As of June 6, Washington has become the 11th state in the U.S. to outlaw child marriages. The new law prohibits anyone under 18 from getting married, marking a significant step in protecting young individuals from being forced into such unions.
As of June 6, House Bill 1455 is now in effect. The bill was passed by the Legislature during this session and was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in March.
Before the implementation of the new legislation, Washington was among the five states that did not have any age restriction on marriage. In those states, children of any age were legally allowed to tie the knot with the consent of a judge, and 17-year-olds only required parental permission.
During this year’s legislative session, survivors of forced child marriage delivered passionate testimony during the debate on the bill in Olympia.
She shared her heartbreaking experience, “I was married off at the age of 12 and was subjected to rape on my wedding night. It’s important to acknowledge that child marriage is a reality in America.”
During a hearing, Sara Tasneem, a survivor, shared her story with lawmakers, recounting how she was coerced into marrying a 28-year-old man by her father when she was only 15 years old.
Tasneem shared, “One morning, my dad introduced me to a man and informed me that I would be married to him that very night. My mom had no knowledge of this arrangement, and after a spiritual wedding ceremony, my dad left me in the care of my abuser.”
During the hearing, Tasneem informed the legislators that her abuser had brought her back to the country after six months.
“I was trapped with my abuser for seven years before I finally found a way to escape. Even after that, it took me three more years to finalize my divorce.”
During the hearing, Fraidy Reiss from Unchained at Last, an organization dedicated to ending all forms of child marriage, provided testimony in favor of the proposed legislation.
According to Reiss, a staggering 70 to 80% of child marriages result in divorce, leaving these young individuals without a home. She also points out that some parents may see child marriage as a way to avoid a child support obligation since marrying off a child automatically emancipates them. This highlights the dire consequences of child marriage and the urgent need to address this issue.