FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A few months after speaking about the trauma of being raped and impregnated in a campaign ad for Gov. Andy Beshear, Hadley Duvall is speaking out again. This time, she is calling on Kentucky lawmakers to add exceptions to the state's anti-abortion law.
"I was sexually abused by my stepfather for years before I became pregnant at the age of 12," said Duvall.
"I want people to understand - to think through - the real world implications of the current law in Kentucky," added Duvall. "At the age of 12, under this current law, I would've had no choice."
Kentucky's current anti-abortion law does not allow victims of rape or incest to access abortion services. The law is considered one of the strictest bans in the country.
Duvall is advocating for change.
Sen. David Yates filed Hadley's Law on Tuesday. This bill would create exceptions to the state's complete ban, allowing legal abortions in cases of medical emergencies, nonviable pregnancies, and situations involving rape or incest.
"This bill is about compassion and empathy," said Duvall. "I'm here with a clear message to say that unless you've been in this position, you have no idea what any woman or girl is currently going through. So, there should be options."
"The legislators shouldn't feel entitled to force victims who have stories like mine to carry a baby of their rapist," she added. "There are women and girls across Kentucky right now who are dealing with the same trauma that I went through. Those women and girls need their choices. This bill will provide those."
LEX 18 News and other media outlets do not normally identify sexual assault victims, but Duvall chose to be identified and has spoken out publicly about what she experienced and its connection to the debate over abortion.
She explains that it's important to put a face to a real issue.
"Putting my face with it - putting a human to it - is better than saying ‘well, what if?’ Because I’m not a what-if. It happened," Duvall explained.
"I could’ve been anybody’s daughter. I could’ve been anybody’s sister. Anybody’s niece or granddaughter," she added. "And at any point, it could be theirs."
Duvall became pregnant as a seventh grader but ultimately miscarried. Her stepfather was convicted of rape. But she says it's important to provide women and girls with options.
"You shouldn’t force birth on anybody," said Duvall. "We’re wanting the choice. We’re not forcing abortion.”
Duvall teamed up with Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and the bill’s lead sponsor to try to generate momentum on Tuesday, but its fate ultimately will be decided by Republican supermajorities in the legislature. The prospects for carving out more exceptions appear to be uncertain as GOP lawmakers wrangle with the issue.
Since this year’s legislative session convened last week, prominent Republicans have talked about how it’s a deeply personal issue for their colleagues. House Speaker David Osborne recently referred to abortion as a “hotly debated issue” with “lots of strong opinions” among GOP members.
Democratic state Sen. David Yates, the lead sponsor of the new exceptions bill, denounced Kentucky’s abortion law as among the nation’s most restrictive. His legislation would provide “a very small step in the right direction for a very limited number of victims that we can help,” he said Tuesday.
Kentucky is one of 14 states currently enforcing a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. Two more have similar bans on hold in court. And two others have bans that kick in when cardiac activity can be detected –- at about six weeks gestational age and before women often realize they are pregnant.
Several of the laws were adopted when the U.S. Supreme Court still found a nationwide right to abortion under the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and took effect only after that precedent was overturned with the new ruling in 2022.
The laws in states with the deepest restrictions are divided over the exceptions. Most allow abortion when the woman’s life is in immediate danger, though a recent ruling said that Texas does not have to do so. Some have them for pregnancies caused by rape or incest and some do not. A few states allow abortion in the case of rape but not incest. There are also contrasting policies over whether abortions are allowed when there is a fatal fetal anomaly.
Beshear, an abortion-rights supporter, said Tuesday he would immediately sign the new exceptions bill if it reaches his desk. The rape and incest exceptions would ensure that “those that have been harmed and violated in the worst of ways have options,” the governor said.
------------------------
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
