States Where Child Marriage Is Legal
The following is a list of states where there isn’t a minimum “age floor” for child marriage in the United States:
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming
In a report released last year the U.S. State Department listed Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM) as, “ A human rights abuse that affects over 15 million girls each year, CEFM undermines a range of U.S. government policies and programs and stands as a major obstacle to global stability and development. Pursuant to this strategy, CEFM will be addressed as a cross-cutting issue throughout foreign assistance, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic efforts.”
The State Department’s statement raises the question on why child marriage is acceptable within the United States while being unacceptable abroad.
