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CHILD BRIDES — IN UTAH
WFF doesn't
normally get involved in state politics,
but a situation in Utah ought to be
of national concern, and certainly
qualifies as Outrage of Month. Girls
as young as 14 are being married off
to older men (and we don't mean twentysomethings
-- some are in their 50s), because
state law allows parents to sign
their daughters away to older men.
Even though court review of these
parental "permissions" is required,
the law is written so that judges
are very limited in their ability
to stop a marriage. Nearly 1000 girls
aged 14-17 were married off last year,
including a 14-37 match and a 15-year-old
to a groom older than 45. Rep. Carl
Saunders (R-Ogden) proposed and withdrew
(under pressure from certain neanderthals
in the Utah legislature who believe
child marriage prevents teen promiscuity)
a bill last year to up the marriage
age from 14-16. Saunders is considering
re-introducing his bill. Give
him encouragement at 801-547-5510;
2128 Eastwood Blvd. Ogden, Utah 84403.
(WFF
2/6/98)
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