The pressure put on people to marry against their will can be physical (including threats, actual physical violence and sexual violence) or emotional (for example, threatening to kill themselves) and psychological (for example, when someone is made to feel like theyвЂ™re bringing shame on their family). It is an appalling and indefensible practice and is recognised in the UK as a form of violence against women and men, domestic/child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights. вЂњA forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or those who lack capacity, cannot) consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used. The Forced Marriage Unit defines forced marriage as: Some, however, still see it as a private, personal, domestic, family, religious, or cultural issue. The United Nations considers it a form of trafficking, sexual slavery, and exploitation. It can constitute both child abuse andВ sexual abuse. Duress can include both physical and psychological pressure.ДЇorced marriage is an abuse of human rights, and where one or both of the victims is under the age of 18 it is also a child protection issue. In a forced marriage, one or both spouses do not consent to the arrangement of the marriage and some elements of duress are involved. Appendix 4: Flowchart for referral of a child/young person (Jump to).

Appendix 3: Guidance on safety planning (Jump to).Appendix 2: Role and responsibility of key agencies (Jump to).Appendix 1: Information required for all cases (Jump to).Protection and action to be taken (Jump to).Possible indicators that a child/young person or adult is at risk of/subject to forced marriage (Jump to).You can also join the National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the U.S.,В and urge your friends and family to take these steps as well. В§ 2243(c)(2) and to educate their congressional colleagues about the issue of child marriage, you can call them to follow up. In addition to emailing your members of Congress urging them to sponsor or support a bill to repeal 18 U.S.C. laws with international standards and discouraging child marriage and rape in the U.S. В§ 2243(c)(2) is a simple, commonsense step towards aligning U.S. The law can effectively turn child marriage into a вЂњget out of jail freeвЂќ card for predators. This law not only suggests that the federal government condones the practice of child marriage, it allows an adult to engage in sexual activity with children as young as 12, and gives sexual predators an incentive to force a child to marry them. Section 2243(c)(2) allows a defense to this crime when вЂњthe persons engaging in the sexual act were at that time married to each other.вЂќ This means that, at the federal level, child marriage is viewed as a valid defense to statutory rape. Section 2243(a), on the Sexual Abuse of a Minor, applies when a person вЂњknowingly engages in a sexual act with another personвЂќ who is between the ages of 12 and 16 and is at least four years younger than the perpetrator. It does not have to be forcible, because a minor is not legally able to consent. Statutory rape is when one of the parties to sexual activity is below the age of consent. The vast majority were girls wed to adult men, many much older. Nearly 300,00 children were married in the U.S.

states do not require any minimum age for marriage, with a parental or judicial waiver. Child marriage is currently legal in 44 states (only Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island have set the minimum age at 18 and eliminated all exceptions), and 20 U.S. What is child marriage, and is it really happening in the United States?Д¬hild marriage occurs when one or both of the parties to the marriage are below the age of 18. states meet this standard and that the federal government provides a child marital exception for statutory rape? Equality Now works around the world to end child, early, and forced marriage, applying our legal expertise in support of partners, individual cases, and legislative efforts. Equality Now and our partners advocate that the minimum age for marriage be set at 18, no exceptions.Д«ut did you know that only four U.S. When young girls are forced to marry, they are essentially subject to state-sanctioned rape and are at risk of increased domestic violence, forced pregnancy, and negative health consequences, while being denied education and economic opportunity. It is a human rights violation that legitimizes abuse and denies girlsвЂ™ autonomy. There are too many exceptions to child marriage laws in the United StatesД¬hild marriage is harmful. Learn more about the loopholes which allow marriage under the age of 18 in most U.S.

Are arranged marriages legal