Chain-In - Unchained At Last

Trapped. Silenced. That’s what life is like every day for the thousands of women, girls and others in the U.S. who are in or facing forced marriages.

So what better way to raise awareness about forced and child marriage than by gathering a crowd of protesters dressed in bridal gowns and veils, with their arms chained and mouths taped, to sing and chant and wave signs demanding an end to these human rights abuses?

That’s the idea behind the Chain-In, a unique form of peaceful but powerful protest that Unchained introduced in 2015.

NEXT CHAIN-IN:

TBD

Photo credit: Susan Landmann

Click below to read about past Chain-Ins, and join the Unchained mailing list to be sure you know about future Chain-Ins.

Bridal Gown Donations

Do you have a bridal gown taking up space in your closet? Do you want to put it to good use? We at Unchained accept donations of lightly-worn bridal gowns for advocates to wear at our Chain-Ins. Learn more here about how to donate your bridal gown.

Child Marriage in the United States

Marriage before 18 is legal in most U.S. states. Laws in several states do not specify any minimum marriage age.

Child marriage often is 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.

Unchained leads a growing national movement to end child marriage in the U.S. by passing simple, commonsense legislation in every U.S. state and at the federal level.

Questions about a Chain-In? Want to help organize one in your state? Contact Unchained here.