Child Marriage in the USA

This is something that I’ve been following for years and haven’t yet seen on here. Here is a recent article that I found very informative on this issue that many do not even realize exists in our country.

I would like to see a discussion on these issues. Did you know this was going on in the US? If you are not from the US does your own country have similar loopholes for child marriage? How would you like to see these laws changed in order to protect vulnerable children in these situations? If you advocate child marriage then why and in what situation would marriage be ok for someone 16 or younger?

Please note this is not in regard to emancipated teens or 16+ year olds who are marrying willingly for love with approval. This is about children, especially those under 16, who are forced unwillingly into marriages with adults for various reasons.

A quick edit to add that this is not a religious issue. It is a legal issue. The problem is that these legal loopholes exist in the first place. Many of the parents who do this to their children are not religiously motivated. It can be because of social stigma, covering up a rape, etc.