Virginia
Virginia might end ‘loophole’ in child marriage law
When Judy Wiegand was 13 years old, she got married in a church in Clintwood — near the Kentucky border. She felt she didn’t have a choice; it was the expectation for pregnant women in her community. At the time — around 40 years ago — it was legal in Virginia for an underage and pregnant teenager to get married with parental consent.
In an interview last week, she said she wasn’t compatible with her husband, who allegedly became violent, but because of Kentucky law couldn’t divorce him until she turned 18. Wiegand said she doesn’t blame her family or community for what happened.
“I blame the legal bodies that were supposed to protect me and did not,” said Wiegand, who went on to get a doctorate in physical therapy and now specializes in working with youth.
Wiegand is now part of an effort to tighten Virginia’s laws to ban all underage marriage. While that’s already largely the case after a series of bipartisan reforms passed in 2016, the current law carves out an exception for emancipated minors between the ages of 16 and 18.
Legislation from Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D–Fairfax) would end that exemption. On Feb. 2, the full Courts of Justice committee voted to send it back to a subcommittee that had previously voted in favor of the bill.
Subcommittee chair Del. Marcus Simon (D–Fairfax) said last week he’d heard a member of Democratic caucus leadership had concerns that the bill needed more work. Simon said he wasn’t sure who the person was or what they wanted to change.
“Sometimes, these things just happen on the fly,” Simon said.
Neither Keys-Gamarra nor the spokesperson for the House Democratic caucus responded to emails seeking clarity.
In the subcommittee meeting last week, Keys-Gamarra said the change would bring the commonwealth into alignment with international norms established by groups like the United Nations, which seeks to end child marriages by 2030.
Keys-Gamarra’s bill is backed by a range of advocacy groups, including the Virginia chapter of the National Organization for Women, Equality Now, Zonta USA, Tahirih Justice Center, Unchained at Last and Ultraviolet.
I could not hire an attorney or enter into a lease, because I was a minor. I couldn’t even drive, because I wasn’t old enough, and he controlled my entire life.
–Sara, who said she was married at 16 to a 29-year-old
At the meeting, representatives from those groups shared first- and secondhand accounts of child marriages they said involved abuse and coercion.
Aliya Abbas, a self-described child marriage survivor, said she was forced into a marriage with a stranger when she was 17, and alleged she was raped repeatedly and threatened with death when she sought a divorce.
“This emancipation loophole does not save children who are going to be coerced into this human rights abuse,” Abbas said.
Another woman, who identified herself only as Sara, said she was married at 16 to a man 13 years her senior after she became pregnant. She also described being raped and abused.
“I could not escape to a domestic violence shelter, because I was a minor,” Sara said. “I could not hire an attorney or enter into a lease, because I was a minor. I couldn’t even drive, because I wasn’t old enough, and he controlled my entire life.”
Before the General Assembly passed legislation in 2016 that then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed into law, Virginia allowed marriages for youth under 16 if the relationship involved a pregnancy and the parents of anyone underage consented. Marriages were also allowed from age 16-18 with parental consent.
The 2016 legislation allowed people between the ages of 16 and 18 to petition the court for emancipation provided a judge found that is “in the best interests of the minor to be emancipated.”
The judge must determine that the underage person is making the decision freely, is “mature enough to make a decision to marry” and wouldn’t have their safety jeopardized by the marriage.
Joshua Hetzler, legislative counsel for The Family Foundation, said the current process has sufficient safeguards and emancipated minors should be treated as adults.
“If somebody is deemed to be a legal adult, and otherwise has all the rights of an adult, and of course, they should have the right to marry as well,” Hetzler said. “Many of us have grandparents where it was common to get married at 16 or 17. And many of them are still married today.”
That logic irked Wiegand, who said women in that era “were basically told what to do.”
“This isn’t about entering into a marriage that is a loving, consenting marriage,” Wiegand said.
It’s unclear how many people in Virginia might be impacted by the change. The advocacy group Unchained at Last estimated nearly 8,000 underage people in Virginia were married between 2000 and 2018.
A posthumous memoir by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s best-known accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has sold 1m copies worldwide in just the two months after its release.
Publisher Alfred A Knopf announced on Tuesday that more than half the sales for Nobody’s Girl came out of North America; in the US, the book is now in its 10th printing after an initial run of 70,000 copies. Giuffre’s book, co-written by author-journalist Amy Wallace, was published in early October.
