 2015 • Reno Gazette-Journal By Ken Ritter LAS VEGAS – Nevada lawmakers have agreed to allocate almost $3.7 million to test 7,500 sexual assault evidence kits languishing in police vaults around the state, including some in Las Vegas dating back 30 years. State Attorney General Adam Laxalt told the legislature’s Interim Finance Committee on Wednesday the state is just getting started digging through the backlog. The money includes $1.7 million from a settlement this summer with JPMorgan Chase in a debt collection practices case toward the rape kit effort. ... read more
	New & Noteworthy: Youth photography exhibit; HUMC designer showhouse; and more May 1st, 2012 • The Record By The Record Joyful Heart Foundation benefit: Bloomingdale's at The Shops at Riverside will donate $8 to the Joyful Heart Foundation for every Michael Stars T-shirt or Aqua necklace in select colors purchased in May. read more
	New celebrity PSAs address myth, societal attitudes that confront male survivors of childhood sexual abuse March 7, 2016 • Honolulu Star Advertiser By Sophie Cocke Joyful Heart and 1in6 are proud to share a new series in Joyful Heart’s groundbreaking, celebrity-driven NO MORE PSA campaign to address the myths and excuses surrounding males who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, and to invite male survivors to seek help at 1in6.org. The PSAs were created in partnership with Viacom, directed by Joyful Heart’s Founder & President, actress and advocate Mariska Hargitay, developed in partnership with Y&R, Executive Creative Director/Writer, Rachel Howald, and photographed by world-renowned celebrity photographer Timothy White. read more
	New Mexico Audit Finds 5,411 Untested Rape Kits January 7, 2016 • Public News Service SANTA FE, N.M. – Victims' rights advocates are hoping New Mexico officials take steps during the upcoming legislative session to deal with the state's backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits, or rape kits. A state audit discovered more than 5,400 kits still sitting in police evidence lockers around the state. ... read more
	New national funding will clear Utah’s backlog of untested rape kits September 10, 2015 • The Salt Lake Tribune By The Associated Press White House, NYC prosecutor pledge $79M to test the kits nationwide. read more
	New National Initiative on Rape Kits May 21st, 2010 • CBS Evening News By Armen Keteyian Almost a year ago, CBS News broadcast a two part series on a five month investigation into tens of thousands of untested rape kits nationwide. read more
	New York Giants join My Sisters' Place to help end domestic violence October 25, 2016 • White Plains Daily Voice By Nicole Briggs WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – During Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants joined with longtime partner My Sisters’ Place and the Joyful Heart Foundation, founded by actress, producer, director and advocate Mariska Hargitay, to honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month. read more