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Children under 18 could no longer marry with a parents consent under legislation approved by committee in the state Capitol today. Former Tampa resident Sherry Johnson has pushed for the bill. She was a child bride at eleven.

“I was raped at the age of eight years old, by my mom’s bishop, then by my mom’s husband, then by the deacon at the church. I got pregnant at the age of nine. At the age of ten I gave birth to my daughter. At the age of 11 I was forced to be married to my rapist. And in that relationship, seven years, six children came out of that because I wasn’t able to get a divorce before the age of 18” Johnson told us and the committee.

“Knowing that this is happening continuously in the state of Florida, and there just needs to be a stop to it. We need to look out for our children. It’s very important for us to look out for out children because they can’t protect themselves. They need us to protect them” says Johnson.