Former professional surfer and seven-time world champion Layne Beachley has revealed the intricate complexities of a childhood laced with adoption, self-doubt and being the product of a date-rape.
In an interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, Beachley told Hamish McLachlan there is little doubt that although she grew up in a loving and stable environment, her long battle with self-confidence dates back to well before her adoption.
Telling the story of how she was conceived, Beachley told McLachlan her mother was an aspiring model who went to dinner with the manager of a modelling agency.
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I can't begin to imagine how difficult it would be to find out that your conception was the result of rape. I wonder too at what conflicted feelings a mother would have knowing that the baby she loves has half the DNA of the man who raped her, and what if the child grows up resembling the rapist father, always a reminder to the mother. In some ways I think perhaps it is better to be adopted in that circumstance, because I would think it would always cause some difficulty for the mother no matter how much she loved her child.
Something that is also interesting is that because of DNA it would be possible to track these men down. This brings up a few issues, firstly some children may end up meeting their father (though I imagine that most would not want to do so), but the other issue is whether any of these men can be brought to justice. The DNA would prove that they were the father, naturally this does not mean that rape can be proved, but in the rare circumstance that the crime was reported at the time but the rapist was unknown to the woman and never caught, this could mean the person would be held accountable for their crimes years later. Or perhaps a more likely scenario is that if the man is charged and many other woman (or children) come forward with a similar story (as it is quite possible that a man like this raped other models also and impregnated them too) then this man may still be served with justice. I have no idea though whether there is a statute of limitations on rape in this country?
I'm glad Layne Beachley has managed to make the best of her life, despite all of this, good for her in achieving so much.
In my own case, I'm pretty sure the man who impregnated my 15 year old mother would have died by now. He was a generation older than my biological mother and I'm about to turn 71, so it's now water under the bridge. I thank my lucky stars every day my parents adopted me.
I randomly met Layne in an elevator in Sydney and in the few short minutes she engaged me in conversation I was struck by how lovely, down-to-earth, and warm she was. Completely unaffected by her incredible success. A role-model indeed and someone who should be proud of herself in every aspect of her life. Sometimes true beauty comes from the darkest of beginnings.