Michelle’s story*
At 16, I was forced to marry a man I’d known for two months. No one ever asked me, “Do you want to get married?”
YOU CAN SAVE LIVES LIKE MICHELLE’S. Let’s raise $20k by 2020 so we can continue to fight forced and child marriage in the U.S. through direct services and advocacy.
We provide crucial, often life-saving, legal and social services, always for free, to help individuals in the U.S. to escape forced marriages and rebuild their lives.
We also lead a national movement to end child marriage — which often is forced — in all 50 U.S. states and at the federal level. Last year we achieved two historic victories in Delaware and New Jersey. Two down, 48 to go.
Unchained At Last is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
*Name has been changed. Photo is not of Michelle. Read Michelle’s full story here.
Click here to track our progress as we push to end child marriage in every U.S. state and territory, including the gorgeous tropical islands.
The Pennsylvania senate voted unanimously yesterday to pass SB81, the bill we’ve been promoting nonstop for the past three years to end child marriage. Can we get a WOOT WOOT?
You will recall that the Pennsylvania house already unanimously passed the house version of the bill, HB360, earlier this year, which means PA is the first U.S. state where every single legislator supports ending child marriage, a human rights abuse that destroys girls’ lives. Can we get a round of applause for the PA legislature?
Now one of the bills, either SB81 or HB360, must cross to the other house and pass again before the governor can sign the bill. If you live in Pennsylvania, urge your legislators to act now and make Pennsylvania the third U.S. state – after Delaware and New Jersey – to eliminate all marriage before age 18. Where you live, read more here about the national movement we lead to #endchildmarriage in the U.S.
We are trying really hard to stay calm right now. Our founder/executive director, Fraidy Reiss, is featured in Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s new book: The Book of Gutsy Women (Simon & Schuster).
“The gutsy women in this book share a fierce optimism that their work and lives will make a difference in the world,” Chelsea Clinton said. “And, they’re right.”
You can order The Book of Gutsy Women on Amazon Smile – and please select Unchained At Last as the charity to benefit.
More than 150 people joined us to cheer on Unchained At Last and the Yankees on Saturday, 9/21. It was a win for both teams! Unchained raised awareness and funds to fight forced and child marriage in the U.S., and the Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-2.
This event, sponsored by DLA Piper, honored some exemplary members of Unchained’s family of supporters:
Photos courtesy of Holly Martin
No, you’re not seeing things. That is Unchained At Last on the lids of Lush’s Charity Pot lotion (!).
Charity Pot is a gorgeous body lotion that does a lot of good — and not just for your skin. Lush donates 100% of all Charity Pot sales to grassroots organizations including Unchained that fight for human rights and other important causes.
Plus, some particularly awesome organizations get to be featured on the Charity Pot lids. Now our crusade against forced and child marriage in the U.S. is advertised on philanthropic skin softener being sold online and in Lush stores across North America.
Our hard work is paying off in Massachusetts. The senate unanimously voted yes today on the bill to end child marriage after unanimously voting it out of the Senate Ways and Means committee last week. Next, the bill goes to the House of Representatives.
Email MA representatives now to tell them to pass S2294/H1478: Click here if you live in MA or click here regardless of where you live.
Let’s make Massachusetts the third state to end all child marriage!
Dressed in bridal gowns and chains, we descended on the Pennsylvania statehouse Wednesday, chanting, singing and marching through the building to protest forced and child marriage.
As usual, our Chain-In drew the attention of passersby and the news media, including PennLive, PAHomepage/Eyewitness News and ABC.
Speakers included:
Our message to legislators and the governor was clear: It’s time to pass HB360/SB81 and make Pennsylvania the third U.S. state – after Delaware and New Jersey – to end child marriage.
We at Unchained At Last lead a growing national movement to end child marriage in the United States by eliminating the legal loopholes in all 50 states and at the federal level that allow, and even encourage, child marriage. Seventeen states, including Massachusetts, do not specify any minimum age for marriage.
Read more here about Chain-Ins, the powerful form of peaceful protest that we invented to raise awareness of forced and child marriage in the United States.
The New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards honored Fraidy Reiss today in Trenton, NJ.
Honorees of the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award achieve measurable community impact and represent outstanding acts of public service, without the expectation of recognition or compensations. Recipients demonstrate unique vision, dedication and tenacity of heroic proportion and serve as inspiration for others.
It’s been a great month for Fraidy and our organization, with two big awards. We’re proud of Fraidy and our whole team for continuing to make a difference.
Once again, we at Unchained At Last are going to Chain-In to protest child marriage in the United States. This time we’re headed to Harrisburg, PA.
We’ll gather in the Pennsylvania capitol building’s main rotunda wearing bridal gowns and veils, with our arms chained and mouths taped, to protest child marriage. We’ll urge legislators to pass HB360/SB81, the simple, commonsense bill that would end child marriage in Pennsylvania. Will you join us?
June 26 | 10:45 a.m.
Pennsylvania state capitol building main rotunda
501 N 3rd St., Harrisburg
We provide the bridal gowns, veils and chains, all at no cost. All you need to do is register via the link below – and join us to make some noise!
Speakers include:
We lead a growing national movement to end child marriage in the United States by eliminating the legal loopholes in all 50 states and at the federal level that allow, and even encourage, child marriage.
Child marriage is often forced marriage, because children face overwhelming legal and practical barriers if they try to leave home, enter a domestic violence shelter, retain an attorney or bring a legal action such as a divorce before they turn 18. Further, child marriage destroys girls’ health, education and economic opportunities and significantly increases their risk of being beaten by their spouse.
The U.S. State Department has called marriage before 18 a “human rights abuse.” Let’s Chain-In to demand an end to this human-rights abuse in Pennsylvania.
Read more here about Chain-Ins, the powerful form of peaceful protest that we invented to raise awareness of forced and child marriage in the United States.
Learn more here about other ways you can help to end child marriage in the United States.