The memoir helped revive criticism of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly a British prince, whom Giuffre alleged had sex with her when she was 17. And it heightened demands that the Justice Department release its files on Epstein, who killed himself in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41.
“This is a bittersweet moment for us,” Giuffre’s family, including siblings Sky Roberts and Danny Wilson, said in a statement. “We are enormously proud of our sister, and the impact she continues to have on the world. We’re also filled with so much sorrow that she couldn’t be here to witness the impact of her words. In her absence, our family remains committed to ensuring her voice is everlasting.”
Within weeks of Giuffre’s book being published, King Charles III stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence.
Mountbatten-Windsor has long denied Giuffre’s claims but stepped down from royal duties after a disastrous November 2019 BBC interview in which he attempted to rebut her allegations.
He paid millions in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 after Giuffre filed a civil suit against him in New York. While he didn’t admit wrongdoing, he acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking.
This week Giuffre’s family expressed their “deep disappointment” after the Metropolitan police announced Mountbatten-Windsor will not face a criminal investigation in the UK over allegations against him.
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In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org
Virginia
Virginia voters nominate candidates in Fairfax, Prince William ahead of January special election – WTOP News
Voters in several Northern Virginia districts are nominating candidates Tuesday who could be elected to serve on the state’s House of Delegates.
Voters in several Northern Virginia districts are nominating candidates Tuesday who could be elected to serve on the state’s House of Delegates.
Whoever wins Tuesday’s contests will compete in a special election on Jan. 13, 2026, for vacated seats in the Virginia General Assembly, where Democrats currently hold a 63-37 majority.
The series of shake-ups comes as several Democratic lawmakers step down from the House of Delegates to join Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration.
Two of the resigning lawmakers represent Northern Virginia: Del. David Bulova, of Fairfax City and Fairfax County; and Del. Candi Mundon King, of Prince William and Stafford counties.
Last week, Spanberger named Bulova as her pick for Virginia’s next secretary of natural and historic resources.
And the future governor tapped King to serve as the secretary of the commonwealth.
Each party has until Dec. 17 to submit a nominee to the Virginia Board of Elections for next month’s special election, according to a writ of special elections filed by Virginia House Speaker Don Scott.
District 11: Fairfax City and part of Fairfax County
Democrats
Five candidates are running for the Democratic nomination in a firehouse primary, including the exiting delegate’s wife, Gretchen Bulova, as well as Vanessa Cardenas, So Lim, Douglas Shuster and Denver Supinger.
Any voter registered in Virginia House of Delegates District 11 can participate — but they have to sign a declaration of support for the Democratic Party, according to the democratic committees in Fairfax County and Fairfax City. In a firehouse primary, the political parties organize the contest, not the state.
District 11 includes all of Fairfax City and portions of Fairfax County. If you’re not sure whether your home sits within the district’s boundaries, check out this website.
The caucus locations are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at these locations:
- Fairfax Presbyterian Church at 10723 Main Street
- Jim Scott Community Center at 3001 Vaden Drive
- Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway
Gretchen Bulova is the chair of the Fairfax County 250th Commission and the county’s history commission.
Cardenas is also a Fairfax City resident who works as the executive director of America’s Voice, which works to garner support for policy changes that create paths toward full citizenship for immigrants.
At a candidate forum on Sunday, Lim introduced herself as a progressive Democrat. She served three terms on the Fairfax City Council.
Shuster is the president of the Miller Heights Neighborhood Association and works at an advisory firm.
Supinger, former chief of staff to Del. Karrie Delaney, is the founder of a consulting firm that specializes in social impact strategy, political advocacy, and policymaking, according to its website.
It’s the second time Fairfax voters have participated in a firehouse primary this year, after earlier nominating candidates who competed to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly in June. Democrat James Walkinshaw ultimately won that special election in September.
Republicans
The Fairfax County Republican Committee confirmed with WTOP that Adam Wise will be the nominee, and there will be no caucus held.
Wise had previously run for the District 11 seat in November but lost to David Bulova, the incumbent.
District 23: Parts of Prince William and Stafford
Democrats
A Democratic caucus will also be going on in Virginia House of Delegates District 23 on Tuesday, according to the Democratic committees in Prince William and Stafford counties.
