Miss Pennsylvania Opened Up About Herself Being The Product Of Rape

Valirie Gatto representing Pennsylvania in the Miss USA 2014 pageant has opened up about she was conceived when her mother was raped at knifepoint. the 24-year-old beauty queen revealed to Today.com that a man dressed in black attacked her mother when she was just 19.

Valerie has decided to use this tragic story as a platform to help educate women about sexual assault. 'I believe God has put me her for a reason, she said' to give [people] hope that everything is possible and you can not let your circumstances define your life.' Valerie says winning the Miss USA crown will give her even larger platform for spreading her message of hope and solidarity. Valerie told Today ' being a child of rape, not knowing who my father is, not knowing if he ever been found, most people would think it is such a negative situation.'