The United States’ Unknown Epidemic

With the tradition of marriage becoming increasingly diverse, with the legalization of same-sex marriage in 37 states prior to the June 2016 ruling; there were laws already in place preventing US citizens from marrying whomever they wanted. In many states there is no legal minimum age of consent for marriage. In states such as Connecticut, New York, and even Florida the minimum age is 16 without parental consent, anyone under the age of 16 can marry with the approval of their parents until last year. Yet in foreign countries that are less advanced than the United States and whose citizens don’t have the same freedoms as the citizens here, child marriages are banned. In places such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, child marriage has been banned in the past 3 years, while child marriage continues to rise in the US.

It was estimated that 248,000 children were married in the United States between the years 2000-2010. With the state of Idaho having one of the highest percentages among the 38 states that track the data. Since it can be nearly impossible for minors to escape these marriages without their parents agreeing to a divorce, any abuse that may arise in these relationships is only prolonged.

 In many cases the marriages (which are typically young girls under the age of 16 who marry adult men, 18+) can be seen as statutory rape in the eyes of the law in their own state, but there are loopholes that prevent the perpetrators from seeing justice. Since the perpetrator is married to their victim, they cannot testify against their spouse in the court of law. There is little to no way a child would be able to escape from their marriage.

Per the Miami Herald, research shows that women who marry at 18 or younger face a 23% higher risk of heart attack, diabetes, cancer, and stroke than women who marry between the ages of 19 and 25. The awareness of this issue has become more apparent with the organization Unchained At Last, which aims to assist women in forced marriages and provide legal counsel. Lead by Fraidy Reiss, the organization has been making strives to change policies in our local governments to prevent child marriages as well as provide a voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves.

 As of February 2018, Florida had aimed to be the second state to flat out ban child marriages, behind Delaware, with the slated law to be 18 with no exceptions. Lawmakers came to a decision to allow marriages to minors at the age of 17, so long as their partners would be within 2 years of their age, take a premarital preparation course, and sign an affidavit that the marriage is not coerced along with receiving counseling if there is a pregnancy involved. 

Push back such as the changes to the law are not uncommon. Planned parenthood could not support the change in law, not because they are unopposed to child marriages, but in fear that their support for change will give their opposition the arguments needed to deny minors rights to reproductive rights. Anti-abortion politicians have even objected to changing laws, as some pregnant teens should be allowed to marry so that the child will be born in to wedlock and maintain the family’s honor and dignity within their community. 

States such as Texas, have closed loopholes for child marriages, and New York changed its minimum age from 14 to 17. The tighter restrictions will make child marriage less likely, it won’t be stopped until every state sets minimum age requirements and restrictions that will prevent child marriages to legal adults.