She's the young woman who became a familiar face during the 2023 election, and some say she was a big part of Governor Andy Beshear's eventual victory.

Hadley Duvall, the college student who's become an advocate for abortion rights, spent some time with our Laura Rogers.

Abortion is completely banned in Kentucky, with very limited exceptions.

A young woman who was sexually abused as a child by her stepfather.

Now advocating for legislation that would lessen restrictions on maternal health care, including abortion in certain circumstances.

Hadley, Duvall is your typical college student studying at the library, grabbing snacks at the student center at Midway.

I'm a student.

I'm here to learn and to be with my friends.

Good to.

See you.

Yeah, good to see you.

But what's not so typical?

Appearing in a campaign ad, I was.

Raped by my stepfather.

Sharing a very personal and traumatic story of child sexual abuse.

I was a cheerleader.

I was a soccer player.

I was around people constantly, and nobody knew.

It happens.

It happens behind closed doors.

It's something that is hidden a lot more than people realize it.

I'm speaking out because women and girls need to have options.

Many say it was this ad that helped Democratic Governor Andy Beshear win reelection in a deeply red state.

I've had somebody tell me she's never voted outside of her party, and she said, I voted Democrat for the first time in my life.

And she said it was because of you.

A native of Jonesboro, Duvall came to Midway University on a soccer scholarship.

I never thought college was in the books for me, especially not college athletics.

And I just continued to push forward.

She has defied the odds.

This spring, she'll be the first person in her immediate family to graduate from college.

My mom was an active addiction for many years.

She was away rehab for over a year.

She was in prison.

And my dad's been to jail multiple times.

It is these life experiences that have inspired Duvall's career plans.

Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a master's degree in social work.

I've always had an interest in victims rights and working with victims during their healing process.

That comes from her own personal story, one she felt compelled to share publicly.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade.

I saw lots of Facebook posts, social media posts of people that I was close with, you know, celebrating the overtime.

At the time when I did get pregnant, I didn't really know the concept.

I didn't really understand.

I couldn't grasp the reality of what was happening to me.

And there is a girl somewhere right now who cannot grasp that same reality, but there's no options for her.

Duvall miscarried her pregnancy.

She says it is her perspective that abortion is not a, quote, black and white issue.

When I hear abortion, I don't think for birth control.

I think, oh, like if someone was raped and they got pregnant, they would need one.

And that's always been an argument that I've made.

Under Hadley's law, a bill filed by State Senator David Yates, a Democrat from Louisville.

There would be exceptions for cases of rape and incest, non-viable pregnancies, and to protect the health of the mother.

It's a very small step in the right direction.

It's not.

And our bill and it's not pro-abortion, it's not to push that abortion.

It's just to open up the space for that choice.

It's to allow that woman to have the conversation with her medical doctor and not have to have it just decided for her.

Duvall says she has felt the love and support of her college community.

This past October, she was crowned homecoming queen.

And it was just so heartwarming just to see, you know, like at that point, it was not about a political ad, It was not about being a voice.

It was not about anything else.

And then just being a college student in that moment.

Though she never set out to be a political or public figure, she hopes to inspire other women to share their own stories and struggles.

I don't love politics, but I don't hate them as much as I thought I did.

Now, as for Hedley Duvall's future, she has plans to write a book.

She says she also wants to work with youth, especially children of the incarcerated and of those suffering substance abuse.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you so much, Laura.

The proposed Hadley's law is formally known as Senate Bill 99.

It was introduced on January 9th, but it has not been assigned to a committee yet for action.