Ep 19. Parasites

In this episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, entitled "Parasites," Detectives Benson and Stabler are called to investigate a case of sexual assault and murder involving a young woman who was found dead in a hotel room. The investigation quickly leads them to a group of young people who live in a commune-like situation and rely on each other for food and shelter.

As they delve deeper into the case, Benson and Stabler discover that the group is under the control of a charismatic leader named Jason, who has convinced them to join his cause by offering them a sense of belonging and purpose. However, as they dig deeper, they begin to uncover a seedy underbelly of manipulation, coercion, and abuse.

The victim, it turns out, was not the first young woman to fall prey to Jason's tactics. In fact, there is a long list of women who have been victimized by him and his followers, but they are too scared to come forward for fear of reprisal.

Benson and Stabler must work quickly to gather evidence and build a case against Jason and his followers before he can claim any more victims. Along the way, they face resistance from both the group's members and the local authorities, who are hesitant to believe that such a seemingly wholesome organization could be capable of such heinous acts.

As the case unfolds, Benson and Stabler must navigate a web of lies and betrayal in order to bring the perpetrators to justice. Along the way, they must also confront their own biases and preconceptions about what makes a person susceptible to being manipulated by a cult-like group.

Ultimately, they are able to build a strong case against Jason and his followers, but not before several more lives are put at risk. The episode concludes with Benson and Stabler reflecting on the complex nature of human psychology, and the dangers that can arise when people are convinced to surrender their agency to a charismatic leader.