Instead of anecdote, they provide statistics about child marriage, one line earlier:

“At least 60,000 marriages since 2000 have occurred at an age or spousal age difference that should have constituted statutory rape under the law.”

  It’s estimated that, each year, 12 million girls around the world are married before they turn 18. The perception that child marriage is something that happens to other kids in other places – not the United States – is a false one.

  Between 2000 and 2021, nearly 315,000 children were legally entered into marriage across the U.S. The vast majority were girls wed to adult men.

  Mandy’s mother encouraged her to become affectionate with the man from their church in Arizona who was showing an interest in Mandy.

  He was aged 18. Mandy was 12.

  His grooming and abuse continued for years, fully sanctioned by Mandy’s mother, who spoke of God’s plan. He proposed to her four years later, and she tried to say no. After exhausting every possible way to escape what her parents were forcing her to do, she ran away, but as a minor, she had no power. Her parents were able to force her back home and into marriage.

  Mandy was married a week after her 17th birthday to her 23-year-old longtime rapist and abuser. 

  She was trapped in a marriage marked by relentless emotional, physical, verbal and financial abuse.

  When Mandy finally escaped as an adult, at age 20, she was excommunicated from her church. She lost all her family and friends. She was left to rebuild her life on her own.