Child marriage in the United States: prevalence and impact
This recording shows an event held on 21 October 2020 on how common child marriage is in the United States, and what it means for young people and their families.
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Nearly every US state allows boys and girls under 18 to marry. Few people know that over 200,000 young people married across the country between 2000 and 2015.
As evidence has grown, many states have moved to tackle the issue. Yet legal loopholes and a lack of data on how common the practice is, and what it does, still leave girls, and in some cases boys, at risk. Marrying early harms people in many ways: education, earnings, physical, reproductive and mental health, exposure to violence and the likelihood of divorce.
Moderator
- Maryum Saifee, policymaker and gender equality expert
Speakers
- Mara Steinhaus, Senior Research and Learning Specialist at WomenStrong International and author of an ICRW report
- Kristen Zaleski, Clinical Associate Professor of Social Work, Department of Mental Health and Wellness, University of Southern California (USC)
- Lyric Thompson, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)