Virginia lawmakers have voted to raise the marriage age to 18. Most states haven't

Brigitte Combs wipes away tears after speaking to Virginia lawmakers in favor of a bill to raise the minimum age of marriage. She was married at 15 years old to a much older man — later fleeing. (Shaban Athuman/VPM)

Brigitte Combs lives outside of Richmond and said she came to the Virginia state capitol when she heard legislators were discussing the issue of minors and forced marriage. Taking a deep breath, she told them that decades ago in Texas she had been married at 15 years old to a 37-year-old man.

"I could not speak up then. But I can speak now. And I will fight tooth and nail for others who are not able to speak," she said in late February.