About 300,000 children and teens were legally married in the United States between 2000 and 2018, according to data from Unchained at Last, a nonprofit that works to help women and girls in forced marriages.

Laws prohibiting minors to marry have struggled to pass. Only 10 states have a law prohibiting people under 18 from marrying.

Pushback to setting 18 as a minimum age for marriage comes from both conservative and progressive groups.

  • unalivejoy@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    56
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    This isn’t 16 year olds marrying their girlfriend/boyfriend after getting knocked up. This is 16 year olds marrying 30 year olds (after getting knocked up)

    • atempuser23@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      46
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      The worst part is specifically so the 30 year old doesn’t go to jail. This is a legal loophole for adults to have sex with children.

      • Uranium3006@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        1 year ago

        It’s a “you broke it you bought it” law from the days when children were property (apparently including today)

      • Kale
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        1 year ago

        Minors can’t sign a contract. Their parents have to sign for them. Maybe that’s related?