Survivor Sherry Johnson Fights Against Child Marriage Laws

At just eleven years old, Sherry Yvonne Johnson married her abuser, marking a tragic chapter in a life filled with unimaginable challenges. Her story begins at the age of eight when she was first sexually assaulted by Alfonsa Tolbert, a man nine years her senior and a deacon in her family’s strict apostolic church. The abuse escalated, and by the age of ten, Sherry had given birth to his child.

Recalling her traumatic experiences, Sherry stated, “All you had to do was walk down the steps from the church and you’d walk into our kitchen. That’s where he raped me. I woke up with him on top of me. Many times.” This horrific pattern of abuse continued for a year, culminating in Sherry discovering her pregnancy at the tender age of nine. Concerned medical professionals questioned her, but her mother urged her to conceal the truth to protect the family’s reputation, as reported by the **Mirror**.

In a desperate attempt to contain the scandal, Sherry’s mother sent her away with the church bishop to deliver the baby far from their community. Tragically, during the journey to Miami, the bishop assaulted Sherry, who was already seven months pregnant at the time. In an unfamiliar hospital, Sherry gave birth without support, and this incident prompted child protection services to investigate her family and their church.

To silence the inquiry, Sherry’s mother decided to marry her daughter to her abuser. “This terrified me – I had no idea how to be a wife, I was just a child,” Sherry explained. Her mother crafted the wedding gown and cake, and despite initial resistance from officials due to Sherry’s age, they eventually found a county that would grant them a marriage license.

“The state of Florida failed me. The school knew. The hospital knew. The doctors knew. The courts knew. Nobody protected me – not one person. No one,” Sherry lamented. In a poignant post on the AHA Foundation’s website, she added, “In my eyes, not only my family, but also the whole state of Florida, sanctioned child marriage by allowing an 11-year-old to marry a grown man.”

Following the marriage, Sherry and her six children lived in her mother’s home. Sherry described the relationship as unhealthy, stating, “I was forced to stay home and take care of my child while learning how to be a wife at the age of 11.” By age 17, she had given birth to six children, often left without financial support as her husband frequently vanished during her pregnancies.

Once Sherry turned 18, she sought a divorce. A solicitor, recognizing her plight, agreed to represent her, defying state bar rules to assist a minor. Thanks to his efforts, Sherry was finally granted a divorce from Tolbert, but she was left to navigate life as a young mother of six.

Despite these challenges, Sherry transformed her trauma into purpose. In 2013, she published her book, Forgiving The Unforgivable, which details her harrowing experience of forced child marriage. “Releasing this book allowed my journey to be heard in every corner of the US and shed light on child marriage in our country,” she wrote.

Sherry’s activism did not stop with her book. She has campaigned tirelessly for stronger legal protections against child marriage. In her writings, she highlighted the initial resistance from legislators, stating, “For many years, legislators shut the door in my face.” However, her persistence paid off when recent research confirmed the issue of child marriage in Florida.

Ultimately, this led to the enactment of **SB 140**, a law that strengthens protections around child marriage, though it still permits 17-year-olds to marry in certain circumstances.

Now, as a prominent advocate against child marriage across the United States, Sherry Johnson considers herself “the voice for the voiceless.” Her relentless spirit serves as a beacon of hope for others facing similar dire situations, reminding society of the urgent need for reform to protect vulnerable children.