In 2015, child marriage was legal in every state across the US. Today, in part because of our tireless advocacy with Unchained at Last and as co-convenor of the National Coalition to End Child Marriage, ten states have banned child marriage. Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Michigan just passed bans in the last 12 months. 

However, there is much more work to be done. Child marriage is still legal in 40 US states. Earlier this year, a Missouri state senator defended kids as young as 12 being married to an adult with parental consent. And according to Unchained at Last, there are still six states with no minimum age for marriage, including California.

A California bill that would have raised the minimum age for marriage to 18 with no exceptions was rejected. The age of sexual consent in California is 18, meaning anyone over 18 that has sex with a minor can be charged with statutory rape, but that doesn’t apply if they are married. So, in effect, a rapist can avoid penalties by marrying his victim–and since you have to be 18 to get divorced in the state, she may not be able to escape that marriage. This is absolutely unacceptable. 

Child marriage is recognized as a human rights violation by the United Nations. When young girls are forced to marry, they are essentially subject to state-sanctioned rape and are at risk of increased domestic violence, forced pregnancy, and negative health consequences, and are often denied education and economic opportunities. For their sake, we must continue our fight to end child marriage within our own borders and beyond.

If you believe that girls should be allowed to experience childhood without looming threats to their safety and autonomy, please make a gift to Equality Now today in honor of the International Day of the Girl. Your generosity will help us advance laws that ban marriage under the age of 18, with no exceptions.

Together, we can support and protect girls so they can live safe, fearless, and free.
 

In Solidarity,

Starr Miller
Global Lead, Individual and Major Giving