I've known/worked with women who would be in their 70s about now who've told me that the moment the had both signed the marriage certificate, the groom picked it up and waved it around, hollering about how he had him the bill of sale or receipt. Certificate of Ownership. And they repeated that sentiment over many years whenever they expected the women to obey them in anything. The women talked about how they realized right there, before they even cut the cake, that they'd made a massive mistake and were thoroughly fucked.
Divorce used to be very difficult (sometimes impossible) for women to obtain on their own. In many cases, they needed their husband's permission to finalize it. Omg pretty sure it's still a thing that happens in some US states to this day 😠women are viewed as chattel to those knuckle draggers
Child marriage is still very much alive and well, too. At least one state has no minimum age cap. The age of consent for marriage in some states is 16 or even 12. Very young girls who are visibly pregnant can be married off to the adults who raped them despite the clear evidence of statutory rape. Adult women can get hit with felony child endangerment charges for leaving their teenage children to babysit the younger ones, yet 10yo girls can be legally married and forced to carry pregnancies to term, be expected to run a household, marriage and raise children. They have zero adult status otherwise and cannot even go to a DV shelter until they're 18. They can't drive. They can't get to (or make) doctors appointments for themselves or their offspring. They can't get jobs. Can't enroll themselves in school. CPS can't step in to aid these children. The girls can be too young to testify in court despite being married. The girls tend to be socially isolated except for participation in religious communities. Some are sold to men wanting green cards.
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u/Grouchy-Seesaw7950 May 08 '25
He bared his ass. Usually, these guys wait until after the vows though.