50 fearless, confident, all around badass women on television

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Olivia Benson – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Practically saving the victims of the world all by herself, Olivia Benson is a crusader for justice, and that’s pretty badass. She will always do what it takes to protect the abused, and fights through impossible circumstances to make sure they get what they deserved.

As a victim herself, Olivia Benson knows what it feels like to be helpless and in pain, so her fight is personal for her. Every case, every victim becomes the most important in the world to this detective, so every time she solves it or saves them, it’s a victory for herself and the department.

Olivia is among the few women in a profession dominated by men, her activism for victims of abuse is even more important. The de facto representative for victim’s rights, she has to be the voice for those who can’t speak for themselves. This is a lot of responsibility for one woman, but she is the most capable person in her department.

Her partnership with Eliot Stabler may not have been traditional, but it was the ideal for platonic and professional love and respect. Together, usually with Olivia as the lead, brought due process for so many sufferers of crime and atrocities.