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Latino Daily News

Wednesday September 14, 2011

Brazil Census:  43,000 Children Under 14 are Married

Brazil Census:  43,000 Children Under 14 are Married

Photo: Catholic Brazil with thousands of youngsters married

Click Here to Enlarge Photo

In spite of the moral condemnation in this largely Catholic country and the illegality of it, almost 43,000 children under 14 years-old are either married and/or live with a partner.

The largest country in South America and the world’s seventh largest economy shows in its most recent census taken in 2010 this startling fact.  The majority of these illegal unions take place in the poorest regions of the country according to census officials.  Brazilian law prohibits the marriage of children under the age of 14 and considers sex with someone under that age as statutory rape.

In spite of those prohibitions, apparently many parents consent to the marriage of their young daughters.