Guest Star Tim Guinee
This week on Law & Order SVU, the show delves into the rights of the mentally ill. When you are already labeled as mentally ill, you are easy prey for predators who know that nobody will believe you when you cry foul. The show opens on a girl being chased by her boyfriend in the woods. We know she likes him because she takes off her clothes to tease him, and then makes him chase her. Cut to a park scene, with Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T) on a sting, trying to pass as a jogger and a guy with a backpack. They are just about to give up when a practically naked guy, our boyfriend from the earlier scene shows up calling for his girlfriend, Amber, who’s nowhere in sight. He takes off the last bit of his clothing, and is officially naked before he faints. A bystander videotapes the whole scene on his cell phone and posts it on YouTube soon after. Everything that’s happened so far is a red herring. That’s right. The crime has nothing to do with the public exposure. Typical SVU. Tutuola makes the call for a bus to Laguardia Psych, since he thinks this guy is crazy. All the while, the naked guy is talking to Amber, whom he sees in her underwear, but nobody else sees. After the guy is taken the two cops begin to argue. Tutuola says the guy’s ‘psych’, Rollins says he’s just on a bad trip. Tutuola challenges her call, “You know the difference between a chemical wig out and a psychotic break?” Rollins says, “Yes, I can. I grew up around both. My sister.” Another tidbit about Rollins’ past is revealed. This is not a summary of the episode; it is a recap of the five best moments of the show.
Here’s the countdown to the Five Best Moments of the Show.
#5 Best Moment of the Show. At the hospital, the security guard tells Rollins and Tutuola they can leave, he’s got it. Of course, another incident takes the guard’s attention away, and the naked guy makes a break for it. He barges in on a room with a girl crying out for help; turns out he walked into a guy in the process of raping a girl. He saw a guy threatening her with a knife, but not his face. The next morning, he swears in front of the judge at arraignment that he saw the crime. That’s when the judge orders an investigation. The cops can’t agree on whether or not to believe him. Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer) is the voice of reason, “We have a description. We go to Laguardia. If the girl exists, we find her.” Turns out she’s Gia Eskas (Natasha Lyonne). The doctor says she had to be sedated last night. She is real. Finally, the psych patient will get justice.
#4 Best Moment of the Show. When questioned by Benson and Rollins, Gia denies it, “If it was one of my fellow inmates, they all lie. I’m working on my triggers, that’s why I’m here.” She talks tough, "Some girls travel, go to college to get away. I go to Laguardia Psych.” After the long questioning session, she finally changes her tune for the first time when Rollins asks her to comply with a rape kit. Rollins, “If she was raped, it’s going to be hard as hell to get anyone to believe her.” Benson, “Which makes her the perfect target.”
#3 Best Moment of the Show. The forensics is in on the rape kit. They found sperm and the DNA of an unknown male. There are lacerations scars and perenatal tags. Gia’s been sodomized for years. The cops question Gia’s mom, Diane Eskas (J. Smith Cameron). She says, “Gia’s father is in Four Winds Hospital being treated for Schizophrenia. Mental illness runs in his family. At first I was going to call the police when she cried rape, but Gia said she just made it up. Gia was sick like her father. She takes her meds, then she stops, cause she thinks she’s cured. She told me once she wants me to find her body. Sometimes I think my daughter thinks I hate her.” The mom is no help whatsoever.
#2 Best Moment of the Show. Ethics do not come with the job. Turns out, one of Gia’s co-patients was trying to protect her. She went to a security guard for protection. The guard spills everything since he didn’t think he did anything wrong. “Gia comes to me, says she needs a gun. She said she’ll do anything to get a gun. She drops to her knee and does me. No, I didn’t give her a gun, and it wasn’t sex, it was just a BJ.” Are you kidding me?!? The parting ‘Bill Clinton’ remark by Tutuola was not amusing. Thanks to our former president, oral sex is no longer considered sex. If this is the norm, this is indeed a sad state of affairs.
