They can’t legally vote, drink alcohol or smoke a cigarette, but thousands of underage Virginians, most of them girls, have been pressured into marriage over the last decade.
Now there’s a move afoot in the General Assembly to try to head off the disturbing trend by raising the age of consent for marriage to at least 18 in most cases.
The issue popped onto state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel’s radar after she learned of a story in her district of a 15-year-old girl dating a 50-year-old man. As police began to investigate, the man first took the girl out of state; then, as the investigation intensified, he married her — effectively shutting down the probe.
“Virginia’s marriage law is really out of whack,” said Ms. Vogel, Fauquier Republican.
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7 comments:
This needs to happen. Ninety percent of these teen marriages are with men way older than them. Perverts.
Oh please and women don't prey on young men? Hypocrisy at its best.
excellent!!!!!!!!!!
Great idea. Can't buy alcohol before age of 21, but can "marry"! makes no sense to me!!!
"Great idea. Can't buy alcohol before age of 21, but can "marry"! makes no sense to me!!!"
What makes no sense is that you can get married for $20 but to get divorced costs at least $20,000! Should be the other way around.
That doesn't make sense? How about at 18 you can't have a beer with your buddies...but you can be drafted or enlist, fight and die for your country.
Land of the free my arse!
With all the economic woes, we're domestic legislating behavior and choices again? When will the politicians get it? I mean, seriously.
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