Days after news broke that the Air Force officer overseeing the service's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program was arrested on charges of sexual assault, a Pentagon report was released showing that there were an estimated 26,000 cases of sexual assault in the military in fiscal year 2012 - a six percent increase over 2011.

It's reprehensible that this officer could have perpetuated the very same act that he's supposed to be working to end.

How we treat our service members reflects on us as a society. That's why we're working hard to make sure that our service members have the same rights as citizens here at home.

We celebrated a victory last year when Congress enacted the Shaheen amendment, which lifted the ban on sexual-assault survivors using their health insurance to pay for abortion services.

We've also been working with amazing pro-choice champions in Congress like Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who introduced the Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health for Military Women (MARCH) Act which would repeal the ban on women in the military using their own money for abortion care overseas.

It's unacceptable that military women who sacrifice so much for our country are blocked from making the most personal of reproductive-health decisions.

We're optimistic that more political leaders will make ending sexual assault and ensuring service women's reproductive rights a priority. Because even one sexual assault is too many.

Arizona Rep. Trent Franks (R) is capitalizing on the trial of Kermit Gosnell by attempting to push a bill through Congress that would ban abortion after 20 weeks for women in Washington, D.C.. Rep. Frank's proposed abortion ban contains no exceptions to protect a woman's health or her future ability to have children.

Rep. Franks wants to make it even harder for low-income women to access abortion care in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. Restricting access for abortion doesn't actually change a woman's decision to end her pregnancy. The restrictions do, however, make it more likely that she'll consider taking desperate measures, or be forced to seek out unsafe providers like Kermit Gosnell.

Let's get this straight - Rep. Franks is trying to impose his anti-choice agenda on women in D.C. who did not elect him as their representative. But that doesn't matter, since Rep. Franks apparently thinks he's the one anti-choice politician to rule them all...

"King" Franks has tried this before, and we defeated that bill in 2012. His abortion ban would truly endanger the health and future of low-income women in D.C. by limiting their reproductive options.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how dangerous this proposed abortion ban would be for women and their families. And it completely contradicts efforts to protect women's health.

To make matters worse, anti-choice Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R) jumped on the intrusive bandwagon and recently introduced his own Senate version of the 20-week abortion ban in D.C.

Last year, the District's only representation in Congress, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, was denied the right to testify in opposition to the bill.

It's going to take all of us speaking out to make sure Congress hears our opposition to these overreaching bans on abortion. Please help us protect women in D.C. and voice your pro-choice values to your lawmaker.

Elizabeth Smart caught the nation's attention when she was kidnapped for nine months. She survived horrible trauma - and is now working to protect and educate children about violent and sexual crimes.

When she spoke at a forum on human trafficking, Smart shared that she "felt so dirty and so filthy" after being raped by her kidnapper. She attributes feeling worthless to growing up with "abstinence-only" programs:

"I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm that chewed up piece of gum, nobody re-chews a piece of gum, you throw it away.' And that's how easy it is to feel like you no longer have worth, you no longer have value. Why would it even be worth screaming out? Why would it even make a difference if you are rescued? Your life still has no value."

Dangerous "abstinence-only" programs withhold information about reproductive health and often tell students that birth control, including condoms, is ineffective for preventing pregnancy or protecting against STDs. Even worse, these programs use shame to dissuade teens from having sex, and often use comparisons like the "chewed gum" metaphor to make them feel bad for becoming sexually active.

Clearly, shaming teens has consequences. That's why Elizabeth is speaking out through her foundation to send the message that "you will always have value and nothing can change that."

Even now, anti-choice politicians across the country are fighting to defund and block comprehensive sex-education programs that help teens protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and disease and give them the confidence to make the decisions that are right for them.

We're grateful for Smart's courage to speak openly about such a personal chapter in her life. And we hope that her message will not be lost on deaf anti-choice ears in Congress and in state legislatures across the country.

