How Legislators Use Religion to Justify America’s Child Marriage Problem - Fraidy Reiss

Fraidy Reiss, Executive Director of Unchained At Last, is fighting to end forced and child marriage in the United States after her own harrowing escape from an “arranged“ marriage in an Orthodox Jewish community. Fraidy Reiss was 19 when her family arranged her marriage to a violent man. With no education or job, in a religious community where only men can grant a divorce, she was trapped for 12 years. Reiss Escaped by becoming the first in her family to attend college. She graduated from Rutgers University at 32 as valedictorian, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Her family declared her dead, but Reiss launched a successful career as an investigative reporter and then as a private investigator. She got divorced and won custody of her two daughters. She founded and now leads Unchained At Last, the only organization dedicated to ending forced and child marriage in the U.S. through direct services and advocacy. Reiss is recognized internationally as an expert on f