To think instead of raising the legal age we should do this instead

[Marriageisspecial]

There is a private member’s bill going through the commons to raise the legal age to get married from 16 to 18. I currently know two school leavers who have just ‘sat’ (different with covid) their GCSEs who are planning on getting married they are both the same age and they live together ect. I know another 16 year old who is starting an apprenticeship in September and will be earning £12,500 per year. I do also understand the concern over coercion and being married off to much older men. However there are also young couples who may want to get married also situations if one has a terminal illness and wants to marry their girlfriend/boyfriend or a teenage pregnancy. So Aibu to think instead we should adopt the system of Texas where you must apply to the court to get married if you are 16-18 this way we could still protect people but make provision for the above cases?

I would not support changing the age of consent. Different topic entirely. Our laws are well written and clear. Aiming to protect where needed but not criminalise normal teen behaviour when consensual etc.

Opening them up could end up in all sorts of changes being pushed.

The fact the existing state of sex offences reported, investigated etc is so shit. Is very important but again a different topic. The laws are fine. They're just not being applied.

YABU. Children should absolutely not be allowed to get married. It beggars belief that children have been able to do this. Why on earth would anyone want a sixteen year old to enter a legal contract that effects every area of their life, when they are not able to enter other legal contracts without parental consent.

I don't think it is right to prevent 16 year old from marriage. I think the age of marriage should go hand in hand with the age some one can give consent to sex.

Marriage gives people rights, why deny those right to the young?

I think the law is good where it is. We just need it reinforced.

If anything need changing, then divorce should be made simpler and faster.

No. The aim is to end child marriage around the world, and that includes the UK.
Marriage between 16/17 year olds used to be acceptable but times have changed.

Child marriage is just plain wrong.

I remember reading about a 12 year old child was raped by an adult Male and got pregnant. The parents answer to this was to marry their child to the rapist. It had to be approved by a judge. They were Christian fundamentalists who were more worried about what outsiders would think than about their child. Some states have now made 18 the lowest age to get married.

Your reasons are rubbish. Teenage pregnancy? Does every women that gets pregnant have to be married?

Marriage is a big deal. It is a life sentence at 16.

Yeah let's copy the shining example of Texas with regard to literally anything.

A 16 year old shouldn't be marrying for any reason. I was madly in love with the dope-head wastrel next door at that age. By 18 (when I'd seen the police attend his place) I knew better. Not much better, mind you, but better.

Child marriage is wrong.
I imagine the number of 16/17 year olds getting married is fairly small to begin with. And most of them will be forced marriage situations. The amount of 16 year olds living with their partners and planning a wedding must be incredibly tiny.

No. A 16 year old does not have the maturity to consent to marriage. It's a legally binding contract FFS.

@HavelockVetinari

No. A 16 year old does not have the maturity to consent to marriage. It's a legally binding contract FFS.

This. A 16 year old can't sign any other contract (for good reason) Why is a marriage contract different?

All these people who want it to be 21 why? Is there a stat that shows 18 year olds who marry are any more likely to split up quickly than 30 or 40 yr olds?

I support the new minimum age.

16 year olds should be focused on their education or training.

All these people who want it to be 21 why? Is there a stat that shows 18 year olds who marry are any more likely to split up quickly than 30 or 40 yr olds?

No but there is research shows the brain doesn't fully mature until around age 25 and that the frontal cortex is last to develop. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences so an 18 year old, even though legally an adult, still would be unlikely to fully grasp the long term implications of marriage.

@LidlMiddleLover

All these people who want it to be 21 why? Is there a stat that shows 18 year olds who marry are any more likely to split up quickly than 30 or 40 yr olds?

There are statistics. US ones say that women who marry young are more likely to drop out of school, live in poverty, and all that fun stuff.

@massiveportion

Interesting user name OP

Yes, quite.

I'm pleased it's happening.

Two sixteen or seventeen year olds getting married because one of them has a terminal illness is no reason for children to be able to get married.

@OneYeminRoad

I'm pleased it's happening.

Two sixteen or seventeen year olds getting married because one of them has a terminal illness is no reason for children to be able to get married.

Two older adults marrying in this situation may well have financial/legal reasons to do so (eg leaving property/estate/money/pension to the spouse). Realistically, this isn't going to be a concern for people under 18.

No. They are children, children shouldn’t get married.

Will the answers to your question be in the Daily Mail tomorrow ?

Thank you MNHQ and thank you Dinosaur Diana I was so incensed I posted from the heart without thinking what this might be being used for.
There are absolutely no good reasons to be married before adulthood, or to trust judges or systems to protect and decide otherwise.

So they want to up the age of marriage because you are a child but lower the age of consent to 14…I read something on line about that the other day (lowering the age of consent) hmmm makes a whole loada sense. WTH.

@MrsClatterbuck

I remember reading about a 12 year old child was raped by an adult Male and got pregnant. The parents answer to this was to marry their child to the rapist. It had to be approved by a judge. They were Christian fundamentalists who were more worried about what outsiders would think than about their child. Some states have now made 18 the lowest age to get married.

There is still child marriage in USA.

Usually in v Christian communities where child abuse results in a pregnant girl.

I think it's a get out for child abuse if you're married. Well I suppose it would have to be- marriages tend to involve sex.

Some states have changed. Others stand firm. One senator cited religious reasons for not increasing it.

I'd rather the money for such a legal process was spent on other areas of our crippled justice system tbh