i think a part of the adjustment to this ought to be in easing common law to only apply to legally consenting adults. i mean, it's essentially the state that is illegally marrying these people, they're not doing it on purpose. that's insane, when you think about it - how is the state placing children in common law arrangements, potentially even against their will?

but, as to the underlying social arrangement of young girls going through phases with older men? i think there's something inherently normal about it, and the reality of agency in a lot of these scenarios really shouldn't be discounted. there's a blurry point where it needs to be illegal - 14, 15, 16. but, the law should really be adjusted so that young girls are able to easily extract themselves from these scenarios once they grow out of them, not to trap them into common-law legal arrangements.

but, the basic idea of legally marrying underage girls off by state dictate is insane - and apparently happening quite frequently.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/child-marriage-persists-across-canada-rural-communities-study-finds-1.5261016