A tense debate is gripping legislators across the US and it's one that surprises many Americans.

Few people realize that in all but two states children can legally marry and in a third of states there isn't even a minimum age.

Shocking perhaps but at what age should somebody be allowed to get married? There's little consensus and

feelings run deep on all sides.

End child marriage now.

Ask us and I'll tell you how.

Basically he raised me as a young girl.

You know, I was his daughter wife.

They hear some horrible story about a young girl being abused or being coerced, they're being forced to marry her

rapists, you know, things like that.

And they just react and think, oh, we've got to do something.

And so we got to raise the age.

He doesn't have to worry about his daughter's rights being violated.

Does he?

No!

I'm Jane O'Brien and this is America's Child Brides.

So this is you when Child Brides.

So this is you when you were 15 sitting with your uncle.

Fatima, you look so young here.

Your hair is long, you've got a baggy sweater on you you look so vulnerable. Oh I was I was very

vulnerable I was being set up basically so all I felt at that point was just deceit.

Fatima was one of thousands of American children who get married every year.

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