Most US states set 18 as the minimum marriage age, but every US state allows exceptions under which children can marry, Unchained’s executive director explained today on public radio.
Fraidy Reiss made the comment in an interview with The Takeaway about child marriage that aired today on Public Radio International.
Little research has been done on child marriage in the US. Unchained’s research to date has found that thousands of children – as young as age 10 – have been married recently in the US. Most were girls, and most were wed to adult men, often with age differences that are considered statutory rape under state law.
“We need to put a stop to this,” Reiss said in the interview. “Of course, ending those exceptions that allow children to get married, that’s a no-brainer.”
Unchained has written legislation to eliminate the exceptions to the minimum marriage age and end child marriage. The legislation has been introduced in New York as A8563 (thanks to Asw. Amy Paulin) and is soon to be introduced in New Jersey.
Click here to listen to the full interview: “The Child Bride Next Door: Inside America’s Forced Marriage Problem“
Click here to learn more about Unchained’s efforts to end child marriage in the US