Finally, the #1 Best Moment of the Show. Finally, Rollins and Benson gets Gia to crack by sharing her own story. Benson, “I’ve been attacked, I’ve been assaulted, and my gun didn’t protect me.” Gia, “It doesn’t matter. Who’d believe me? Nobody ever believes me.” Benson, “We believe you. I believe you.” Gia, “All I wanted was someone to pay attention to me. He was interested in something I had to say. I thought, finally! Someone sees me. Now I just wish I could disappear.” Benson asks again, “Who raped you?” Gia, “My uncle, George.” “I thought I was safe in here, and then he got in to rape me again.” Benson, “He’s been raping you since you were 14?” Gia, “Sometimes in his garage, sometimes in his bedroom. He said it will be our dirty little secret. I told my mom. You should see the look on her face. She wouldn’t believe it. George takes care of her, if she can’t make rent, or groceries, George takes care of it. In the real world, he’s sane and I’m not.” Rollins and Benson search through the uncle, George’s bedroom, and find a tool box. It’s got a combination lock. Rollins ask, “What’s George’s birthday?” Gia’s mom gives it up, “9/29”. They try the combination and it’s not it. “What’s your birthday?” They ask the wife. Again, Gia’s mom answers, “6/16”. They try the combination and it’s not it either. Finally, Rollins asks the obvious, “What’s Gia’s birthday?” George’s wife refuses to comply. It’s Gia’s mom who finally gives in, “4/24”. The tool box opens. Rollins pulls out a photo of Gia in her pink bra. The date on it says 4/24/01, which is on her 14th birthday. Case closed.
There are four disturbing parts in this episode. Excuse me while I get on my pulpit.
#4 Most Disturbing Part of the Show. Listening to the rapist, George Zane (Tim Guinee), retell his version of the story, “I was her first. She was so shy. She had on a pink bra.” Amaro asks, “How long have you two been dating?” George, “You mean how long we have had sex. I made us both wait until she was 17.” Amarao, “It was you with Gia in the on call room?” George, “Yes. She can’t live without me.” George’s attorney adds, “That’s why he impersonated a doctor to visit Gia. He didn’t want his wife to know. Show them the letter.” George then takes out an obviously old and tattered folded up letter with a young child’s writing, ‘I love you, Uncle George.’ The attorney goes on, “A rape victim wouldn’t send her rapist a love note. Are we free to leave?” The fact that the note was written by Gia when she was 12 does not deter the defense attorney from using it as a ‘Get Out of Jail Free Card’ for her rapist. Where is his humanity? George is obviously a predator that will be brought to justice, but his defense attorney is a predator with a shield against prosecution. He has the shield of criminal law to stand behind when he uses all the tools at his disposal, to the detriment of the victim.
#3 Most Disturbing Part of the Show. Finally, Gia’s rapist is behind bars. He’s looking at multiple counts of sexual assault. Gia is safe now. H’s never getting out. Benson asks, “Has your mother come to see you yet?” Gia answers, “No, I don’t want her to. I know I have to forgive her to move on, but not today.” Benson, “You sound strong.” Gia, “The doctor warned me it’s gonna be a long road back.” Benson, “I know it’s hard to imagine it now, but you survived the abuse, you’re going to survive the recovery.” No one wants to focus on the long road ahead of the victim, who’s been victimize for almost half her life. Bystanders think the crime story is over when the perpetrator is caught. But they forget about the victim. The survivor has to retell her story over and over again. It will take a lot of therapy to heal and be whole again. Places like The National Center for Victims of Crime are there to help all victims of crimes. Visit their site at http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbID=DB_VictimAssistance207
#2 Most Disturbing Part of the Show. Rollins and Benson get ready for the fight ahead of them, trying to prove Gia’s uncle is the rapist. Rollins, “This is going to be an uphill battle.” Benson, “That’s why we do it.” Rollins, “Something happen to me on the job, part of the reason why I had to leave.” Benson, “Someone you work with?” Rollins, “It’s not worth pursuing.” Benson, “That’s why they win. Let’s not let it happen to Bella.” Now we know Rollins was the victim of abuse at her other job. Now we know she backed down from doing the right thing because the fight was going to be too hard. Now we know what millions of other women do. For women who feel nobody would believe them. For women who feel they will never get justice, there is help. Places like Safe Horizon is a safe haven for victims who think they have nowhere to turn. Visit their site at http://www.safehorizon.org/
#1 Most Disturbing Part of the Show. Nobody believes the mental patient by virtue of their label. Everyone thinks, “If you’re in a psych ward, you must be crazy. So everything you say must be made up.” Even the psychiatrist falls for this trap. I feel this is a teachable moment that SVU failed to take advantage of. Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions; disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness can include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. While there are actively psychotic patients who are picking butterflies out of the air; there are plenty more anorexics and gambling addicts who are highly functioning members of society. To learn more about all the myriad of mental illness, visit The National Institute of Mental Health site at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
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