12 Year Old Brides?
The large green portion of the pie chart above
represents the percent of polygamous wives who are under the age of 18.
Many cases of child-neglect and sexual abuse are reported in these under age marriages.
The Mormon doctrine does not deny their members medical attention, but Joseph Smith, the Mormon founder, claimed that God told him that in order to enter the highest heaven you must be living in polygamy. The modern Mormon church now rejects polygamy; however, the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, an extreme sect of excommunicated Mormons, have been reported to be sexually abusing children through their continued practice of polygamy and under-age marriage. Girls from ages 5-17 have been removed from the Yearning for Zion ranch in Eldorado, Texas, due to intelligence these actions. The New York Times reports that its leader, "Warren S. Jeffs, 51, was convicted last year of forcing a 14-year-old girl into marriage and sexual relations.” The children living in these compounds are separated from society and are forced by their parents to marry esteemed members of their religion in order to bring them and their families closer to God.
