Utah bill would give teens fleeing polygamy more rights
Source: Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press
Updated 4:51 pm, Friday, February 23, 2018
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Teenagers fleeing polygamous communities would get more legal protection from parents who could expose them to sexual abuse or forced marriage under a proposal approved Friday by a panel of Utah lawmakers.
If teenagers run away from home, anyone they run to must inform their parents within eight hours, said Rep. Walt Brooks said Friday. In some cases, that's allowed adults to take teenagers back to polygamous communities even when they did not want to return.
"We're a family friendly state, so we want them to be with families, but not if the family is going to hurt them," said Brooks, a Republican from St. George, located near a well-known polygamous community on the Utah-Arizona state line.
. . .
The law could also help teens aged 16 and older who don't have any connection to polygamy, said domestic violence advocate Ronni Adams, who said she was abused as a child and tried to run away from home. The bill is supported by the state child welfare department.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Bill-would-give-teens-fleeing-polygamous-groups-12703934.php
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