I am evidence
A film that highlights the reasons behind the alarming national rape kit backlog in the United States
I AM EVIDENCE
In 2017, Joyful Heart Founder and President, Mariska Hargitay, released her first documentary film, HBO’s I AM EVIDENCE, which highlights the reasons behind the alarming national rape kit backlog in the United States. The film explores how the justice system serves, and fails to serve, survivors by providing firsthand accounts from four women about their assaults and the hours, weeks, months and years following their evidence collection. By exploring the history and future of rape kits in America, and how jurisdictions have handled the untested rape kit backlog, the film tells a powerful story about how we treat the crime of sexual assault in the United States.
Joyful Heart is proud to have worked as the lead social action campaign partner for the film, and continues to leverage this film as a catalyst for meaningful reform and grassroots activism in communities looking to enact rape kit reforms. We have facilitated screenings in all 50 states.
We have used the film as a way to engage and empower survivors, activists, civic leaders, community members and experts at the local, state and national levels. This has been a powerful tool in the work we do alongside our partners to build the capacity and framework required to pass additional policies to comprehensively address sexual violence while continuing to provide support to survivors.
I AM EVIDENCE Wins Best Documentary Emmy
I AM EVIDENCE received two News and Documentary Emmy Awards nominations in 2019 for Best Documentary and Outstanding Investigative Documentary, and won the Best Documentary Emmy. On September 24, 2019, Mariska was deeply honored to accept the Best Documentary Emmy on behalf of the incredible I AM EVIDENCE team.