22-year-old’s horrific story rocks US election race

An unthinkable situation for a 12yo girl in the US resurfaced and could have huge repercussions for this year’s presidential race.

A 22-year-old woman has opened up about some of the most isolating and horrific moments of her life in a speech that paints presidential candidate Donald Trump in a particularly negative light.

Hadley Duvall is actively fighting against the overturning of abortion rights in United States.

A 2022 US Supreme Court decision meant that legislation was left up to individual states, with some criminalising abortion for up to 15 years. Some have outlawed it in all circumstances — even in the cases of incest or sexual assault. It is a position backed by Mr Trump and the Republican party.

Ms Duvall made a speech on Monday night local time at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago that included horrific details about her childhood.

She told a shocked audience that she fell pregnant after being sexually assaulted by her stepfather for years. She was given a pregnancy test that showed she was pregnant.

Ms Duvall’s stepfather was convicted of rape and is in prison.

Hadley Duvall at the Democration National Convention.

“Growing up, I was an all-American girl. Varsity soccer captain, cheerleading queen and I was raped by stepfather after years of sexual abuse,” she said while on stage.

“At age 12, I took my first pregnancy test. It was positive. That was the first time I was ever told, ‘you have options’.”

During her speech, she called out Republican nominee for vice president in the 2024 presidential election JD Vance and Donald Trump, who have both been vocal about states determining their own abortion laws.

“I can’t imagine not having a choice, but today that is a reality for many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trump’s abortion bans. He calls it a beautiful thing but what is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parents’ child?” Ms Duvall demanded to know.

“There are other survivors out there who have no options. And I want you to know that we see you, we hear you.

She was raped by her stepfather. Picture: Instagram/@hadley.duvall

“Kamala Harris will sign a national law to restore the right to an abortion. She will fight for every woman and every girl, even those who are not fighting for her.”

Mr Vance is no stranger to vocalising his thoughts on this issue, with the former venture capitalist telling Catholic Current in October 2021; “There’s something comparable between abortion and slavery, and that while the people who obviously suffer the most are those subjected to it, I think it has this morally distorting effect on the entire society.”

Mr Vance added that Americans have “begun to see children as inconveniences to be discarded, instead of blessings to cherish”.

Rape, meanwhile, is “inconvenient”, Mr Vance has said, and abortion laws should not include exceptions for it or incest.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right. It’s not whether a woman should be forced to bring a child to term, it’s whether a child should be allowed to live, even though the circumstances of that child’s birth are somehow inconvenient or a problem to the society,” he told Columbus’ Spectrum News in September 2021.

Hadley the week she discovered she was pregnant.Picture: Instagram/@hadley.duvall

Hadley is an abortion rights campaigner. Picture: Instagram/@hadley.duvall

“The question to me is really about the baby. We want women to have opportunities, we want women to have choices, but, above all, we want women and young boys in the womb to have a right to life.”

Meanwhile, in April, Mr Trump made an attempt to appeal to his hard-right supporters.

“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both,” he said in a video posted on his Truth Social network, AFP reported.

“And whatever they decide must be the law of the land, in this case, the law of the state.”

Trump did not mention a national abortion ban and did not say whether he would veto an attempt to enact one by a future Republican-led Congress during the Wisconsin appearance.

Ms Duvall is no stranger to the campaign trail, joining First Lady Jill Biden in June.

Her voice has been so powerful that lawmakers attempted to use her name — Hadley’s Law — to make exceptions to Kentucky’s abortion ban. Unfortunately, it never passed the legislative session.

Since she took to the stage, thousands of women have flooded Ms Duvall’s social media to thank her for what she spoke about.

“I saw you speak at the DNC and am amazed at your bravery! No child should have to go through what you did,” one said.

Another said: “My daughter is almost 12 and your story and this photo shattered my heart. Your bravery and courage is inspirational. Thank you for using your story for good. Bless you.”

“You are extraordinary. Thank you for sharing your story,” another said.

Originally published as 22-year-old’s horrific story rocks US election race