Everything about the overturning of #Roe is important, absolutely. But there seems to be an especially important element missing from the conversation. Let's get into it (a thread that no one asked for) 1/
It's 2022, and #childmarriage is still legal in these United States of America. Yup, that's right, folks. In only 6 states (Delaware, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey) must BOTH PARTIES be at least 18. (2/
As of June 2022, a full 9 states have no minimum age requirement for marriage. Those states are Washington, California, Wyoming, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Michigan, West Virginia, & Massachusetts. (3/
Most Americans genuinely have no idea this is happening, that in 9 states, in 2022, a child can be legally married off to an adult. Approximately 300,000 children were legally married between 2000-2018, some of them as young as 10 years old. (4/
Only 14% of those child marriages were between 2 children. The vast majority were between adult men and teenage girls. All of the marriages involving 10 year olds were girls marrying men in their 20s, and all in Tennessee (TN law changed in 2018 from no minimum age to 17). (5/
9 states have a minimum age of 17. (Oregon, Nevada, Nebraska, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida). No exceptions. (6/
22 states have a minimum age of 16. (Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama)....(7/
States with a minimum marriage age of 16, cont. (South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine). No exceptions. (8/
2 states have a minimum age of 15. (Hawaii & Kansas). No exceptions. (9/
And 1 state has a minimum age of 14. That would be Alaska. But at least it's a minimum age. Up next, let's talk about prevalence! (10/
But first, just a reminder that a 16 year old is still a child. A 16 YEAR OLD IS STILL A CHILD. A 16 year old getting married COUNTS AS #CHILDMARRIAGE. And before 2017, ALL 50 STATES ALLOWED CHILD MARRIAGE. (11/
The USA has only one advocacy group dealing with this problem--@UnchainedAtLast. They have worked tirelessly to spread awareness of #childmarriageinAmerica. It's only because of their work that any of our states have moved on this. (12/
So, where is child marriage most prevalent? The highest numbers (totals, not rates) of child marriage occur in West Virginia, Florida, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Arkansas, California, Tennessee, and North Carolina. (13/
The highest RATES (per capita, not highest totals) of child marriage occur in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansa, Kentucky, West Virginia, & Missouri. (14/
Everyone, no matter where they live, needs to look into their state marriage laws. Arkansas changed its minimum for all females in 2019. Prior to that it was 16, UNLESS the girl was pregnant, in which case there was NO minimum age. (15/
And THAT is where the connection to #RoeOverturned comes in. ONLY 6 STATES PROHIBIT CHILD MARRIAGE. Let that sink in. Let the implications of that sink in. CW on the rest of this thread for SA. (16/
Reminder: 86% of child marriages are not between two children. They are between a child and an adult. When a child marries an adult, it legalizes and "legitimizes" statutory rape. It's called the "Marriage Loophole." (17/
Speaking broadly, an adult having sex with a child is illegal--unless they're married. One of the hugest problems created by child marriage is the minor being coerced/forced to marry their abuser. (18/
Report after report describes how teen girls get pregnant by men in their 20s or 30s, a mandated reporter finds out, & the couple elopes so that the man doesn't get arrested for statutory rape. If the state minimum age is higher than the girl's age, they travel. (19/
A lot of those 9 states with no minimum marriage age do have conditions on age, UNLESS THE UNDERAGE GIRL IS PREGNANT. And that is a massive problem. It rewards sexual abuse by putting the welfare of the man above the welfare of the underage, pregnant girl. (20/
When children get married, they aren't allowed to seek divorce until they are 18. The state does not recognize them as adults until that time. So they are somehow old enough to consent to marriage, but not old enough to seek divorce?? CHILD MARRIAGE REWARDS SEXUAL ABUSERS (21/
Additionally, in many red states, a pregnant woman is not allowed to seek divorce until after she gives birth. So a girl may get married at 15, decide by 16 that she wants out, be denied divorce for two years, get pregnant just shy of her 18th birthday, and be stuck. (22/
As of June 1, 2022, only 23 states allow minors to access birth control without exception. Of the 24 states that conditionally allow birth control access, 19 of those states allow married minors access without parental or spousal permission. (23/
But that's multiple states that will allow an underage teen to marry but not have access to divorce or the right to purchase their own birth control. That's not even taking into consideration that the child/teen is often isolated and controlled by the adult spouse. (24/
We gotta talk about it, guys. 78% of all child marriage in the USA is of underage girls marrying adult men. This has a devastating affect on their quality of life. And yes, boys in child marriage suffer too, but I'm focusing here for now. (25/
