Conceived in Rape Silent No More

Juda Myers 11.15.2013
Years ago there were less than a handful of people willing to come forward to say they were rape conceived or gave birth after rape. Today there are many more voices declaring life after rape. Women and children are realizing there is no shame in being pregnant by rape or being conceived in rape. For as long as time has existed it seems the victims have carried the shame that belongs to the perpetrator. I am happy to say that this is a new day when victims of rape will not stand for the lies. As the multitudes of people share their love of life even in cases of rape eyes are opening to truth. Victims are becoming victors and society is being called to justice. In a day when everyone wants equality even for what once was seen as perverse behavior it is time to give ear to a huge part of society that has been abused, neglected and even rejected. Prejudice against people because of skin color or heritage has become intolerable. Lives were lost in those battles for equality. But countless lives have been lost simply for the fact that a person was found in the womb of a woman after she was raped.Centuries have passed and the demand for the killing of the innocent rages on. Definitely this is the case of mistaken identity and being in the wrong place at the wrong time according to society.

But the majority of mothers know their baby was not a mistake. And they are speaking out. But not only are those mothers breaking their silence, but also the ones who succumbed to society’s lies that their baby was a curse. And the children are speaking for themselves too. Ever since I found out about my own conception I’ve desired to hear other stories. At first it was just to know I wasn’t alone. We all want to know we aren’t an isolated case even though we wish this on no one. So as I spoke out across the U.S. countless women can to me whispering “I had a child after being raped.” I would always ask, “Why are you whispering?”  They didn’t want anyone to know because of the prejudice against that child. So I would remind them, “Didn’t your mom teach you not to take things that didn’t belong to you? Drop the shame…it’s not yours or your child’s.”  But the hard reality is that mothers of rape conceived children are ridiculed, insulted, called liars if they choose to give birth but even more so if they choose to raise their child. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard stories of women being abandoned by families who refused to believe she was raped. I am most grateful to mothers and families who support a girl/woman after rape and those who are bold enough to speak truth through their own story.

If millions of war rapes have occurred across this planet for thousands of years then there are far more rape conceived thriving unknown to society. What if every mother and every child stood for the world to see just how many we are. I have a dream that one day we will stand by the thousands for the world to see us as we are, doctors, lawyers, professors, mayors, police officers, military, teachers, chemists, worship leaders, pastors, songwriters, authors, engineers, and every other profession.  My heart’s desire from the beginning has been to encourage every person to share their story. It will not only set them free but in time society will have to change their attitude simply because of our numbers. I love seeing women find boldness and refuse to take the abuse. One person was Connie Hong. Her life was much like many who were silenced and shamed. But now she is speaking out and taking her place in the battle to set others free.

Someone sent me a message saying she was the grandchild of someone conceived in rape. And that person’s offspring numbered in the 20’s. One life saved is not one in a million but one of millions I believe. My own mother saved not only my life but the lives of my two sons. Each of my sons has two sons and both have a child due next year. One life is worth more than just one life. What that one life will accomplish is known to no one. Ray Martinez is a great example. Given to the state after he was born it would be five years before Ray would be adopted. Most people who are for abortion in these cases would point out that no child deserves to be in an orphanage. They would look at Ray’s life from day one to the day before he was adopted and say he should have been killed instead. No they wouldn’t use that word but disguise it with the word abort. They would speculate that he would have been “better off” to be torn apart in his mother’s womb than to be in an orphanage. But that wasn’t the end of the story.  Ray isn’t silent on his gratitude to both his biological mother and his adoptive parents. His adoptive parents gave him a great life and when he had the choice to do what he wanted with that life it was amazing. I dare say that most people who claim that the rape conceived have “bad genes” have no knowledge of real people conceived in rape. He is not the “exception” but certainly exceptional. Ray is featured in our new documentary Pro Life Without Exceptions. Here’s a bit of his bio that he didn’t tell in the documentary.

