Hadley Duvall, a 22-year-old woman from Owensboro, Kentucky, who became an abortion rights advocate after being raped by her stepfather as a child, will campaign with first lady Jill Biden in Pennsylvania this weekend as part of a 2024 election push around the anniversary of the fall of Roe v. Wade. Duvall first shared her story publicly last fall in a campaign ad for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, discussing the consequences of abortion restrictions, especially those without exceptions for rape or incest. Her stepfather was convicted of rape and is now in prison. The ad served as a strong motivator for rural, male voters who had previously voted for Republican Donald Trump.
Following Beshear’s reelection, Duvall is now focusing on the White House election. She will be joining Jill Biden at a Pittsburgh rally on Sunday as part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to mobilize voters on abortion rights. Duvall will continue to campaign for the Democratic incumbent and highlight the importance of reproductive rights. The Supreme Court recently overturned abortion rights that had been in place since 1973, leading to bans in half the states and no exceptions for rape or incest in 10 states. Duvall emphasized the importance of survivors having the freedom to make their own choices and the impact of these restrictions on their lives and futures.
Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has taken credit for the overturning of abortion rights, having nominated three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, he has not openly supported a national abortion ban. The Pennsylvania events are part of a larger campaign push around the anniversary of the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and Vice President Kamala Harris has also been involved in related events. The campaign includes over 35 events across the country, featuring women and doctors deeply affected by the fall of Roe.
A poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that a majority of U.S. adults, including those in states with strict abortion limits, believe abortion should be legal, at least through the initial stages of pregnancy. Since the demise of Roe v. Wade, reproductive health in the U.S. has faced increased challenges, with delayed miscarriage care, limited access to routine reproductive medical services, and temporarily paused fertility treatments in some states. Duvall, a senior at Midway University in Kentucky, has been vocal about a state bill that aims to provide exceptions to the state’s abortion law.
Duvall’s advocacy for abortion rights stems from her personal experience with sexual assault and its connection to the ongoing debate over abortion. Despite being a survivor of a traumatic incident, she has chosen to speak out publicly, identify herself, and share her story to raise awareness about the importance of reproductive rights and the impact of restrictions on individuals’ lives. The campaign efforts around abortion rights in the lead-up to the 2024 election aim to engage voters, especially in swing states, and underscore the consequences of the recent legal changes on women’s health and well-being. The events featuring survivors and healthcare providers affected by the fall of Roe v. Wade seek to highlight the urgency of protecting and preserving reproductive rights in the United States.
