- - Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson Wipes Away Tears of Teenage Trafficking Survivor in “Law & Order: SVU” Sneak Peek (Exclusive)

Alex RossJanuary 30, 2026 at 4:00 AM

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PEOPLE has an exclusive sneak peek of the Thursday, Jan. 29 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

In the clip, Milan Marsh guest stars as a teenage trafficking survivor whom Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) promises to help

Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock

Even after 27 seasons, Olivia Benson's empathy is still going strong.

In PEOPLE's exclusive sneak peek of the Thursday, Jan. 29 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) comforts a teenage girl named Riley (Milan Marsh) in the hospital after she's rescued from traffickers.

Wrapping the child in a hoodie, Benson begins by asking her how old she is and if her parents are around.

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT -- "Hubris" Episode 27013 -- Pictured: Milan Marsh as Riley -- (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Virginia Sherwood/NBC

"I'll be 15 in a couple of months," says Riley. "My mom died when I was little. My dad— I just don't live with him anymore."

"Okay. You in foster care?" Benson asks. Riley remains quiet.

"Those lashes, are they hard to get off?" Benson says gently, nodding at Riley's visible eye makeup. Riley tugs the false eyelashes off.

"Oh, good, that was easy," says Benson, wiping Riley's face. "So, Riley, I don't know you, and you don't know me, but what happened to you isn't right. It's not fair. And you deserve to be protected. And loved. And I can't change the past but what I can do is I can promise you that I'll do everything in my power to make sure that you get to be the girl that you are supposed to be."

Mariska Hargitay on 'Law & Order: SVU'

Virginia Sherwood/NBC

Through tears, Riley then discloses to Benson that the man who abused her said if she told anyone, she'd "never see her daddy again. He said I could never go home."

"Who said that?" Benson asks.

"Please, I just want to go home. Can't you just take me home?" Riley says, distressed.

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"Is it ok ayif I give you a hug?" Benson asks. The two embrace, and Benson rocks Riley gently. "I'm so sorry. I got you," she whispers.

(l-r) Peter Scanavino as A.D.A Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Ice T as Sgt. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, Norma Kuhling as ADA CJ Jones on 'Law & Order: SVU'

Virginia Sherwood/NBC

The episode, titled “Hubris” will follow the teen after she's rescued from a dangerous situation and begs Benson to help reunite her with her father, according to NBC.

Per the network, A.D.A. Dominick Carisi (Peter Scanavino) and A.D.A Cindy "CJ" Jones (Norma Kuhling) will take the foster care system to task for separating families without sufficient proof.

Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and is streaming the next day on Peacock.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”