Protect Our Defenders Condemns VA Proposal to Strip Abortion Access from Survivors of Military Sexual Assault

Department of Veterans Affairs’ proposed rule would deny care in cases of rape or incest, rolling back hard-fought protections for veterans and military families

Washington, DC – On August 4, 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposed a rule that would strip away abortion access for veterans and eligible family members in nearly all circumstances — including survivors of rape or incest. Under current VA policy, abortion care is available if a pregnancy results from sexual assault, incest, or poses a risk to the health of the patient. The proposed change would only allow care if a physician determines the pregnancy threatens the life of the patient.

For more than a decade, Protect Our Defenders (POD) has stood with survivors of military sexual assault, fought to reform the broken military justice system, and opposed policies that retraumatize those who have served. This rollback would not only endanger the health and lives of survivors, but it would also harm morale, deter service members and their families from seeking care, and further erode recruitment and retention at a time when the military is already facing a severe readiness crisis.

POD urges the VA to immediately withdraw this harmful and inhumane proposal. While Congress retains the power to override or direct VA policy, it has shown no indication it will act. With the public comment period open until September 3, we urge veterans, military families, and the public to contact the VA and their elected officials now to demand they reject this cruel rollback.

Protect Our Defenders Founder and CEO, Nancy Parrish, released the following statement: 

“Denying abortion care to survivors of military sexual assault is cruel, dangerous, and a betrayal of those who have already sacrificed for this nation.

“Imagine you are a female veteran who served your country with honor. You returned home carrying invisible wounds, working to rebuild your life in civilian society. Then the unthinkable happens — you become pregnant as a result of rape. In your darkest moment, when you need healthcare the most, you discover that the very system designed to care for those who served now denies you access to the medical care your doctor recommends.

“You face an impossible choice: carry a pregnancy that resulted from violence against you, or navigate a complex web of state laws and travel hundreds of miles for care you cannot afford — care that was available to you just weeks before through the Department of Veterans Affairs system you earned through your service.

“Now imagine you are the parent of a minor child of a service member. Your teenage daughter has experienced the trauma of sexual assault. She is pregnant, and both of you are grappling with an unimaginable situation. The healthcare system that was supposed to support military families now adds another layer of trauma by denying access to basic reproductive care, forcing your family to seek alternatives during the most vulnerable time in your lives.

“These are not abstract policy debates. They are the lived realities of women who have already made the greatest sacrifice possible for our country, or are part of families who have. They deserve healthcare that recognizes the complexity of their situations and provides compassionate, comprehensive support during their most vulnerable and painful moments.

“The women and families affected by this proposed change are the heart and soul of our nation. They should not be forced to endure additional trauma when they need healthcare the most. Creating arbitrary barriers to care for those who have served our country represents a betrayal that is both cruel and incomprehensible.

“POD urges the VA to immediately withdraw this harmful and inhumane proposal. We call on Congress, veterans’ organizations, and the public to stand with survivors and ensure all veterans have access to the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare they have earned.”

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About Protect Our Defenders: Protect Our Defenders is the pre-eminent national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny, sexual prejudice, and racism in the military and combating a culture that has allowed it to persist. We seek to honor, support and give voice to the brave women and men in uniform who have been sexually assaulted while serving their country, and re-victimized by the military adjudication system – a system that often blames the victim and fails to prosecute the perpetrator. Learn more about Protect Our Defenders at www.protectourdefenders.com or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/ProtectOurDefenders or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ProtectRDfnders.