I had an abortion on April 26, 1984 when I was just barely 13 years old. My adoptive parents had a distant cousin of theirs, more a friend of the family, living with us. My adoptive mother was physically, emotionally and sexually abusive. The cousin was in his early 20s and he raped me for over 4 years (12-16 yrs old). My adoptive parents knew because I told them but they didn’t believe me. My adoptive mother especially wanted me to be nice to my rapist. I knew that my adoptive parents wanted another baby when I missed my period and found I was pregnant. I asked my rapist to pay for and take me to the abortion.

If I hadn’t aborted the baby, my abusive parents would have kept it and abused it. I was also sure that I’d never finally escape the poverty and abuse in my home if I had the baby. I was in the 7th grade. I forged a note from my parents, skipped school, and rode on the back of a motorcycle to and from my abortion. The abortion doctor had a hard time with the IV and I woke during the procedure. It was a very difficult time but I was determined my rapist use protection afterwards. Several years after the abortion I was born again Christian and went through one of those abortion recovery ministries. The ministry was one of the most awful experiences I’ve ever had which is saying something. They made me feel awful for my choices and did not understand my situation at all.