An orphan is sent to a reformatory where the inmates receive an extremely repressive education. While visiting the place, a teacher hears the orphan's indignant complaints about the mistreatment. Impressed, he adopts this 16-year-old girl, who at 24 graduated in Social Sciences. Now she has a name: Vitória dos Santos, and her concern is to help the girls who, like her, suffer in the city's asylums.