Ray Martinez with his biological mother

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Ray’s accomplishments:

  • 30 years in public service. Three years United States Army in Thailand and stateside
  •  January 2004 -December 2005, Mayor Martinez received a White House appointment to the Defense Advisory Board for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) by Secretary of     Defense Donald Rumsfeld (WWW.ESGR.COM ).
  • Earned the Army Commendation Medal.
  • First Latino mayor elected by the people in Fort Collins.Ray left office in April 2005 because of term limitations.
  • On January 11, 2003, Mayor Ray Martinez was appointed to the Board of Directors for Capitolwatch in Washington DC.
  • October 24, 2002, Ray Martinez was recognized by the  107th Congress, Second Session, and placed into the Congressional Record by U.S. Congressman Bob Schaffer of Colorado for being instrumental in transforming Fort Collins, Colorado into a City of Character, and for outstanding leadership.
  • Law Enforcement- 25yrs
  • Spearheaded a community commitment to establish Fort Collins as a City of Character.
  • Expert witness in the field of identification, recognition, and investigation of dangerous drugs.
  • Lead investigator in an international terrorist investigation involving the attempted assassination of a Libyan student. The magnitude of this criminal episode is the subject of two published books: “Death Merchant” by Joseph Goulden and “Man Hunt” by Peter Maas.
  • First Hispanic Sergeant in Fort Collins police service
  • Served on two public safety boards.
  • Published ten books.
  • The United States conference of Mayors appointed Mayor Ray Martinez as Co-Chair of the Mayors and Police Chiefs Committee for the year 2002.
  • Presided over the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Public Safety and Crime Prevention.
  • Elected to the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors in June 2003.
  • In 1997, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Ray Martinez was a nominee for the Nineteenth Annual Conrad L. Ball Award and recognized for “Outstanding Contribution to the Quality of Justice” presented by the Larimer County Community Corrections Board.
  • Mr. Martinez is an active member of several local advisory boards. With a particular interest in working with youth.
  • Co-founded an organization known as Neighborhoods United.
  • Served as Chapter Advisor for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Colorado State University. He was selected as Regional Chapter Advisor of the Year (1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999), as the quarterly National Chapter Advisor of the Year (1997), and Colorado State University’s Greek Chapter Advisor of the Year (2000).http://www.campusofcharacter.colostate.edu/
  • Talk show host (2005-2011) KFKA Radio, 1310 AM called Saturdays Opinion, www.1310KFKA.com .  Currently he is an occasional guest radio show host for KCOL/Fox network at www.600kcol.com .
  • Other community boards on which Mr. Martinez serves or has served include:

• Centennial Chapter of the American Red Cross
Larimer County Office on Aging Advisory Council (term ended December 2005)
Partners Advisory Board of Directors
Team Fort Collins Advisory Council
• Neighborhoods United
• Poudre High School Foundation Board of Directors
• The School Effectiveness Team (SET) at Poudre High School
• The School Improvement Team (SIT) at Lincoln Junior High School
Colorado Youth Corps Association
• Governor Owens’ appointment as Chair of the Minority Business Advisory Council and  under Governor Ritter
Community Foundation of Northern Colorado Board of Directors
• CSU Distinguished Member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars for Outstanding Scholarship, Leadership and Service on April 13, 2001.
• Member and past Chair of the Colorado Municipal League Policy Committee, and a member of the Crime Prevention steering committee
• Downtown Development Authority Board (alternate)
Poudre Fire Authority Board of Directors
• Chaired the Longs Peak Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Breakfast Fund Raising Event (2002)
Institute of Business and Medical Careers (IBMC) Advisory Board Paralegal Division (started November 2003)
The Boys and Girls Club past Board of Directors of Fort Collins
• Northern Colorado Alzheimer Association Advisory Board (effective January 1, 2006)
Larimer County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors (effective March 1, 2006)
Open Door Mission  past Advisory Board member
• Honorary Chairperson for the Fort Collins Character Council Advisory Board
• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Board of    Director member (expired 2010)
• Governor of New Mexico, Acting Governor Mary Herrera, awarded Colonel Aide-De-Camp of the Governor of the State of New Mexico on February 26, 2007
Gideon member, President of the Fort Collins South Camp as of June 1, 2007-2009
Project Smile of Fort Collins as presiding Board of Directors member
Cystic Fibrosis Board of Directors for Colorado (2009)

Larimer County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors/Treasurer (2006-current)

 

Ray be reached at 970-690-3686 or through email: raymartinez31@comcast.net
For those of you with stories don’t be silent any longer. Share your story. For those who thought you knew what a mother would feel if pregnant by rape and this website has changed your mind please let me know.

Thank you.

 

1 thought on “Conceived in Rape Silent No More”

  1. Pingback: Abortion: In the Bible or Not? | The Unconventional Catholic

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