Check out our graphic and share it with your friends on Facebook:

We were outraged to hear about Kermit Gosnell and his unsafe treatment of women who trusted him with their reproductive health.

What the anti-choice movement doesn't want you to know is that low-income women can be driven to seek medical care from individuals like Gosnell because of unfair restrictions to abortion access.

Even today, rather than work to expand women's access and prevent women from turning to back-alley abortion providers, anti-choice politicians are pushing to make it harder for women to get abortion care.

In Iowa, the state House of Representatives passed legislation that would withhold Medicaid funding for abortion providers. Here's the scariest part: Medicaid funding in Iowa only covers abortion for survivors of rape or incest, and when the woman's life is in danger.

These anti-choice politicians are heartless for wanting to cut funding for abortion care when a woman's life depends on it.

That doesn't sound very "pro-life," does it?

If they get their way, anti-choice politicians will succeed at blocking low-income women from even getting birth control and cancer screenings.

We've seen what happens when ideology trumps women's health. Before Roe v. Wade, women still sought out abortion, but they often ended up in the hands of predators like Kermit Gosnell.

If anti-choice politicians succeed in promoting their agenda - blocking access to abortion care to women who have been raped, or cutting vital health programs that prevent pregnancy - then surely these zealots must bear some responsibility for the horrors from unsafe providers like Kermit Gosnell.

In the midst of fighting anti-choice legislative attacks, there are some pro-choice champions who stand up, speak out, and make us want to shout "Hallelujah!"

This month, we were impressed by Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims, who took a stand for freedom and privacy in opposition to his anti-choice peers in the legislature, earning him a spot in our April Hall of Fame.

When his anti-choice colleagues tried to ban women from using their own private money to pay for insurance that covers abortion, Rep. Sims expressed his dissatisfaction, saying:

"Each of us put our hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. We did not place our hands on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."

Can we get an "Amen!"

Pennsylvania has some of the most restrictive anti-choice laws on the books, and received an "F" grade in our 2012 edition of Who Decides?. That's why we're so grateful for pro-choice champs like Rep. Sims for calling out anti-choice politicians.

We know one anti-choice politician that could use calling out, and that's anti-choice Florida State Rep. Charles Van Zant.

Rep. Van Zant earned a spot in April's Hall of Shame by being so offensive while offering closing statements on anti-choice race - and sex - selection abortion ban legislation he sponsored, that his remarks prompted at least five female African-American lawmakers to walk out of the room.

There are many pro-choice champions and anti-choice challengers who could easily be ushered into our Hall of Fame and Shame.

Check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates and stories on pro-choice heroes and anti-choice baddies.

Who caught your eye this month?

Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, debated Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, on "PBS NewsHour." They talked about anti-choice legislative attacks in the states and the trial of Kermit Gosnell. Here are a few of Ilyse's points - be sure to watch the whole interview:

"We are already seeing a number of court cases, including ones that Americans United for Life, I think, support, that go far beyond Roe, far beyond women's ability to decide about abortion with their doctors.

[Anti-choice groups] are supporting rollbacks of contraception. They actually have model legislation on their website that would limit IVF, as we have seen in the "personhood" amendment. This is a radical agenda and this is the antithesis of common sense. Americans believe that women and their families and their doctors can make these personal decisions, not meddling politicians."

Sarah La Due is the assistant director of public affairs at NARAL Pro-Choice California

We've got some good news!

A new bill in California will break down some of the barriers that women face in accessing abortion care. By allowing trained nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician's assistants to provide first-trimester abortion care, the Abortion Access Bill will allow more women in California to get the care they need from local providers they know and trust.

But even in a pro-choice state like California, there are anti-choice opponents working to defeat this important bill.

In a recent committee hearing, Assemblymember Donald Wagner (R-Irvine) shocked us with some of his assumptions about women's access to abortion care:

"I would think we'd have here, in support of the bill, a whole lot of women with their kids in tow, like we had in opposition to the bill, saying, 'You know, I couldn't get access, so look what happened.'"

