21-year-old Keri from South Carolina shared the story of his fate. The girl told the television channel BBC Three: when she was 15, she was «forced» to marry a 24-year-old man, so he could avoid punishment for rape.
In the new documentary «American child bride», which will be released today, March 22, it will be shown how to use legal loopholes to marriage with children in 17 States where there is no age limit for marriage.
During a conversation with journalist Ellie Flynn, Keri explained that she and her friend Paul found out that he took over the police after she got pregnant. According to the girl, then the guy decided to study the loophole, often called the «marry the rapist».
Keri didn’t want to get married, but Paul bought her drunken father a case of beer to convince him to give permission.
«If my father wanted to, he could press charges. Paul persuaded his father to sign for us a marriage license,» — says Carey.
As a result, their marriage lasted only two years: they divorced when Carey was 17 years old.
«I wanted to go to school and work, and he treated me like I was his servant — girl explains his decision about the divorce. — Sorry I didn’t finish high school. I can’t do what I want».
BBC told about another case involving the marriage of a minor. In this story the main character was Heather from Idaho who was only 14 when she found out about her pregnancy.
«In Idaho, the legislation on child marriage requires a decree from the judge, but in Missouri you only need the consent of a parent. So when Heather got pregnant at 14, her father, without consulting with his wife, crossed with her, States that she married her 24-year-old rapist,» reads the announcement of the BBC.
As reported by the newspaper the Kansas City Star and The State, lawmakers in Missouri, South Carolina and other States are working to change laws about minimum age for marriage. In the film, the BBC said that one of the main questions in such cases:
«Whose rights are more important: a minor pregnant girl or the unborn child that could potentially be left without a father?»