The caucus is scheduled to run from noon to 7 p.m. at these locations:
- Dumfries Community Center at 17757 Main Street, Dumfries
- Porter Branch Library at 2001 Parkway Boulevard, Stafford
Two candidates qualified to be on the ballot: Woodbridge Supervisor Margaret Franklin and Muhammed “Sef” Casim.
WTOP will report on the full ballot once the Republican nominee is finalized.
What’s happening in January
Voters in District 23 and District 11 will head to the polls on Jan. 13, 2026, for a special election to replace Dels. Bulova and King.
Early voting will be open from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10.
Outside of Northern Virginia, a separate special election is being held on Jan. 6, 2026, to replace representatives headed to Spanberger’s administration. Voters in the Richmond area will elect a new state senator in House District 15 and a new delegate in District 77.
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The high school basketball season is underway in Virginia and it’s time to unveil the first High School on SI girls Top 25 of the regular season.
Princess Anne, the preseason No. 1, remains at the top, followed by The Saint James Performance Academy. Bishop Ireton, Catholic-Virginia Beach and Menchville complete the Top 5.
The second 5 include Virginia Academy, Saint Anne’s-Belfield School, Osbourn Park, Saint Paul VI Catholic and Shining Stars Sports Academy. Shining Stars moved into the Top 10 after defeating then-No. 7 Norfolk Christian Academy at the She Got Game Classic at The St. James Complex in Northern Virginia over the weekend.
Five teams – Clarke County, Briar Woods, Loudoun Valley, Potomac Falls and Washington-Liberty – enter this week’s poll.
Here’s this week’s High School on SI Virginia girls basketball Top 25:
Preseason rank: No. 1
Record: 5-0
The Cavaliers are averaging nearly 80 points a game.
Preseason rank: No. 2
Record: 5-2
The Strivers’ two losses have been by a total of 18 points.
Preseason rank: No. 5
Record: 4-1
The Cardinals defeated then-No. 4 Osbourn Park at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 3
Record: 4-4
The Crusaders went 1-2 at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 6
Record: 4-0
The Monarchs topped Rosedale Christian Academy (Md.) and Mallard Creek (N.C.) at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 8
Record: 6-0
The Patriots have wins over then-No. 9 Saint Anne’s-Belfield School and Maryland Top 25 schools Elizabeth Seton, St. Mary’s Ryken and Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Preseason rank: No. 9
Record: 6-2
The Saints split two matches at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 4
Record: 4-2
The Yellowjackets defeated Saint Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) and Southern-Garrett before falling to then-No. 5 Bishop Ireton at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 10
Record: 4-2
The Panthers dropped decisions to then-No. 4 Osbourn Park and Christ the King (N.Y.) at the Art Turner Memorial.
Preseason rank: No. 11
Record: 5-2
The Panthers handled then-No. 7 Norfolk Christian Academy at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 7
Record: 3-3
The Ambassadors have dropped decisions to then-No. 5 Bishop Ireton and then-No. 11 Shining Stars Sports Academy.
Preseason rank: No. 12
Record: 4-1
The Lancers’ only setback came against No. 1 Princess Anne.
Preseason rank: No. 13
Record: 5-1
The Knights dropped a 57-48 decision to then-No. 6 Menchville in the opening week.
Preseason rank: No. 14
Record: 5-2
The Panthers have won five straight, including victory over Whitney Young (Ill.) at She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 18
Record: 4-0
The Wolverines have won their four decisions by an average of 31 points.
Preseason rank: No. 22
Record: 6-0
After back-to-back two-point wins (then-No. 20 Centreville and then-No. 23 Gainesville), the Saxons routed Lake Braddock and West Springfield.
Preseason rank: No. 23
Record: 6-1
The Cardinals’ only blemish is a two-point loss to Langley.
Preseason rank: No. 15
Record: 5-1
The Stallions dropped a 56-534 decision to Gainesville in the season opener.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 5-0
The Eagles own a pair of victories over Loudoun Valley.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 4-0
The Falcons opened the season with a win over then-No. 16 Heritage.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 5-2
The Vikings are riding a three-game winning streak after loss to Clarke County.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 5-1
The Panthers own victories over then-No. 16 Heritage and then-No. 19 Chantilly.
Preseason rank: No. 19
Record: 5-1
The Chargers’ only loss is a 44-43 decision to Potomac Falls.
Preseason rank: No. 20
Record: 3-2
The Wildcats’ losses to Langley and Gainesville are by a total of seven points.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 4-1
The Generals have won four straight by a margin of 44 points.
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