Miss Pennsylvania USA 2014 Valerie Gatto wants to bring a voice and face to victims of sexual assault. While competing for the Miss USA crown, Gatto shared that she's a product of rape.
On June 6, the 24-year-old Pittsburgh native wrote about her personal story on her Facebook page:
"If you know me, you know that I have always been vocal about my story and an advocate for sexual assault and rape. Now, to see everything unfold to the world, it is fulfilling and life changing. I will post links to articles posted within the last 24 hours! Thank you for all of your support, I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!"
During the Miss USA competition, Gatto explained that her mother was raped at 19-years-old. Gatto says she's not letting it stop her from being the woman she is today. She wants to educate women on sexual assault so they may protect themselves. She is a former Girl Scout and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in marketing.
"Your circumstances do not define your life and you should not judge someone by where they come from," Gatto said.
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The Miss USA competition aired on NBC Sunday evening. Gatto finished in the top 20.
Contact Sarah Glover at 610-668-5580, sarah.glover@nbcuni.com or follow @skyphoto on Twitter.
