As college students, we are coming to an age where getting married and settling down is the next big step we are supposed to take in our life.

Some of us may already have settled down with our significant other and that’s okay, but by living in the United Sates, we have the liberty to decide when you want to take that big step.

In other countries, such as India, people don’t have that liberty.

According to the Pew Research Center Analysis by the U.S. census data, the average age for a woman to get married is 26.5 years and males are around 28 years old.

In India, the average age for women is 18 and males are 21 years old. Around 49.5 lakh Indian girls in 2011 were under 18 years of age when married. Sadly, India is known for their arranged marriages and child marriages.

Since many of these marriages are between a older man and a younger bride, “The presumption when a man and a woman are living together is that they are not praying.” according to senior advocate Vishwanathan K.V. from an article on The Hindu.

So because of this, the Indian supreme court decided to make a change. Sexual intercourse by a man with his minor wife, aged below 18, with or without her consent, amounts to rape and will have an immediate effect with the law leading to jail time.

The progressive vote will make a great change in a country with such a negative stigma.

Now young women have the option and right to become involved marriage where they don’t want to be in. Maybe now they will agree to a marriage because of something we all seek which is love and not forced by an outside party such as family or money.

It’s glad to hear that the country is finally making a change to these laws but its also very sad and disgusting that its only happening now. Why did it take so long to finally make this change?

Hopefully this brings light to the issues in third world countries such as India– maybe this will make a difference on child trafficking and young brides just to make some money.

Child marriages are more prone to happen in areas of India with bad economic conditions as a way to make the families future better by selling away their child.

Not only is that family selling a child, but they are selling away the child’s youth; once given away they are forced into maturity when they don’t need to be.

This is just the beginning– hopefully this brings light to so many issues around the world regarding children.