WASHINGTON – With Mayor Bowser’s signature, the Child Marriage Prohibition Amendment Act is on it’s way to Congress for final consideration after having passed City Council unanimously on December 17. The bill sets the minimum age of consent for marriage at 18, banning child marriage in the District.
This is a resounding victory for survivors of child marriage and those at risk of this little-discussed form of child abuse. The bill now heads to Congress for a 30-day review. If Congress does not pass a joint resolution of disapproval, the bill will become law.
Said Dr. Indira Henard, Executive Director of the DC Rape Crisis Center; “We are very excited that DC has passed the bill to end child marriage in the District. We commend Councilwoman Brooke Pinto for her leadership in bringing this bill to fruition. This is a great day for survivors. What we know for sure is that protecting children should be everyone’s business, and we are glad that this bill gives much needed protection to our children against child marriage in the District. We are grateful to all of the survivors who shared their stories, and partnered with us throughout this process.”
“The passage of this bill is a resounding symbol of the District’s commitment to putting survivors first. We at The Person Center are proud to stand alongside a community-based coalition rooted in the bravery and determination of our survivor advocates,” said Lul Mohamud, MPH, Executive Director of The Person Center. “Ending child marriage in Washington, DC is a result of the listening ear, compassion-based action, and coordinated efforts of Councilmember Brooke Pinto’s office and staff. The DC Council’s monumental vote will close a door to victimization, violence, and trauma — protecting our most vulnerable across the district and across the region. We at The Person Center look forward to continuing to champion the work of this coalition to expand protections, resources, and support for our youth in collaboration with our survivor advocates, community organizations, and the DC Council.”
Alex Goyette, Public Policy Manager at the Tahirih Justice Center, added “This is a resounding victory for children in the District and throughout the U.S., as DC moves to join the 13 state legislatures that have banned child marriage since 2016. This reform continues the mid-Atlantic’s leadership in the campaign to end child marriage across the US, and setting another example that the remaining 37 states should follow. We look forward to swift approval of this legislation by Congress.”
All of Washington, DC’s neighbors have already taken action to limit or end child marriage, according to a Tahirih Justice Center report. DC City Councilmember Brooke Pinto (Ward 2), Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, introduced the Child Marriage Prohibition Amendment Act in the fall of 2024 to right that wrong. Pinto invited public comment in what was a highly emotional, but empowering legislative hearing.
Vilas Wright testified that she was forced to marry a man twice her age after her father found out she had been raped. “No one asked me,” she said. “I was a naive and innocent little girl, even if I was a feisty redhead. No one stopped it. No one stood up and questioned if this was right or wrong. You have the power to do that today.” Read more testimonies here.
And DC acted. Advocates expect the bill to become law this year, ensuring that predators who wish to trap children in marriage, in order to “legitimize” abuse, can no longer do so under color of law in any jurisdiction across the mid-Atlantic.
Tahirih Justice Center and partners will continue to advocate for state restrictions on child and forced marriage across the United States, as well as enactment of the federal Child Marriage Prevention Act. This legislation, previously introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), remains pending in the United States Congress.
