Authors: Suzanne Petroni, Madhumita Das, & Susan M Sawyer

Publication: December 5, 2018

As many governments worldwide have raised the legal age of marriage to 18 years, some are also considering raising the age of sexual consent. Without close-in-age exemptions, arguments to align the legal age of sexual consent with that of marriage would restrict the ability of adolescents to legally have sex. The authors find that, because the consideration to marry and to have sex are very different, the minimum ages need not be aligned.

Authors: Aditi Wahi, Kristen L. Zaleski, Jacob Lampe, Patricia Bevan, & Alissa Koski

Publication: February 12, 2019

Researchers interviewed Americans who were married under age 18, investigating the reasons behind their child marriages, and the experiences face by participants as a result of marrying underage. Most participants reported experiencing abuse related to their marriage, including physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse. Read more.

Unfortunately, due to journal guidelines, we are unable to provide free access to the full article. The link above will redirect you to the journal website where you can view the abstract and select payment options to access the full text.

Authors: Sino Esthappan, Sara Bastomski, Janine Zweig, Meredith Dank, and Hannah Love

Publication: October 19, 2018

While an emerging scholarly literature has begun to inform responses to forced marriage in Canada and Western Europe, few studies have examined the issue in the United States. The present study is the first large scale examination of forced marriage prevalence in the United States. It surveys a national sample of adult internet users to estimate prevalence of and gender disparities in forced marriage among U.S. adults. Read more.

Unfortunately, due to journal guidelines, we are unable to provide free access to the full article. The link above will redirect you to the journal website where you can view the abstract and select payment options to access the full text.

Authors: Hannah Love, Meredith Dank, Sino Esthappan, and Janine Zweig

Publication: October 25, 2018

Despite the attention forced marriage has received abroad, it remains poorly understood in the United States. This study is one of the first to examine the practice domestically, with a focus on service provision. Using Interviews with those who have experienced forced marriage and relevant stakeholders, the authors describe challenges in recognizing, naming, and disclosing forced marriage. Read more.

Unfortunately, due to journal guidelines, we are unable to provide free access to the full article. The link above will redirect you to the journal website where you can view the abstract and select payment options to access the full text.

This webinar features Lisa V. Martin, Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina’s School of Law. Professor Martin is the author of Restraining Forced Marriage, the first report to undertake a detailed evaluation of the viability of civil protection orders to address forced marriage in the United States.

Although protection orders show promise as a tool to prevent forced marriage in many states, the nuances of current legal standards defining what kinds of abuse – and by whom – are covered severely limits the practical utility of most civil protection orders for those without expert representation. To enhance the accessibility of protection orders in a forced marriage context, Martin recommends that states create a new forced marriage protection order to address the specific needs of those facing this problem.