3 Women 3 Ways

This is hard, but imagine you are raped, get pregnant from that rape, and decide to continue the pregnancy. THEN, the attacker seeks joint custody…or even SOLE custody of that child! It defies logic, yet 31 states the rapists have parental rights to that child. That means visitation, overnights, perhaps, communication with your attacker for 18 years. It happens more than you think. Shauna Prewitt is an attorney, author, and advocate for raped women, and this is exactly what happened to her after she was raped in college. Spurred by these events and determined to make a difference, Shauna enrolled at Georgetown Law School in 2006. During her time there, Shauna wrote the first scholarly piece examining the legal protections afforded to women who mother through rape. Since its publication, Shauna's piece has received much attention from legal scholars, legislators, and advocacy groups. She is now a practicing attorney and national expert on the laws protective of pregnant raped women. Shauna frequently testifies in support of stronger rape legislation and routinely contributes to the national commentary on the need for even greater protections. Interviews with and articles written by Shauna have appeared on CNN, NBC, and other national media outlets. And this Saturday she joins us to talk about these kinds of situations and what can be done about them.