THRED. “Sara” is a survivor from #Oklahoma. She doesn’t remember when her father began coming to to her bedroom at night. She became pregnant with her first child at age 14. Her father convinced her mother that Sara had been sleeping around and that’s how to became pregnant.
They found an unmarried 37 y/o member of their community to marry Sara before the child was born. This happened legally in #Oklahoma less than 10 years ago. #Oklahoma is one of several states in the #USA that after Judiciary & parental exceptions there is no min age to marry
When Sara was 20 she entered into a homeless shelter with 5 children that she had given birth too during the marriage. Sara had no control over her body or access to family planning. With not even a high school education she found herself in a shelter with her children because
Her husband had been sent to prison for molesting other young girls. She had no way to support herself or her children. She was isolated and abandoned by her family and community. This is #ChildMarriage in #America
@threadreaderapp please unroll
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