'Dad made me marry my rapist who got me pregnant at 14'

Heather was just 14 years old when she fell pregnant with her rapist's child who was 10 years older. Photo / BBC

A religious US father drove his 14-year-old teenage daughter to her rapist when he found she was pregnant.

Heather first met 24-year-old Aaron when he started working at her father's fishing store in Idaho.

One fateful night, she got drunk and he sexually assaulted her in his trailer.

Heather worre a tiara bought for her by her father on her 15th birthday. Photo / BBC

Being 10 years younger than him, she was too scared to tell anyone. But when Heather fell pregnant her father, Keith, found out and made a plan to marry her off to her rapist so he would be forced to take care of the baby.

Unfortunately, her mother had no idea about this horrible plan as she lived in a different state.

In a new BBC documentary, a host investigates the US laws that allow older men to marry girls under the age of 16.

The host, Ellie Flynn, travels to the US to visit states poised to reconsider their child marriage laws. The "marry-your-rapist" loophole allows girls under 16 to marry if they are pregnant and have a parent's consent.

Ellie Flynn visits three young girls who married underage to uncover America's child bride epidemic. Photo / BBC

One of these marriages included Heather, now 18, who had bravely opened up about her experiences.

Heather was wearing a tiara from her 15th birthday party when her father drove 24 hours from Idaho to Missouri where kids can get married from the age of 15 with parental consent.

The wedding ceremony was far from what she dreamed of, with just her father present to offer his consent.

He gave a chilling speech in which he said he was "happy to have gained a family member" - her daughter's rapist.

"According to my dad, when you get pregnant, you get married. So I realised I had to do this," Heather said. "But it went from happy to awful really quick."

Aaron Seaton was jailed for having a sexual relationship with the child. Photo / BBC

After the wedding, Heather said the three of them returned home and lived together.

A short time after they married, she suffered a miscarriage and at that point she said Aaron turned into a violent "monster".

"He just got mean," she said. "He had this look that meant he was about to start screaming and most likely start hitting things. I married a monster and I didn't even know it."

Four months later their marriage broke down and Heather's mother found out and called police.

Aaron was charged with statutory rape and sentenced to 15 years.

Police also pressed charges against her father for arranging the wedding.

Keith was jailed after he forced his 14-year-old daughter to marry the man, 24, who raped her and got her pregnant. Photo / BBC

Court reports reveal that Keith, who was believed to be motivated by religious beliefs, "harboured and protected" Aaron, by allowing him to live with his teenage daughter and was jailed for four months.

During those months, Heather realised she was forced to be married to her rapist.

Heather, now 18, has a new life with a partner and beautiful baby girl. However, her ordeal still haunts her to this day.

"We thought it was a good idea to buy a handgun. I'm not just going to live in fear of him coming back, because I'm prepared if he does," she said.

"He could want revenge, when I married him he was a very angry person. If he came anywhere near me or my daughter, I'd shoot him."

'He swapped me for a case of beer'

Another child bride opened up in the BBC documentary, revealing she married her rapist at 15 when she fell pregnant.

Kerry met Paul, 24, after they were introduced by her cousin on her birthday.

She got pregnant after the first time they had sex and Paul proposed in the hope that he would avoid jail for statutory rape.

Kerry married her rapist when she was 15. Photo / BBC

"My dad could have pressed charges," Kerry explained. "But, instead, Paul convinced him to let us marry by giving him a case of beer.

"He was that much of an alcoholic, he took the case of beer and it was a 'done deal'."

Wanting to leave her alcoholic father behind, Kerry accepted his proposal and started a new life with Paul.

However, as soon as they were married he started treating her like slave.

She missed out on going to prom, finishing school and most normal things that a teenage girl would do.

After two years of marriage, Kerry had had enough and left Paul before moving into her cousin's house.

Paul persuaded Kerry's father to consent to marry with a case of beer. Photo / BBC

The pair have very little contact and Paul didn't turn up to their son's fourth birthday party after being invited.

Heather and Kelly's stories are just two of thousands of underaged minors who have had their childhood taken away by the 'marry-your-rapist' loophole.

Earlier this year, the State Senate unanimously passed a bill to end child marriage in South Carolina.

However, child marriage is still legal in 27 American states.

If you're in danger NOW:

• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault.

Where to go for help or more information:

• NZ Police
• Help Auckland 24/7 helpline 09 623 1700
• Rape Prevention Education
• Wellington Help 24/7 crisisline 04 801 6655, push 0
• Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse
• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent. www.whiteribbon.org.nz