Olivia Benson


 * "I'm your partner for better or worse."
 * — Olivia Benson to Typhuss James Halliwell, 2388


 * For the alternate reality counterpart, see Olivia Benson (alternate).
 * For the alternate mirror universe counterpart, see Olivia Benson (AMU).

Olivia Benson is a female Human who serves as an Security officer in the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service. Olivia heads up the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. Prior to taking over SVU, Olivia worked as a SVU detective and was partnered with Elliot Stabler for over 7 years, then she was partnered with Typhuss James Halliwell after he returned from the Delta Quadrant in 2377. After Elliot's resignation, Olivia partnered primarily with Nick Amaro before she became a Sergeant and took over the SVU unit from Captain Donald Cragen. As of January 2388 Olivia is the SCIS officer in charge of the SVU unit.

Her Detective badge number is 4015.

Early life
Olivia Benson was born on January 13th, 2338 on Earth to Serena Benson. She was the product of the 2338 rape of Serena Benson by a food salesman named Joseph Hollister. At the time of the rape, Serena had been working in the cafeteria of Columbia University. Olivia Benson has a half-brother, Simon Marsden. She didn't find out about her brother until they were both adults after she illegally ran her DNA through a kinship analysis. Serena died from injuries sustained in a fall when she was drunk in 2367, which left Olivia deeply saddened.

Starfleet Career
In 2360 Olivia became Typhuss James Halliwell's partner while in the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service. Olivia is a Detective in the Special Victims Unit.

In 2361 Olivia and Typhuss were chasing an Andorian pirate named Sha'Kev, after Sha'Kew killed a Starfleet Ensign named Masaro. Later Sha'Kev escaped to New York city with Olivia and Typhuss following him. Later Olivia and Typhuss captured Sha'Kev. Sha'Kev was placed in a Federation prison.

In 2362 Olivia and Typhuss were ordered to track down former Starfleet Lieutenant Milo Surgant and former Cardassian Glinn Betras. Olivia and Typhuss later found Milo Surgant and Betras at a spaceport on Andoria. Milo Surgant and Betras were able to escape the two SCIS officers when Orion pirate Siroc transported them to his Orion raider. In 2366 Olivia and Typhuss were ordered to track down former Starfleet Lieutenant Milo Surgant and former Cardassian Glinn Betras again. This time they were able to arrest former Starfleet Lieutenant Milo Surgant and former Cardassian Glinn Betras. Orion pirate Siroc was unable to transport Milo Surgant and Betras to his raider because the USS Enterprise-D disabled their transporters. In 2384 Olivia joined the USS Intrepid's crew as a Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service Investigations Specialist. Captain Cragen officially retired from the Special Victims Unit in 2388. He left to go on a cruise around the world with his current girlfriend, leaving Olivia in charge of the Special Victims Unit. As of January 2388 Olivia is the SCIS officer in charge of the SVU unit.

Stargate program
After stealing information on the Stargate Program in 2385, Olivia joins the program on orders from Lieutenant General Jack O'Neill and is in command of SG-5, an SGC team.

Skills and Abilities
Benson speaks some Spanish and French and is able to read the Miranda rights in three others.

Alternate reality
''In an alternate reality, Olivia Benson was a Detective in the Special Victims Unit and by 2371 Olivia and Typhuss became lovers. The Olivia from this reality seems to be much more emotional than her counterpart in our reality. Olivia and Typhuss kept their relationship secret from the other Detectives in the Special Victims Unit. The only two people who know about the relationship were Alexandra Cabot and Melinda Warner, two of Olivia's best friends.''

Relationships
Olivia has had atrocious luck when it has come to the area of dating and interpersonal relationships. She had a one night stand with Brian Cassidy, her co-worker. She ended it the next day because he wanted something more. One boyfriend, Andy Eckerson, seemed to have a death-wish. Another man she dated, reporter Nick Ganzner, was seeing her to get information about a serial rapist she was looking for. A third, ADA Jeffrey York, later turned out to be gay, and was murdered by his colleague, Andy Abbott. York had HIV at the time of his death, and she had to be tested for HIV and fortunately, the test came back negative. More recently, Olivia dated a newspaper editor, Kurt Moss, but this fell apart when a tabloid writer at Moss' paper outed Lincoln Havers, a high-profile professional quarterback who happened to be a suspect in a murder that Benson was investigating. Naturally, Havers' attorney accused SCIS of leaking Havers's sexuality to the press, and SCIS in turn tried to scapegoat Benson for it. It was ultimately proven that Havers's agent was the real leak. Benson decided to break up with Moss, who had asked her to move in with him. She also had a brief relationship with her former case worker, Dean Porter. She tricked him with a brief date and kiss for a case. The case ended in him lying to her and breaking her heart. His last words were: "Our feelings don't matter." He then left her in an empty interrogating room with tears in her eyes. Detective Benson begins to develop feelings for new Executive Assistant District Attorney David Haden, and also doesn't mind that he is a father. She and him kiss each other good-night. They stayed in a relationship until they broke up due to a conflict of interest. Olivia was in a relationship with old co-worker Brian Cassidy. They mutually ended their relationship.