Child marriage of girls affects every single aspect of their lives. Underage, married girls are 23% more likely to develop serious health issues such as heart disease and cancer. 31% more likely to live in poverty. 40% more likely to have back-to-back pregnancies. (26/
Girls in child marriages are 50% more likely to not complete high school. (27/
Girls in child marriages are 300% more likely to have 5+ children. 300% more likely to develop chronic mental illness and/or substance abuse. 300% more likely to experience severe physical abuse from their spouse. 400% more likely to never get a college degree. (28/
AND IT DOESN'T EVEN WORK. Between 70-80% of child marriages eventually end in divorce. Add in the fact that child brides have higher maternal mortality rates, and it's baffling to think that anyone could possibly think marriage is the answer for a pregnant teenage girl. (29/
Underage brides & grooms are victims. Child marriage victimizes children, and if they're able to eventually get out, the effects last forever. It's a barbaric practice that needs to end. Immediately. Even in, nay, ESPECIALLY in instances of teen pregnancy. (29/
Quite often, pregnant child brides are forced, pushed, or coerced into marriage by their own parents, parents who don't believe in abortion but who also would rather not risk the shame of having an unwed mother as a child. (30/
Some parents genuinely believe that marriage will provide stability for their child, that at least an adult husband means their daughter and grandchild will be taken care of. Some parents may disown their pregnant teen unless she gets married. (31/
With Roe being overturned & 7 states already implementing full-scale abortion bans (and 6 more expected soon) with no exceptions for rape or incest, we may witness a statistically significant increase in child marriage, which again, disproportionally affects girls. (32/
@GregAbbott_TX says that he's gonna make sure all rapists are off the street--but what about when that rapist is no longer committing a crime because he married his pregnant 16 year old victim? (33/
What about young girls in Oklahoma where in the case of pregnancy, there's no minimum marriage age, and where abortion is now banned, and the public is encouraged to report violations to the state? (34/
When we say that being pro-life but is just pro-forced-birth; that it's not actually about protecting the vulnerable; this is why! Girl gets pregnant in a red state w/ an abortion ban, marries her adult abuser, can't leave, zero legal recourse, she AND her children suffer. (35/
Roe made women and girls safer. Without it, girls are less safe. Their lives are diminished. Their futures are less bright. Their status as a person is lessened. (36/
We need to talk about this more. Calling Republicans "hypocritical" doesn't work. But you know what could? Talking about their kids. It shouldn't take the possibility of their lil' princess getting pregnant via rape & marrying her rapist for them to give a shit, but🤷♀️(37/
And to fellow white women, if you're not already enraged that YOUR rights are being stripped, think about your daughter being in this situation. Some states don't require parental consent for child marriage. Some states just let the judge decide. (38/
To anyone who thinks this is alarmist or extreme, seriously, go fuck yourself. It's been happening, and now we've just made it easier to keep happening as an abuse tactic. (39/
I don't have kids, but it shouldn't take being a parent to be worried. I have experience with this. In 2013, I was teaching in Florida. At the time, FL had no minimum age requirement. One of my 13-year-old students got pregnant by a 22-year-old man. They got married. (40/
Sometimes I wonder how her life has turned out. I worry about her. I marvel at how few people are aware of this, of how little they care, of how they will defend it, or minimize it. @SCOTUS & @GOP have ripped away another layer of protection from our daughters. (41/
With marriage & abortion access decided by the state, I call on MY representatives: how will you protect our children, especially our daughters, not from the manufactured spectre of CRT or the so-called "leftist agenda," but from the very real danger of child marriage? (42/
MO used to be a destination state for child marriage. Minimum age is now 16. So @crystal_quade, @Fogle4MO, @CoriBush, will you talk about it? How will you fight for MO girls ages 16-17 to be protected from being forced/coerced to marry their rapists? (43/
To those running in the 2022 elections, same question. @EnglishTeach07, @Tara4Missouri, @ryan4rockwood, @SpencerToder, @LucasKunceMO, with Roe gone, if you are elected, how will you protect our daughters from child marriage? (44/
No matter your state, political affiliation, or religious beliefs, this should scare the shit out of you. Contact your reps. Push them to confront how losing Roe promotes the continuance of child marriage. Call them out. Make them speak. Then demand action. (45/45)
@threadreaderapp unroll
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