Really?

Apparently, Assemblymember Wagner needs women to parade their children as evidence that women need access to abortion. Wagner doesn't seem to understand what reality looks like for many working women and families in this state.

Good thing Assemblymember Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) was there to set him straight.

Watch the exchange for yourself:

California women are fortunate that pro-choice champions in the legislature - like Assemblymember Mitchell and Assemblymember Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), the bill's sponsor - are pushing this important bill forward.

NARAL Pro-Choice California is proud to be working on proactive, pro-choice legislation that aims to serve all women - rural or urban, rich or poor - because all women deserve access to comprehensive reproductive-health care.

To learn more about the Abortion Access Bill (AB 154) and to take action to support it, visit www.ProChoiceCalifornia.org.

Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, appeared on MSNBC's "Politics Nation with Al Sharpton" to discuss the trial of Kermit Gosnell:

"As a new president of a pro-choice organization, I want more media scrutiny on this case. Because that's the only way we're going to turn these anti-choice extremists' crocodile tears into policies that actually protect women by not throwing up obstacles for them getting safe, legal abortion care."

Tomorrow, April 30, voters will head to the polls to vote in the Democratic primary in a special election for Secretary of State John Kerry's former Senate seat.

It's essential that we elect leaders that will protect and expand our reproductive freedoms, not work to take them away. That's why we've pulled out all the stops to help elect Rep. Ed Markey and keep this Massachusetts Senate seat pro-choice.

NARAL Pro-Choice America staff and volunteers have been working day and night over the last few weeks, knocking on more than 2,000 doors and making thousands of phone calls to educate Massachusetts voters about why Rep. Ed Markey is the only candidate they can trust with their freedom and privacy.

Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, was in Massachusetts on Sunday speaking with students of Wellesley and at two rallies with Rep. Markey.

We're seeing evidence of the power of choice in this election. A lot of the voters we spoke with didn't know the primary was just around the corner. Others told our canvassers that they're pro-choice and didn't know that Rep. Stephen Lynch had voted anti-choice so frequently.

For example, there's the story of Jennifer in Newton. Jennifer was definitely planning on voting on Tuesday but wasn't aware that Markey is the only fully pro-choice candidate in the race. After learning this news, she changed her decision on the spot and became a Markey voter.

Voters in Massachusetts want a leader who will fight for their reproductive freedom and privacy. Tomorrow, they'll vote for the pro-choice candidate who will do just that, and that person is pro-choice Rep. Ed Markey.

When it comes to comprehensive sex education, anti-choice politicians - the same ones who want to ban access to safe abortion care - are fighting to block teens from receiving objective and complete information.

This year, anti-choice lawmakers are moving several anti-sex-education measures.

Politicians introduced measures to block groups that provide abortion, including Planned Parenthood, from teaching sex education in schools in Arkansas and North Dakota. And legislators are still considering similar language in Texas.

In Ohio, politicians tried to insert an amendment to the state budget bill that would effectively ban comprehensive sex education from schools and fine teachers thousands of dollars for endorsing "gateway sexual activity." Gateway sexual activity?

It's hard to believe the utter hypocrisy of these anti-choice politicians. They rail against abortion care, but want to withhold important information that young people need to learn how to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. The alternative that our opponents are peddling is, in short, dangerous.

In West Virginia, student Katelyn Campbell became suspicious when an "abstinence-only" assembly was scheduled at her high school. Katelyn educated herself about the speaker, and not only decided not to attend, but also to alert the local papers.

The principal at Katelyn's school threatened to call her future college and tell them that Katelyn is a "backstabber" with "bad character" for leading the charge against the assembly. Katelyn has since helped raise awareness about the many problems with "abstinence-only" programs in high schools today.

We know that the best way to reduce unintended pregnancy, and therefore the need for abortion, is to educate our young people on how to practice responsible, safe sex with accurate and comprehensive information - something anti-choice politicians and activists refuse to accept.