Pregnant after being violently raped at just 12-becomes voice for those suffering similar experiences.

Lianna Rebolledo was just 12 years old, one day, she was walking near her home in Mexico City, when she was suddenly abducted by two men and brutally raped. The attackers left the young girl half dead on the side of the road, her face and neck horribly disfigured. 

She thought for sure her life was over. Rape caused Lianna’s life to become a living hell. No matter how many times she showered, she could not get rid of feeling of being dirty. She tried to commit suicide. Then, she learned that she was 13 weeks pregnant at age of just 12.

Doctor told her she had every right to abort the child, because she didn’t need to have a constant reminder of the attack. But Lianna asked the doctor if abortion would help her forget the rape and ease her pain and suffering. When he replied ‘No,’ she realized that ending the baby’s life would not really benefit her. “If abortion wasn’t going to heal anything, I didn’t see the point,” she said.

Her mother fled Mexico to escape domestic violence and later was able to bring her children including Lianna to California. Her single mother, who provided for her four children, inspired Lianna to fight for her own daughter.

Lianna went to a special junior high and high school. She had to do a lot of work at home, so she could take care of her daughter; and at the same time, she had been working since 13 as a cashier and later as a waitress.

She left her 3-year-old daughter at a daycare while she went to work and study. She worked eight hours a day and studied in the afternoon.

“Many people told me my life was ruined, but at 16, I was providing for myself.” She said.

Looking back, Lianna, 35, now realizes that her daughter saved her life and helped give her meaning to her life. “In my situation, two lives were saved. I saved my daughter’s life, but she saved my life,” she said.

“I never thought about who her biological father was. She is my kid. Just knowing that she needed me, and I needed her…it made me want to work, to get a job”. she said.

After high school, she began studying communications at UCLA, eventually graduating with a degree in journalism. She later completed a counseling certification at Los Angeles City College.

After graduating, Lianna worked at various secular radio stations and some television programs, but she said she still had a lot of resentment for those who had assaulted her.

Over the years, Lianna suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder with panic attacks, anxiety and depression, despite therapy, talks and seminars. Then someone asked her, “You’ve already tried everything else — why not try God?” That led her to seek “spiritual therapy” from a priest.

“He helped me learn to choose to forgive, and how healing begins,” she said. “I now recognize that God was always with me, even when I was kidnapped, because if it were not that way I would not have survived.

Around 2008, Rebolledo left her work in journalism and started a foundation called “Prevention and Rescue,” which supports families suffering through alcoholism and drug addiction.

Lianna now lives in Los Angeles, California, where she runs Loving Life, a non-profit organization to help raped and pregnant women. She is also an international pro-life speaker with the message that every life, no matter how it began, is lovable.

(Credit to Angelus News)