Publications
Testimony in Support of HB 5442 to End Child Marriage in Connecticut
Author: Tahirih Justice Center
Publication: March 06, 2017
Tahirih submitted this written testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly in support of HB 5442, a bill to eliminate exceptions to age 18 as the minimum legal age to marry. On March 6, the Connecticut General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Judiciary held a public hearing on HB 5442, which is sponsored by Representatives Michelle Cook and Josh Elliott.
Protecting Children in Texas from Forced Marriage and Other Harms of Child Marriage: Proposed Legislative Reforms
Author: Tahirih Justice Center
Publication: February 13th, 2017
Forced and child marriage in Texas is a serious problem with a simple, first-step solution — ensuring that only legal adults empowered to advocate for themselves can enter the legal contract and potentially lifelong commitment that marriage entails. SB 1705 / HB 3932 is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that sets the legal minimum marriage age at 18, with an exception for minors emancipated by court order. Read our backgrounder to learn more about the child marriage problem in Texas, how the current laws fail to prioritize child protection, and how this bill addresses the problem.
CHILD MARRIAGE IN THE UNITED STATES: A Serious Problem With a Simple First-Step Solution
Author: Tahirih Justice Center
Published: November 8th, 2016
Child marriage remains a serious problem in present-day America that has devastating, lifelong consequences. Read this backgrounder to learn more about the prevalence of child marriage in the United States, the laws that allow it to persist, and the ways in which it denies young people the opportunity to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
Understanding State Statutes on Minimum Marriage Age and Exceptions
Author: Tahirih Justice Center
Publication: November 18, 2016
Updated: July 1, 2019
This chart, which was developed by the Tahirih Justice Center with pro bono assistance from Hogan Lovells US LLP, serves as a resource for understanding the state legal regimes that permit child marriages to happen in the United States. It is an eye-opening compilation of all 50 states’ laws on minimum marriage age and exceptions that among other things, highlights how many states set which age “floors” for marriages. Originally published in 2016, it has been updated to reflect reforms passed through July 1, 2019.
National Consultation: Should Forced Marriage be a Crime in the United States?
Author: Tahirih Justice Center
Publication: June 01, 2016
This report on the June 2016 national consultation on the question of forced marriage criminalization illustrates the complexity of forced marriage cases and details advocates’ diverse perspectives on the potential risks and benefits of making forced marriage a criminal offense in the United States. The meeting was organized by the Forced Marriage Initiative at the Tahirih Justice Center and brought together 30 participants from across the United States.
