Adult women who were once child brides are urging Missouri lawmakers to outlaw child marriage, a practice that remains legal in most states. In 2018, Missouri passed a law prohibiting marriages of children aged 15 and younger, allowing only 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. However, advocates argue that these laws are insufficient in protecting minors.
An advocacy group, Unchained At Last, revealed that 231 minors were married in Missouri between 2019 and 2021, with the majority being girls wed to adult men. This alarming statistic has prompted calls for stricter legislation.
