Sign now to end child marriage

Girls Who Are Married Off Before the Age of 18 Are More Likely to End Up Abused and in Poverty. Yet It's Still Legal in 48 U.S. States — Sign to Ban It Now!

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Dear friends, Child marriages never end well. Usually orchestrated as the wedding of a young girl to an adult man, it robs these minors of their childhood and their ability to meaningfully consent. Many of these marriages end in severe abuse. That's why it's so heartbreaking that it's still legal to marry a child in 48 U.S. states. Will you help us urge these states to ban marriage for anyone under the age of 18, with no exceptions? There are a variety of reasons that children end up married off, but it's never in their best interest. In some cases, adults force girls into marriage as a way to help the family financially, or for antiquated religious reasons. Sometimes, communities arrange weddings to cover up child abuse by shielding pedophiles from facing criminal charges. Children under the age of 18 cannot consent to such a life-changing, huge legal decision as getting married. And no adults — parents or otherwise — should be allowed to force them. After a child is coerced into marriage, she will usually endure a lifetime of further hardships. Girls who are married before 18 are significantly more likely to drop out of school, live in poverty, experience further rapes and sexual assaults, and suffer domestic violence. There are no two ways about it: child marriage is a form of abuse, and we must not let it happen anymore. Please sign the petition to demand that every U.S. state completely outlaws marriage for people under 18 years of age. Thank you for all that you do,   Miranda B. The Care2 Petitions Team P.S. Children can't sign a lease, rent a car, or drink alcohol, but they can be legally yoked to someone in marriage? It's chilling. Sign the petition now.