Michigan bans child marriage with new legislation

Michigan has banned child marriage by approving new legislation that raises the minimum age to marry in the state to 18.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) signed several bills into law on Tuesday designed to protect children. The Michigan legislature is notoriously dominated by Democrats.

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After Michigan’s removal of exceptions for child marriage, including allowing guardians and parents to consent to a minor’s marriage, child marriage is legal in 40 states, according to Equality Now, an organization aimed at protecting the human rights of women and girls.

The group added that “20 U.S. states do not require any minimum age for marriage, with a parental or judicial waiver.”

While there were several critics of the bills banning child marriage, the legislation was passed with bipartisan support. And state lawmakers, as well as the governor, were proud of their efforts to take action “long overdue.”

“Keeping Michiganders — especially young women — safe and healthy is a top priority, and these bills will take long overdue steps to protect individuals from abuse,” Whitmer said in a statement, per the Michigan Advance.

“As a county prosecutor, I went after those who used their power to prey on young people, and as governor, I am proud to sign legislation to sign these protections into law,” she continued. “Together, we can make Michigan a safe and welcoming place for everyone.”

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Nearly 300,000 children under the age of 18 were married in the U.S. between 2000 and 2018, according to research from Unchained at Last, a nonprofit organization seeking to end child marriage in the country.

The group added that some of those cases involved children as young as 10 years old, with most cases overall involving girls marrying adult men an average of four years older than them.