Quote:The Missouri Senate voted Tuesday to ban child marriage by raising the minimum age for marriage to 18 in all instances.

The House voted to approve the same bill last week, meaning the legislation is now bound for the governor’s desk.

Current law allows 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental permission if the other party is under 21.

Supporters of a full ban on child marriage say that allowing teenagers to marry leaves them vulnerable to abuse and human trafficking, among other dangers. Married teenagers still lack the legal rights of adults, meaning they cannot initiate divorce or access resources for victims of abuse.

ILikeNeurons Child marriage is a human rights violation, and Missouri ranks 12^th in child marriages per capita, so this is really important legislation.

If you live/vote in Missouri, write your governor to support this bill.

https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us

DanNeely Most of [the United States] still [has child marriage].  Missouri will only be the 14th state to raise the age to an unconditional age of 18.

4 states have no hard floor at all.  🤮

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_age_in_the_United_States#/media/File:US_states_and_territories_marriage_age_with_exceptions.svg

Bombi_Deer A MAJORITY of countries still allow child marriage
   
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/09/12/many-countries-allow-child-marriage/