They protect U.S. citizens. They care for other soldiers. They defend our country. But for the one third of women in the military who have been sexually assaulted, if they get pregnant from the encounter they are given little choice but to continue the pregnancy and give birth. And the senate has no interest in changing that rule.

According to Feminist Daily News, senate leadership is refusing to allow a vote on the Shaheen Amendment — a bill that would lift a ban on insurance coverage for abortion in the case of rape or incest in the military. Unlike most “no taxpayer money for abortion” rules, which usually exclude rape victims, the Department of Defense not only does not allow an exception for rape, but even forbids women from using their own money to pay for an abortion at a U.S. military facility.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the amendment’s sponsor, calls this an injustice to all women who serve. “This policy is fundamentally unfair to the more than 200,000 women serving in our military. They are fighting to protect our rights, and they should have the same rights to reproductive health care as our civilian employees.”

Do you think Congress should stop the ban on abortion for military victims of sexual assault? Sign the petition below and let your voice be heard.

Source: http://www.care2.com/causes/senate-forces-women-in-the-military-to-carry-rapists-babies.html