Ep 12. Protection

In Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 3 episode 12, titled "Protection," the team is faced with a complex case involving a young girl who has been the victim of sexual abuse. The girl's mother is reluctant to help with the investigation, and the case takes a dangerous turn when the abuser threatens both the girl and the detectives working on the case.

The episode opens with Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her partner, Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), arriving at the hospital to investigate a case of sexual abuse. The victim is a young girl named Lisa, who has been brought in by her mother, Diane (Melora Walters), after complaining of stomach pains. When Benson and Stabler interview Lisa, she reveals that her stepfather, Roger (John Benjamin Hickey), has been sexually abusing her for months. However, when they try to interview Diane, she is evasive and defensive, refusing to believe that Roger could be capable of such a crime.

The detectives go to the family's home to interview Roger, but he refuses to talk to them and instead hides in his room. When they search the room, they find evidence of child pornography and conclude that Roger is definitely guilty of the crime. However, they have a difficult time proving it, as the mother refuses to testify against her husband and Lisa is too traumatized to testify in court.

As the detectives continue to investigate the case, they discover that Roger has been blackmailing Diane with a secret from her past in order to keep her quiet. When they confront Diane with this information, she finally agrees to testify against Roger, but only if she and Lisa are given protection. The detectives arrange for the family to be put into a safe house, but it quickly becomes apparent that they are not safe there either, as Roger manages to track them down and launch a violent attack.

The episode is tense and gripping, with excellent performances from the cast. Hargitay and Meloni are especially impressive as they navigate the difficult and emotional terrain of child sexual abuse. The episode also raises important issues about the difficulty of prosecuting these types of crimes and the need for protection for victims and their families.

Overall, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 3 episode 12, "Protection," is a hard-hitting and emotionally charged episode that tackles some of the most difficult issues facing society today. It's a must-watch for fans of the show, and a reminder of the important work that the detectives of the Special Victims Unit do every day.