I grew up in a home with a violent, alcoholic father who began to molest me when I was three and frequently, violently raped my mother within my hearing.

I was 20 years old and in a terribly dysfunctional relationship. Mentally and emotionally abusive, as well as the constant infidelities.

I'd always known I was not Mother material. I would be the woman you see yelling at her child. The one that you wonder why she ever had a kid.

I was 21, married, in the military, full time student, part time retail employee, and completely broke. My husband was going away on his first deployment.

I had an abortion when I was 20 years old. I had just struggled to get out of an emotionally abusive and very isolating relationship when I discovered that I was pregnant.

I was a dancer for eight years, from the time I was ten years old, and I was now eighteen. I was in a sexually active but abusive relationship, and was still getting regular heavy periods.