Unwilling Teenage Wives make Polygamy Child Abuse

I admit that I have no idea what it's like to be in a plural marriage. I couldn't imagine what its like to "share" my husband and children with other women. I have never had to share my home with an extended family. There are however about 40,000 people in the western United States and Canada, according to Julie Cart that practice polygamy. (par 7) Polygamy is defined as having more than one spouse at one time. The founder of the Mormon Church, John Smith, practiced polygamy. John Smith was thought to have 30 wives at the time of his death. The practice of polygamy has a deep history in the western United States, particularly the state of Utah, in which the first Mormon Church was erected. Although polygamy was banned from both the Mormon Church and the law books of Utah, it is still a part of everyday life for many people in that state. The problem isn't necessarily the act of polygamy itself, but the child abuse and spousal abuse that sometimes goes along with this lifestyle. Recent cases of child abuse were reported from Utah, the cases of John Daniel Kingston and his brother David O. Kingston. John Daniel Kingston forced his 16-year-old daughter into a both incestuous and polygamous marriage to her uncle, David O. Kingston. She would become his 15th wife. According to the girl, when she tried to escape the relationship her father beat her with a belt and left obvious bruises on her back arms and legs. She said that her father also punched her in the f ace and bloodied her nose. David Kingston received time in prison for sexual abuse and incest. John Daniel Kingston received 28 weeks in the county jail, one week for each of the blows his daughter received by his belt. ( Murr par 1,2,3; Gurrister par 24,26) Is polygamy to blame for this particular case of abuse or is this case an exception to the norm? Many polygamists claim that persecution of polygamy by the law infringes on their religious freedom under the Constitution of the United States. The founding members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints practiced polygamy. "The doctrine [of polygamy] was first announced by Joseph Smith at Nauvoo in 1842. Many of the men close to him knew of it and accepted it as a principal of divine pronouncement. However, it was not until 1852 that it was publicly taught. It should be said at the onset that the practice among the Mormons was radically different from that of oriental peoples. Each wife, with her children, occupied a separate house, or, if the wives lived in the same house, as was sometimes the case, in separate quarters. No distinction was made between either of the wives or children. The husband provided for each family, was responsible for the education of the children, and gave both the children and their mothers the sane advantages he would have given to his family under a monogamous relationship." (Hinckley Ch 13) The text goes on to say that if the man couldn't handle the task of having more than one family then he is not allowed to enter in to such an agreement. The act of polygamy was thought of as a divine right at the time. In 1882 however, the Edmunds Act was passed making polygamy punishable by fine or imprisonment. (Hinckley Ch 13) In turn, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints made polygamy punishable by excommunication from the church. Polygamists branched off into their own religious sects in order to be able to practice their lifestyle under the veil of religion. Some would ask the question "who are these people hurting?" If all parties were consenting adults, I would have to say that no one is being hurt. In the case of John Daniel and David Kingston however there was a child involved, a child that was expected to have an incestuous relationship at age 16 with her own uncle. When the girl refused to stay in the relationship, her father then beat her. This poor child had no responsible adults that are concerned for her safety within her "family." How often does this happen within these polygamous families? Can fathers feel a connection with their children when they have upwards of 30 of them? Who can these children trust? There is a polygamous group that marries girls as young as 13, according to Julie Cart. (Par 3) This lifestyle is a breeding ground for child abuse and neglect. Who is protecting these children? The mothers of these children are submissive to their husbands, and will go along with whatever they say is right, believing that they are doing what's right in God's eyes. These children did not ask to be born. They need to know that they will be protected under the law and that help is available to them if needed. They need to be informed that abuse, child marriage, and incest are both illegal and morally wrong in the United States, no matter what your religious beliefs.