Press "Enter" to skip to content

Evans files marriage age bill to fight human trafficking

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Rep.-elect Jean Evans, R-Manchester, pre-filed her first bill as part of the ongoing effort to combat sex trafficking in the state of Missouri. The legislation raises the minimum age required for marriage with parental consent from 15 to 17 (the current age required for marriage without parental consent is 18).

The reason that change matters so much is because traffickers, abusers and predators can come to Missouri with 15, 16 and 17 year-olds and marry them to disguise abusive situations and human trafficking.

Jean Evans
Rep.-elect Jean Evans

“It’s one of a series of little things we need to do to combat sex trafficking,” Evans said earlier this month on the #moleg Podcast.

“It’s illegal for an adult to have sexual contact with a child, but our laws have a loophole that allows these abusers to marry their victims and get away with the crime,” she added in a statement Wednesday. “It’s time to close the loophole so we can protect our young people from those who would exploit and harm them.”

Evans said that she has become passionate about putting an end to human trafficking by following the actions of the Missouri legislature and Congresswoman Ann Wagner, R-Missouri, over the past few years. Wagner has led the national effort on curtailing the illegal practice and the General Assembly has made trafficking a priority in its past few sessions, including the creation of a special task force to combat it.

Evans warns that it will still take a lot more legislation to stop the problem for good.

“There isn’t one sweeping bill we could enact to just stop it,” she said. “So this is one thing I want to start with and see where else I can help out because St. Louis in particular and other places of Missouri are some of the top locations for sex trafficking.”