Olivia Benson quotes from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

How can you stand it? How can you invite this depravity into your mind? Your body? Your soul? They will kill you. Every horror, every torment afflicts your body. Like a cancer. It's devouring your, and you can't see it. Open your eyes.

Benson

You know, I just thought that you were just another con artist. Seeking out people who were starved for anything that would give them meaning in their life. They're easy marks. You talk about God, the apocalypse and they give you all their money. But you are much more pathetic than that. You actually believe your own hype. You've conned yourself.

All these men have come to kill me!

Benson

Shut your mouth, Eugene!

Why?! Because they know! They know that I am greater than man! I am greater than God! And they're afraid of what I can do!

Benson

It's okay. It's okay. Put the gun down. It's okay.

That was a lie.

Benson

What was?

He said he was greater than God. But nobody is.

In 12 years, there has never been a complaint against this man.

Men change, especially when their wives file for legal separation. My investigator found the court documents. He also found out that she took the kids and moved in with her mother.

Stabler

[angry but controlled] You have no right to use my personal life to make your case.

I don't give a damn about your personal life unless it effects my client, and it does. Stay away from her! I want Detective Stabler off this case, and I want SVU to do its job.

Benson

Elliott, hey, stop! What's going on?

Stabler

I touched her in an inappropriate manner, didn't you hear?

Benson

I don't believe that. Forget that. What's going on at home?

Stabler

Nothing.

Benson

Hey, would you talk to me?

Stabler

Kathy left me.

Benson

Elliot, what happened between you and Kathy?

Stabler

Well ... the job made me kind of hard to live with.

Benson

She should try working with you.

Benson

[to Gina] You think you got a good enough look at him to work with a sketch artist?

He was behind me most of the time. White guy, hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his head, big sunglasses, smelled like an ashtray. Guess it's not going to help you with your sketch unless it's a scratch and sniff, right?

[to Thomas Mathers] Have you ever had a girlfriend?

Lots of guys don't find a right girl.

Benson

That's true. I mean, being single's not easy.

You would not look at me twice if I asked you out, you would not give me a time of day, so don't pretend you understand what I'm going through. I don't need your pity.

Stabler

You're just looking for the right girl. And one day you'll rape her and live happily ever after.

Benson

[to Elliot] I can't believe that you are gonna take a shrink's opinion over actual facts.

[offended] Bye.

Stabler

What's your problem? She's a cop. That's all I need to know.

Benson

No, Elliot. She didn't think that being a cop was good enough, so she quit.

Stabler

Is that what this is about, some inferiority complex?

Benson

You know, I get that you are on the rebound and everything, but if you could keep it out of work that'd be great.

Mark

I never touched Holly Purcell!

Benson

She's at your house all the time. She's in your class at school. You couldn't stop thinking about her.

Mark

Holly's like one of my own daughters!

Stabler

You give private lessons to your daughters, too?

Mark

You're disgusting! How dare--?!

Stabler

I'm disgusting?! [pins Mark to the wall] Holly told us what you did to her!

Mark

THEN SHE'S LYING!

Stabler

You tore her up, and she's got the scars to prove it! [releases Mark]

Mark

I don't know what in Hell is going on around here! But I'm not saying another word! I want a lawyer!

Benson

Dr. Blair, do you realize that disseminating pornography to a minor is a felony?

I showed them art books.

Stabler

Doc, I saw the art in your office and even I was uncomfortable at how many phalluses were on display.

That's because you're a bourgeois American, completely uptight about sex. It's what screws up your children and turns them into sex offenders.

Stabler

You lost me at bourgeois.

What'd I do wrong? I was born with these feelings. I don't know why I have them. They were always there. Wasn't exactly like I had a choice.

Benson

Neither did the 117 boys you molested.

I never hurt them. It never hurt me.

Benson

You were abused.

My father left when I was a baby. And when I was about nine, this man moved across the street. He was the only one I could talk to. He loved me, he cared for me. And touching me was how he showed it.

Benson

How's Dickie?

Stabler

A handful. He's demanding cookie dough ice cream and Jackass 24-7. He reminds me so much of me, it's scary.

Benson

Didn't know you were a Jackass fan.

Stabler

I mean getting what I want. According to Kathy, it's not one of my more endearing qualities.

Benson

Before you had kids, you ever worry what they'd be like?

Stabler

All the time. Still do.

Benson

At least you and Kathy know what you're passing on. Half my genes are drunk and the other half are violent and cruel.

Stabler

And look how great you turned out. It's not all about the genes, Liv. All you can do is love your kids.

Benson

When we were kids, our parents told us we were too young to date just one guy.

Stabler

Now you pray your kids only date one guy.

Benson

Until she started hooking up with half of Queens. After that it's no big deal to have sex for designer clothes or prostitute yourself at a hotel.

She winds up as Trudy Strutz, Porn Star.

Stabler

She winds up dead on a roof.

Stabler

Did you think I froze? Is that why you fired first?

Benson

[sadly] I fired first 'cause you would've killed him.

Stabler

He deserves to die.

Benson

Maybe he does, but he wanted you to kill him. He wanted you to always remember that you took his life. Not because you had to, but because you were angry.