Advocates demand New York lawmakers outlaw child marriage

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 9:52 pm, Tuesday, February 14, 2017



ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Child advocates in New York are attempting to overturn a law that allows children as young as 14 years old to wed because they say it can trap minors in sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Democratic Assemblywoman Amy Paulin on Tuesday introduced a bill to raise the minimum age for marriage to 17. New York is one of three states that allow 14-year-olds to marry with parental and judicial consent.

Paulin called the law an appalling loophole for adults to sexually abuse children and avoid statutory rape charges.

"I can't even begin to imagine the physical, psychological and emotional traumas these children have suffered," she said. "We must safeguard the health, safety and welfare of our children, who are the future of our society."

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Advocates-demand-New-York-lawmakers-outlaw-child-10932107.php

[Kimchijeon]

1. It seems long overdue!

[still_one]

2. I can't believe that is still on the books

[mr_lebowski]

3. While we're at it, can we outlaw 'charging kids under 17 as adults when they commit crimes'?

AFAIC, the 'age of consent' should be exactly = to the 'age at which the youngest person in the state has been convicted as an adult for a crime'. It also should match the age for voting, for smoking, for drinking, for joining the military, deciding to drop out of school, and the point at which one's parents are no longer 'legally responsible' for their kids actions, and all the rest.

Because the way I see it, either you're an 'adult' ... or you're not. This whole 'choosing a bunch of different ages' when it comes to deciding whether young people are capable of making 'adult decisions', based on 'whatever is politically convenient' ... is a load of crap.

Just sharing MHO, at the risk of it being wildly unpopular ...

[Little Tich]

4. Child marriage is a horrible institution that shouldn't be legal in a civilized country. n/t

[Coventina]

5. Yikes! Had no idea such a thing still existed in New York!

Wow!

Time to end that, about 100 years ago!