Luisa is born as the second of eight children. They are initially raised by their mother, a traveler who is ostracized by her community for earning a living through prostitution. The children are largely left to fend for themselves, wandering around all day and scavenging for food. Then Luisa becomes a victim of her own mother and her clients, who repeatedly abuse the little girl. Eventually, the authorities take the children away from their mother and place them in a Catholic children's home. There, the sisters attempt to turn Luisa into a "respectable woman" through physical punishment, torture, and exorcisms. However, Luisa fights against this and refuses to be defeated. This poetic account, despite all its harshness, is supplemented by excerpts from official documents and the incredible report of Sister Andrusia about her brutal upbringing.