There's a Simple Solution to End Child Marriage in North Carolina

[demmiblue]

“We cannot possibly address issues of domestic violence and poverty and inaccessibility to educational opportunities, to break those cycles, if we do not pass common sense legislative reform [on child marriage].”

Child marriage, or any legally binding marriage where one or both parties are below the age of 18, occurs at particularly high rates in North Carolina, which ties with Alaska for the youngest legal age of marriage. (The top three states for child marriage as of 2017—Texas, Florida and Kentucky—have all reformed their legislation and significantly reduced child marriage rates since.)

According to state law, a child can legally get married in North Carolina at age 14—though some marriage records show legally binding marriages involving girls as young as 12.

Not surprisingly, then, anecdotal evidence suggests North Carolina is becoming a common destination for adults to take children when their marriage is illegal in their home states.

A new study by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) reveals the startling reality and grim consequences of child marriage in the U.S.

Analysis from the ICRW study shows that between the years 2000 and 2015, 8,781 total minors were listed on marriage license applications in the state—the majority of these applications being between a minor and an adult. Only 7 percent of applications involved two minors.

https://msmagazine.com/2020/09/11/theres-a-simple-solution-to-end-child-marriage-in-north-carolina/

[niyad]

1. As far as I am concerned, there is something very sick and twisted in a person wanting to

marry a child.

[appalachiablue]

2. Also bizarre:

- Cousin Marriage Law in the United States:

Laws regarding first-cousin marriage in the United States

Dark Blue- First-cousin marriage is legal
Light Blue- Allowed with requirements or exceptions
Pink- Banned with exceptions1
Red- Statute bans first-cousin marriage1
Dark Red- Criminal offense1
1 Some states recognize marriages performed elsewhere, while other states do not.

..Current position: Several states of the United States prohibit cousin marriage.[1][2] As of February 2014, 24 U.S. states prohibit marriages between first cousins, 19 U.S. states allow marriages between first cousins, and 7 U.S. states allow only some marriages between first cousins.[3] Seven states prohibit first-cousin-once-removed marriages.[4] Some states prohibiting cousin marriage recognize cousin marriages performed in other states, but despite occasional claims that this holds true in general,[5] laws also exist that explicitly void all foreign cousin marriages or marriages conducted by state residents out of state...

More, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States#:~:text=6%20See%20also-,Current%20position,some%20marriages%20between%20first%20cousins.

[niyad]

3. Thank you for that most informative graph. I had no idea this state allowed first cousin marriages.

All I knew was that it allowed common law.

[appalachiablue]

4. When I first read about this a couple yrs ago

I couldn't believe it- 19 US states allow first cousin marriages. And additional info. that older or infertile first cousins are permitted to marry here. By the post Civil War period, issues with offspring were coming to light and banning of marriage between close relations was not pushed mainly by eugenics followers according to the wiki material.

Regular folks in Europe intermarried for centuries, along with a lot of royalty. The Hapsburgs were especially known for it and children with medical problems. As well, ancients in Egypt and Rome. Lately, Pakistan is often pointed out as having many cousin marriages.

Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIII's son by mistress Bessie Blount was at one time considered for marriage as a teen to his half sister Mary Tudor, for dynastic purposes but the union didn't take place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_FitzRoy,_Duke_of_Richmond_and_Somerset