Single mom Jenny Aschler is arrested for child endangerment. Not trusting anyone to take care of her young daughter Maddie, she instead leaves her home alone for days. Jenny's fierce motherly instincts and fear of men leads Sergeant Benson to suspect she may have been a victim of child abuse. With help from Dr. Lindstrom, Jenny recovers deeply repressed memories of violence, rape and neglect.

In the moments after William Lewis' death, Sergeant Benson is rescued by the SVU squad, but her torment continues. The Internal Affairs investigation of her actions is deemed inconclusive, and with no evidence to corroborate her story, Prosecutor Derek Strauss convenes a grand jury and calls for Benson's arrest. With increasing pressure from Lt. Tucker and Lt. Murphy to save herself any way she can, Benson must choose between her convictions and her badge.