Woman Chooses to Keep Baby after Uncle Raped Her
- Updated Oct 14, 2016
A woman who was repeatedly raped by her uncle and became pregnant by him, chose to keep the baby despite what she suffered.
LifeNews reports that Julie Dunlavy was abused by her uncle for 16 years, since the age of 13. She didn’t tell other family members about the abuse because her uncle threatened her not to tell anyone.
Dunlavy was actually impregnated by her uncle twice. The first time, however, she had a miscarriage, but the second time, she brought the baby to term.
She had to tell her family that she became pregnant from a one night stand because her uncle threatened to harm her or her family if she told anyone the baby was his.
Despite the abuse and threats and unplanned pregnancy, Dunlavy says she never considered abortion.
“I don’t believe in it,” she said.
“I did worry that he was going to look like Peter and he would remind me of what happened,” she continued. “I was worried I wouldn’t be able to cope when he was born. But I did cope and I never let Peter touch him. I never thought of the babies as his, I thought of them as mine.”
Eventually, her uncle was arrested and convicted of sexual assault of other women. He was given a 12-year prison sentence. Finally, Dunlavy felt free to tell police that he also repeatedly abused her.
Dunlavy, along with many other rape victims, say despite the circumstances of their pregnancies, they knew abortion was not the answer.
“I could not imagine ending the life of this cute little boy (who will turn out to be great in this world) because of some wicked man’s actions,” shared Hellen Rhoda, another rape victim who said she was pressured to get an abortion. “When my son was born, I named him Ellis, meaning ‘consecrated for God,’ she continued. “I am glad I kept my baby, even though I have paid a heavy price for him.”
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: October 14, 2016
