Thanks for sharing. This type of thing isn't limited to child brides. In our community this past year a college freshman was lured to an east African country by family there (with the cooperation of his own mother) and then had his passport taken from him and was taken to a hotel for a meeting with various Mullahs for "gay deconversion therapy". He let himself out of a window and made his way to the American embassy which put him in touch with an ex-Muslim organization that helped get him home. Back here, his college gave him free room and board for the summer so he had a chance to get his life in order. But he was lucky to have had enough presence of mind to get the heck out of there; others in his situation have died in "deconversion therapy".

I knew a woman who was forced into marriage at the age of 12 in exchange for a used truck. By the tine she was 21, she had 6 children and her husband abandoned them all for a 16 year old. The woman I knew raised those children by herself primarily by working in a fish factory - she had no schooling. They were all grown and on their own when I met her. She was an amazing poet. We lost touch when I moved away.

So very true . I knew marriages could be legal at age 14 , in West Virginia , years ago , but didn't know those kinds of laws were still on the books . Taunua Tucker , a singer , who had become a star at a very early age , under her mother's supervision , married to get her freedom from her Mom , while on tour , when they reached WV .