The Bombay High Court upheld the rape conviction of a man who had consensual intercourse with his underage wife. The court ruled that sexual intercourse with a girl under 18 is rape, regardless of marriage or consent, citing the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The judge rejected the defense of consensual sex, emphasizing that the age of consent is 18. This decision reinforces that a girl’s marital status does not negate the illegality of sexual intercourse if she is a minor. The case involved a man who had a fraudulent marriage with a minor girl and continued to assault her.
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Colombia’s congress has passed a bill raising the minimum age for marriage to 18, aiming to safeguard the rights and future of minors. This crucial step, which still requires presidential approval, seeks to combat the harmful practice of child marriage, a global issue that disproportionately affects young girls. While child marriage rates have been decreasing globally, they remain a serious concern, especially in Latin America where poverty contributes significantly to the practice. This legislation represents a significant step towards protecting children from the exploitation and deprivation associated with early marriage.
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The author, deeply saddened by the outcome of the election, grapples with the political divide within her own marriage, particularly the stark contrast between her husband’s support for the winning candidate and her own disappointment. This division has caused her to question their future and to doubt the possibility of reconciliation, especially due to the profound differences in their views on the implications of the election for various groups, particularly women and minorities. She finds solace in her network of friends and family who share her concerns, and she vows to continue fighting for her beliefs, despite the pain and uncertainty. Ultimately, the author recognizes that the path forward lies in open communication and understanding, even in the face of deep disagreement.
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Iraq is poised to drastically lower its legal marriage age from 18 to just nine for girls and 15 for boys, sparking significant backlash both domestically and internationally. The proposed amendment, championed by conservative Shia Islamist parties, would allow for child marriage and grant religious leaders greater control over family issues, effectively stripping women of vital rights such as divorce, child custody, and inheritance. This proposed amendment would further exacerbate the already prevalent issue of child marriage in Iraq, where over 28% of women are married by the age of 18. While many countries around the world have set the legal age for marriage at 18, Iraq’s proposed amendment would place it among a handful of countries with the lowest legal marriage ages, prompting concerns about the safety and well-being of young girls.
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Iraq is on the verge of enacting deeply concerning legal amendments that would significantly undermine women’s rights and expose young girls to grave risks. Proposed changes to the Personal Status Law would lower the legal marriage age to nine, the youngest in the world, stripping women of their rights regarding divorce, child custody, and inheritance. This move, despite widespread protests and warnings from civil society, is being pushed forward by conservative Shia Muslim parties, who claim it protects girls from “immoral relationships”. These amendments, if passed, would not only violate international human rights standards but also have devastating consequences for girls, increasing their vulnerability to abuse, early pregnancy, and denial of education.
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The article is a personal narrative of a white woman in the United States who largely stayed away from politics in her early life but has since become more politically aware and active. The author was raised in a religious, lower-class, rural household and traditionally aligned with conservative ideologies. However, through returning to college and working towards her degree, she began to question these traditional values and started seeking more equality in her life. Despite voting for Donald Trump in 2016 due to marital pressure, the author began secretly voting Democrat in 2020. She is open about her future intention to vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, no longer fearing the consequences within her marriage and expressing relief at the clarity of her political choices.
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As a man who has been married for 35 years, the idea of a “radical” divorce crackdown proposed by Ben Carson, Trump’s VP hopeful, is not only concerning but also fundamentally flawed. The notion that the government should intervene in the personal lives of individuals to prevent them from making decisions about their own marriages is not only intrusive but also goes against the principles of personal freedom and individual autonomy.
Studies have shown that making divorce more difficult does not ultimately lead to stronger families or healthier relationships. In fact, such laws have been found to increase domestic violence and suicide rates among women.… Continue reading
As I delve into the disturbing reality of why some Republican lawmakers are vehemently opposed to raising the marriage age and are hellbent on preserving child marriage, one word comes to mind: hypocrisy. It is utterly perplexing how individuals in positions of power, who are meant to protect the vulnerable, can advocate for something as abhorrent as child marriage. The fact that there are lawmakers who actually argue that child marriage bans would encourage abortion is beyond comprehension.
The statistics speak for themselves – 300,000 minors were married between 2000 and 2018 in the United States, with 60,000 of those marriages involving an age difference that would be classified as a sex crime.… Continue reading
I feel absolutely disgusted and appalled after reading about GOP official Representative Jess Edwards arguing in favor of child marriage, claiming that girls are ‘ripe’ and ‘fertile’. The fact that child marriage is still legal in 38 states in the US is horrifying and unacceptable. The idea that a 16-year-old girl is considered ‘ripe’ and ‘fertile’ enough to get married is a clear indication of how deeply rooted misogyny and patriarchy are in our society.
The comments made by Representative Jess Edwards are not only disturbing, but they also highlight the toxic and dangerous views that some individuals in positions of power hold.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood