NBC News reported on opposition to bills seeking to outlaw child marriage in states across the country, quoting Tahirih Senior Counsel for Policy and Strategy Jeanne Smoot.
“States where they have an age floor, maybe it’s 16, or 16 to 17 years old, they have this wide-open potential for abuse for parents to pawn their daughters off to whoever will take them.”
I came to the U.S. in the winter of 2006. Life back home in Mexico was tough for me and my family. I dreamt of going to college and graduating but with my family’s economic status, that dream was too costly and impossible.
At least I was able to graduate high school and that is something I am proud of since I was also working at the time to help my family. I was always looking for an opportunity to have a better life as a young woman.
“I hope my story is helpful to someone else…and can inspire many women to be stronger. We need to help young women identify toxic relationships, so that there are fewer Camilas that go through such difficult things, let alone have our children suffer.”
©2024 Tahirih Justice Center. All rights reserved.
Tahirih Justice Center is a non-partisan, tax-exempt 501(c) charitable organization (EIN # 54-1858176). Gifts are tax deductible as allowable by law. | Privacy Policy | Works Cited
