Samantha M. Roth

Alexandria, VA

I have a confession to make: I was once a “Law and Order: SVU” junkie. I lived for Olivia Benson’s so-caring-she’d-defy-orders attitude, Casey Novak’s passionate outbursts in court, even that “chung-chung” sound (it was my phone’s ringtone). I was sure that when I grew up, I was going to be just like those women and save the world.

Of course, real life is not like TV, but for many people, “Law and Order” is the closest they’ll come to an actual courtroom. In my current position as a victim advocate for domestic violence victims, I often use references from the show in order to help the victims I work with acclimate to the legal system they find themselves in after an assault. America’s legal system can be a confusing place, and it’s my job to support victims of crime and help find their voice as they work through it.

Unlike Olivia and Casey, whose portrayals came from scripts and talented actresses, I rely on quick thinking, empathy, and a tight-knit team of detectives, prosecutors, and advocates to make a victim’s court involvement after an assault a little bit easier. Advocates in my position call this “working in the trenches,” a one-on-one advocacy experience with people suffering from trauma, and it’s both extremely difficult and extremely rewarding. Every day creates new challenges that require outside the box solutions, and most importantly, putting oneself in another’s shoes.

Another confession: I don’t watch “Law and Order: SVU” anymore. Instead, I come to work.

  • Work
    • Alexandria Office of the Comonwealth's Attorney
  • Education
    • The College of William and Mary