Polygamists are urged to make public statement

Principle Voices has pushed the age issue with many polygamous sects, saying that raising their marriage age is not abandoning any religious doctrine. The group's Anne Wilde said they have had to do education within their own communities about the law.

"The age limit of 16 with parental consent only applies to a legal marriage. It does not apply to religious sealings," she said Wednesday.

Several other polygamous groups have already gone on the record saying they will not perform underage marriages. Members of the Davis County Cooperative Society told the Deseret News last year they were encouraging their members to wait until they are 18 to marry. Members of the Kingston family have been prosecuted in the past for underage marriages.

Within the FLDS Church, Utah prosecuted ex-Hildale police officer Rodney Holm for taking a 16-year-old girl as his third wife. FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was convicted last year of rape as an accomplice, accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin.

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