Temple Drake, a frivolous young woman from a prominent Mississippi family, is raped and Forced prostitution by Trigger, a backwoods bootlegger, after Trigger shoots and kills a boy who tries to protect her. Another backwoodsman is charged with the murder. When Temple tries to leave Trigger, he becomes angry and is apparently about to assault her, so she grabs his pistol and shoots him, then flees back home to her family. An idealistic lawyer eventually persuades Temple to tell the truth about the first murder on the witness stand and save the defendant's life, even though her testimony will disgrace herself. According to Pre-Code scholar Thomas Doherty, the film implies that the deeds done to her are in recompense for her immorality in falling into a relationship with the gangster, instead of fleeing him.