Relationship with Typhuss James Halliwell
Benson's current partner is Typhuss James Halliwell. They have never been romantically involved. However in an alternate reality they were romantically involved by 2371. Their relationship is not without friction, as the two sometimes argue over the cases they work on; Benson is quicker to side with the victims while Halliwell is slower to assume that victims are telling the truth. There is also some sexual tension between them. Olivia has been asked by various criminals if she is attracted to, or has ever slept with Typhuss. The answer is always in the negative. Typhuss's wife, Kira, was worried that Typhuss prefered to spend most of his time with Olivia rather than with his family. They were deemed, "too close" when forced to undergo evaluations by Dr. Rebecca Hendrix. She recommended they stay together because together they were the best detectives in the unit. Olivia considers herself to be "best friends" with her partner Typhuss James Halliwell. A heated conflict occured between the two when Olivia accused Typhuss of attacking Brigadier General Samantha Carter. Olivia later apologized to Typhuss after evidence was found, the attacker was a Changeling and their friendship was restored.

Relationship with Elliot Stabler
Benson's partner on the job is Elliot Stabler from 2371 to 2377 (it is considered against department policy for partners to enter into a romantic relationship in the SCIS). Their relationship is not without friction, as the two sometimes argue over the cases they work on; Benson is quicker to side with the victims while Stabler is slower to assume that victims are telling the truth.

Stabler's wife, Kathy said she worried that Elliot preferred to be with Olivia rather than with herself and the kids. Combined with his long hours on the job and away from home, Stabler's work at SVU placed considerable strain on their marriage, eventually culminating in their separation; they later reconciled before the divorce became final.

Olivia has been asked if she is attracted to, or has ever slept with Elliot. The answer is always in the negative. Benson tries to get dirty SCIS officer, Detective Quinn to turn on her male partner but ends up revealing her own feelings about her former partner: "You love him, don't you? You're forty years old, wondering if you'll ever have a family - or if riding around with him will be enough for the rest of your life. Did you really think he'd leave his wife and kids for you? You spent the last five years hoping he'd suddenly turn and realize you're the woman he can't live without."

The relationship between Olivia and Elliot was more like a brother/sister relationship.

Relationship with Alex Cabot
The first constant ADA for SVU was Alexandra Cabot. The two seem to be close, as evidenced by going out as friends to an ice rink and for drinks. They seem to argue a lot over cases and warrants, getting in each other's faces to prove their point.

After Cabot's supposed death, Olivia is shown to be distraught over losing her. She doesn't take well immediately to the next ADA (Casey Novak) either. However, Cabot was actually brought into Witness Protection Program. She demanded to see Olivia and Elliot before she left to assure them she was alive.

When she returns as ADA for SVU after her stint in WPP, she and Olivia do have a rocky relationship later;' Olivia threatens to put in a request for a new ADA after Alex chooses to drop a case because of the investigation surrounding her.

Relationship with Casey Novak
Casey and Olivia did not hit it off immediately. In fact, their relationship was initially quite adversarial. However the two women had become considerably closer.

Olivia confided in the latter about her teenage fling with her mother's college student. Casey admits that she was engaged to a schizoprehnic, Charlie, who beat her, went off his meds, and continued to do so for quite some time. She finally kicked him onto the street. Casey reveals that Charlie was found dead with nothing but her business card on him. She blames herself for kicking him out.

Personality
While a dedicated officer, Olivia is more likely to go to bat for women she deals with during cases than men, and has shown skepticism during cases where women are the offenders and men are the victim, or allows her sympathy of the victim to cloud her judgement and make her commit actions without thinking. Such as when she interrogated a man until he confessed to a crime which he was later found to be innocent of and sending him to prison for life, which could have been avoided if she was thinking clearly enough to check on the evidence.

Olivia is deeply empathetic with victims of sex crimes. As a result, she is often quick to believe victim's stories. Her partner Typhuss James Halliwell is often more skeptical of victim's accounts, which often brings the two partners into conflict. Olivia's ability to empathize with victims is a tremendous asset, but there are times when it comes back to haunt her. When Benson went undercover in a women's prison to find a rapist and was almost raped herself until Detective Typhuss James Halliwell, also undercover there as a guard of the facility, managed to save her just moments before the man, who was a fellow guard, abused her. Afterwards, Olivia developed a severe case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but has been receiving counseling for the assault and has been seen dealing with it more constructively. While speaking to a victim of a separate rape, the victim asked her if she was better having dealt with her rapist, and Olivia told her that she was better but that she wouldn't ever forget what happened.

Aliases
Olivia is often referred to as "Liv" by her squadmates instead of Olivia. Typhuss is the only one that calls her Olivia. Olivia used the undercover alias Rachel Martin to visit reporter Jackson Zane when he was imprisoned for writing an article about Michael Delpit's theft of several dozen vials of a virus. She also called herself Rachel while she was having dinner with Mike Jergens. She was trying to observe him enough to prove that he was a rapist.

Olivia used the alias Persephone James while investigating an environmental activist group undercover in Oregon for Starfleet Intelligence.

She used the alias Katrina Ray Lewis when she went undercover to help bust a corrections officer suspected of raping and killing inmates. Olivia poses in a bar as a woman named Donna. She once used the name Beth. She posed as a woman named Claudia needing young girls for escorting men.

Apartments
Olivia lives in apartment 4D, Olivia later moved to apartment 4E.