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u.s. news Dialuna 16 augustus 2021

North Carolina is child bride destination; bill could end it

(AP) — Known for its friendliest states in the South ceptable.
coastlines, mountains and to give them safe haven,” he
the state that was “first remarked. “It’s a generational divide,”
in flight,” North Caro- said Sen. Vickie Sawyer, a
lina has also developed a The state is currently one of Davidson County Republi-
more dubious reputation 13 that allow children under can. “It was older members
recently: as a regional des- 16 to wed, according to Un- — both Democrat and Re-
tination for adults who chained at Last, a nonprofit publicans — that had those
want to marry children. organization that advocates personal stories of family
ending child and forced mar- members who had been mar-
State lawmakers are nearing riages in the U.S. Nine of ried and it turned out OK.”
passage of a bill that could those states have no set mini-
dampen the state’s appeal as mum age, the group says, re- Sawyer sponsored a bill that
the go-to place to bring child lying instead on case law or a would have raised the age to
brides — but would still leave judge’s ruling. 18. Instead, a compromise
it short of a national push to measure that won unani- Unchained at Last and the
increase the age to 18. The Under current North Caro- mous support from the Sen- International Center for Re- Another woman willing to
proposed legislation would lina law, children as young ate in May and the House search on Women are among speak out is Jean Fields, who
raise the minimum marriage as 14 can get married if they this week would raise the groups pushing states to raise in 1965, at age 15, married
age from 14 to 16 and limit become pregnant and if a minimum marriage age to 16 the marriage age to 18, with a man in his 20s. Fields had
the age difference between a judge allows it. Otherwise, with no exceptions, including no exceptions. Six states have three children by the time
16-year-old and their spouse children can wed as young as pregnancy. And even those reached that standard — she was 21. She eventually
to four years. 16 with parental permission. 16 or 17 would need parental most recently New York last got divorced after what she
Alaska is the only other state permission or a judge’s deci- month. said was years of her hus-
“We will have moved the nee- whose law expressly allows sion that the marriage would band’s verbal abuse and be-
dle and made North Carolina marriages as young as 14. “serve the best interest of an The groups have enlisted the littlement.
no longer at the very bottom underage party.” help of former child brides
of the barrel of states,” said A study by the Internation- including Judy Wiegand of Fields, now 72, goes by an-
Drew Reisinger, the regis- al Center for Research on Rep. Kristin Baker of Cabar- Kentucky, who appeared be- other married name but
ter of deeds in Buncombe Women, a research institute rus County, who helped fore a North Carolina House doesn’t want to disclose it to
County. But, he said, “we’re and rights group for women shepherd the bill through the committee in June to en- spare her extended family any
still going to be putting a lot and children, estimates that House, explained that “as a courage legislators to change anguish. In a phone inter-
of children in harm’s way.” nearly 8,800 minors were conservative Christian, I am the law. view, she said that after leav-
listed on marriage licenses in a strong supporter of the sac- ing her marriage, she raised
Reisinger said the county, North Carolina from 2000- rament of marriage.” “It is the responsibility of the her children, returned to
which includes the popular 2015 — placing the state government to protect all of school and has since owned
tourist city of Asheville, is a among the top five with child “As a child psychiatrist, I am the children,” Wiegand told two businesses. Despite her
destination for many adults marriages during that period. determined to protect our lawmakers. Wiegand was 13 ultimate success, however,
and child brides from nearby The group said that 93% of vulnerable youth, enhanc- when she and an older teen- she discourages others from
states such as Georgia, Ken- the marriage applications it ing their chances for healthy, age boy — the father of her marrying young.
tucky, South Carolina and reviewed for the years 2000- happy futures,” she said. “I baby — married in the 1970s.
Tennessee — all of which 2019 involved a marriage be- believe this bill works to She said that until she be- “I regret I never had the op-
have raised the minimum tween a minor and an adult. achieve those ends.” came an adult, the law left her portunity to be a teenager,”
marriage age in recent years. largely unprotected against she said. ___
“It disrupts the notion that The bill’s proposed maxi- an abusive spouse.
Two-thirds of the marriage if child marriage happens, mum age gap of four years This story corrects that
applications in Buncombe it is the Romeo-and-Juliet partially mimics statutory Lobbyists working on chang- the number of Buncombe
County last year that involved scenario of two 17-year- rape laws that make it a se- ing the law say former child County marriage applica-
at least one person under olds who just can’t wait to rious felony for a minor to brides in North Carolina tions last year that involved at
18 originated from people love each other,” said Lyr- have sexual intercourse with whom they have contacted least one person under 18 and
who lived outside of North ic Thompson, one of the someone who is significantly remain too traumatized by originated from people who
Carolina, Reisinger said, not- study’s co-authors. older. The legislation needs their experiences to speak lived outside of North Caro-
ing that a 49-year-old man one more Senate vote before before legislators publicly. lina composed two-thirds of
and 17-year-old girl recently But change has been slow in heading to Democratic Gov. Women like Wiegand have all applications involving an
came from Kentucky seeking North Carolina, where some Roy Cooper’s desk, probably filled in instead: “I’m speak- underage applicant, not two-
a license. lawmakers still remain con- this week, where it’s likely to ing in favor of the bill be- thirds of all marriage applica-
vinced that certain marriages be signed into law. cause I feel nobody did it for tions in the county.
“North Carolina is one of the involving a child are still ac- me,” she said.

Federal court set to rule on eviction moratorium this weekAP NEWS

(AP) — A three-judge panel refused landlords’ request to day morning. The parties cover areas where 90% of the evictions to resume. Justice
with the U.S. Court of Ap- put the Biden administra- both asked the court rule by U.S. population lives. Brett Kavanaugh, part of the
peals for the District of Co- tion’s new eviction morato- Thursday. slim majority, said he agreed
lumbia is expected to rule rium on hold, though she In seeking the ruling the real- with Friedrich, but was vot-
this week on whether a mor- ruled that the freeze is illegal. The new moratorium, which tors said, “This Court should ing to keep that moratorium
atorium against evictions im- In issuing her ruling, Fried- is set to expire Oct. 3, was do what the district court in place because it was set to
posed by the Centers for Dis- rich said her “hands are tied” announced this month and thought it could not.” expire at the end of July.
ease Control and Prevention by an appellate decision from could keep millions in their
will stand. the last time courts consid- homes as the coronavirus’ If the D.C. Circuit doesn’t Kavanaugh wrote in a one-
ered the evictions morato- delta variant has spread and give the landlords what they paragraph opinion that he
The court late Saturday set an rium in the spring. states have been slow to re- want, they are expected to would reject any additional
expedited schedule following lease federal rental aid. It seek Supreme Court involve- extension without a new,
an appeal by Alabama and The court has given the Jus- would temporarily halt evic- ment. clear authorization from
Georgia realtors of a Friday tice Department until 9 a.m. tions in counties with “sub- Congress, which has not
ruling by U.S. District Judge Tuesday to respond. The stantial and high levels” of vi- In late June, the high court been able to take action.
Dabney Friedrich. The judge plaintiffs have until Wednes- rus transmissions and would refused by a 5-4 vote to allow