Child marriage needs urgent action in the US as Virginia recently raised the marriage age to 18 through new legislation. Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the measure into law, marking a crucial victory for child rights. However, with only 12 states banning child marriage so far, much more needs to be done to protect minors from this harmful practice. A new study reveals that between 2000 and 2018, an estimated 300,000 minors were legally married in the US, with California alone reporting over 8,000 child marriages annually. This ongoing issue, prevalent across various regions and demographics, highlights the need for a nationwide ban on child marriage to safeguard vulnerable youth from exploitation, abuse, and missed opportunities. Understanding child marriage as a form of gender-based violence and human rights violation emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive legislation and support services to empower and protect American children’s futures.
Virginia Raises Age of Marriage to 18: Urgent Push to End Child Marriage Across US
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