“Ohio’s child marriage law is antiquated and out of step with 21st century values,” said Yuko, in a statement. “I am introducing this bill to make sure our laws protect children and teenagers. In most cases, underage marriages have a devastating impact on a child’s future, with girls typically suffering the most.”
The bill would increase the minimum age for marriage to 18 for both boys and girls. Under the new law, 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds could marry with judicial and parental consent, but marriage for anyone younger than 16 would be prohibited.
As it stands, the minimum age for marriage in Ohio is 16 for girls and 18 for boys. But children of any age are allowed to marry with the permission of their parents and of a juvenile court.
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2017.
