Excerpt from New York Times Article

By Fraidy Reiss

October 13, 2015

In the United States today, thousands of children under 18 have recently taken marital vows- mostly girls to adult men, often with the approval from local judges. In at least one case, a 10-year-old boy was legally married.

The minimum marriage age in most states is 18, but every state allows exceptions under which children under age 18 can wed.

Shockingly, 91 percent of the children were married to adults, often at ages or with age differences that could have triggered statutory-rape charges, not a marriage license. A judge in 2006 approved the marriage of a 10-year-old boy to an 18-year-old woman. A judge in 1996 allowed a 12-year-old girl to marry a 25-year-old man.

Forced and child marriages happen almost everywhere, yet only 10 states or jurisdictions have specific laws that can be used to prevent or punish forced marriage.

The New Jersey data show that 90 percent of the children married were girls, which is consistent with global trends. Across the world, child marriage and forced marriage disproportionately affect girls and women.