The Issue
What is Child Marriage?
Child marriage is the formal union of a person under the age of 18. Internationally, it is recognized as a human rights violation because minors are often unable to provide full, informed consent. Although many people associate child marriage with developing countries, it affects children across continents and cultures. Many factors contribute to child marriage, including poverty, gender inequality, cultural traditions, family pressure, lack of opportunities, and weak legal protections.
The Impact
The consequences of child marriage can be devastating. Children who marry are more likely to leave school early, limiting their future opportunities, and face increased risks of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and mental health struggles. Married minors may also face legal barriers that make it difficult to access domestic violence shelters, legal services, and other support systems.
The Fight
Advocates and organizations around the world have made significant progress in the fight against child marriage through awareness and legislative reform. However, millions of children continue to be affected worldwide, and much work remains to be done. At Stand For Childhood, we believe that every child deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own future.
Survivor Stories
Meet Brittany Bee
Brittany grew up in a large military family with strong religious values. At age 13, while visiting her mother in another state, she met Peter, then 20 years old, who began pursuing a relationship with her by promising a future together. By age 14, Peter had sexually abused her, an experience that triggered a deep depression.
When Brittany was 16, Peter threatened to expose their relationship to her family unless she went with him, after which the abuse continued. When she was reported missing, she feared that she would be blamed for the situation, which is why she remained silent. After she was found, her community shunned her for having run away with an older man. The weight of this trauma led to a near-fatal overdose in May 2013.
Weeks later, her father and Peter arranged for Brittany to marry him, a decision made without her consent. Peter used the marriage as a cover to continue abusing her. Because she could not legally divorce him until she turned 18, she felt trapped and stuck in a harmful situation. Two months after the wedding, he pushed her out of a moving vehicle. Fearing for her life, Brittany fled and found support from family and friends. By April 2014, she had finalized her divorce.
Today, Brittany is remarried and continues to navigate the lasting effects of the trauma she faced. As a survivor, she now dedicates herself to advocacy work, ensuring that no other girl has to endure what she experienced.
Brigitte grew up in Los Angeles in a Hare Krishna household with a mother who believed in arranging marriages for religious reasons. At age 11, her mother found her a husband, a 26-year-old man. However, he backed out upon realizing her age. When Brigitte was 13, her mother arranged another match with a 37-year-old man.
At 14, Brigitte was married in a religious ceremony and became pregnant shortly after. When she was seven months along, her parents brought her to a courthouse to legalize the marriage. When the judge asked if she was willing, she desperately wanted to say no, but felt she had no choice. By 17, she was raising two children while living on a Hare Krishna farm. Lawyers refused to help her because she was a minor, and even women's shelters turned her away for being underage.
At 18, Brigitte fled the marriage and lived on the streets for a period of time. Because she was not yet of legal age to file for divorce on her own, she remained in a legally complicated situation until she was 20, when she finally obtained her divorce.
Today, Brigitte speaks openly about her experience, acknowledging the lifelong consequences of being a child bride. As a survivor, she advocates so that no other girl has to endure what she lived through.