A Breath From The Breathing

socialismartnature:

The only thing I would add is that the ban should be repealed not just on abortions in the case of rape, but in all cases. Abortion is still legal in the U.S., and the Army is supposedly under the jurisdiction of all U.S. laws. Ergo, women in the military should have access to abortion — without limitation — in the same degree as all other matters concerning their health.

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The US government should allow US servicewomen who are rape survivors to make their own decisions about their pregnancies. On May 24, 2012, the US Senate Armed Services Committee will consider a proposal under a military funding bill that would end the ban on military insurance coverage for abortion in cases of rape and incest.

“It is outrageous that US servicewomen enduring sexual assault while serving their country are also kept from making decisions about their pregnancies,” said Meghan Rhoad, women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Senate has an opportunity to end this double injustice by revoking the health insurance ban on abortions in cases of rape.”

US law prohibits the armed forces from providing health coverage for abortion except in cases in which the life of the pregnant woman is in danger. This policy diverges from other federal health insurance programs such as Medicaid, which include exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape and incest.

In 2010, 166,729 women were serving as active duty enlisted personnel in the US military, while 35,341 served as commissioned officers. The military estimates that 19,000 sexual assaults of military personnel occur each year in total, including rape as well as other types of sexual assault. Defense Department records indicate that 3,192 sexual assaults were reported in 2011, but the department estimates that only 15 percent of assaults are reported.