https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:43:07 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778658 Wed, 15 Feb 2017 07:05:34 +0000 Gigi 1778658@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Texstyle,&nbsp;</b>I doubt that a lot of churches support this. I am pretty involved in my church and know a lot of churchgoers (of all denominations), and this does not sound like anything that would be supported. I wonder if it involves certain geographic "pockets" of people? From what I know, even girls who want to join religious orders are strongly encouraged to get their college degree first, or else the religious order sends them to school once they have joined. So there is a strong emphasis on continuing education and emotional development for these girls in the Church, whereas the young-marriage situation effectively closes doors to them. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778578 Wed, 15 Feb 2017 00:44:18 +0000 rabbit 1778578@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Texstyle</b> the article was written by the founder of&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.unchainedatlast.org/">http://www.unchainedatlast.org/</a>&nbsp;, looks like that nonprofit has a lot of suggestions for how to take action and get involved. &nbsp;Thanks for posting about it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778544 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 22:06:55 +0000 texstyle 1778544@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wonder what action would be best to try and get this changed? I've written my Congressmen and such before but I'm not sure that one or two letters gets much attention. I wonder if most churches really support this young marriage concept? Maybe just getting more people aware would at least start the conversation about the fact that it needs to change. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778455 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 17:30:30 +0000 RobinF 1778455@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is horrible. Naive of me maybe, but I had no idea it was legal. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778370 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:15:31 +0000 Suz 1778370@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lucy, so true. I was not aware of the extent of this until last year when a group in my drama class wrote a short play about it and also presented some of their research. It's very troubling.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778344 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 12:04:49 +0000 kkards 1778344@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>thank you for brining this to my attention...its frightening how we can make so much progress and yet somehow the most vulnerable get left behind. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778326 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 10:20:29 +0000 Lucy 1778326@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My area of research is sexual violence, icnluding child sexual assault, and it seems to me that child marriage is one area that really works to hide sexual violence against children, in the US and in many other nations too. Particularly troubling is that in many jurisdictions, marriage trumps age of consent laws. So if the age of consent is 16, but parental approval is given, an older man can marry a 14yo girl and it is not statutory rape. It's effectively setting her up to be sexually assaulted.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778290 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 06:06:48 +0000 columbine(erin) 1778290@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh how horrifying. I didn't know this happened so often in our country.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778285 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 05:20:20 +0000 rachylou 1778285@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wonder what would happen if we stopped focusing on marriage, and just made sex for or with anyone under age 18 illegal. Some want the driving age raised as well. We don't let kids drink. Why not be crystal clear on where the line is? If people are too physically and mentally immature for sex below this age, and they are - then they simply are. Doesn't have to be a felony for young people. Simple misdemeanour. For adults, nail 'em for the sickos they are. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778264 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 03:34:55 +0000 ClaraT 1778264@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This should be illegal, full stop. So often these early marriages are about virginity/sex/accidental pregnancy, and these stories are (one reason) why I support early and thorough sex education and free access to birth control. We need to give girls access to information and to tools that allow them to control their sexual life, their reproductive life, and as a result, their course in life. Very sad and very frustrating in 2017! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778215 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 01:32:13 +0000 rabbit 1778215@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So disturbing. &nbsp;I knew that it went on in certain very insular religious communities, but I didn't know it was quite so widespread or could be done in every state with parental or judicial approval. &nbsp; &nbsp;Such a trap too if it coincides with places or communities where young girls don't get adequate sex ed and health information, or have access to birth control, or there are heavy restrictions on abortions. &nbsp;Let alone the societal, parental, or religious pressure. &nbsp;&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778137 Mon, 13 Feb 2017 21:43:05 +0000 Anonymous 1778137@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have 4 daughters, and this makes me shudder! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778129 Mon, 13 Feb 2017 21:35:29 +0000 Gigi 1778129@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for posting; I had no idea that this was going on.</p> <p>Kiwigal, you are right that this practice would be much more harmful for the girls involved. Even if there is no pregnancy to "cover up," the girl is most likely going to be deprived of her ability to get further education, making her dependent on a man who most likely does not have her best interests at heart. As you say, it really creates a lack of choice for the future. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778107 Mon, 13 Feb 2017 21:10:19 +0000 Sara L. 1778107@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is terrible. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1778083 Mon, 13 Feb 2017 19:23:53 +0000 Sal 1778083@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Frightening. My sons are 12 and almost 15 and are no way old enough to make these choices nor are their female peers. I know different communities provide different experiences, upbringings and religions - but the lack of choice for the future is scary. And it is hard not to see this as misogynist. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/children-mostly-young-girls-forced-to-wed-at-12---16-and-this-is-in-america#post-1777998 Mon, 13 Feb 2017 17:22:28 +0000 texstyle 1777998@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I kind of knew this was still going on but I didn't realize how much it was happening. I just wanted to share because maybe some of the other YLF members don't know about it - and maybe the more who do, the bigger chance of stopping it.</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/article132277779.html">http://www.miamiherald.com/opi.....77779.html</a> </p>