The term "child bride" conjures up images of solemn, wide-eyed girls in far-flung lands, forced into early marriage. What many people may find surprising is that that girls as young as 13, 14 and 15 are getting legally married in America. More often than not, the post-nuptial reality is harsh. These child brides face an elevated risk of domestic assault, sexual abuse and murder. The likelihood of their completing high school is slim and the only near certainty is that these women will struggle with poverty for the rest of their lives.

Secret Lives of Women explores the personal stories of a cross-section of women who were, and in some cases still are, child brides. Meet those who married impulsively before completing the eighth grade, those who experienced a rocky journey from adolescent matrimony into adulthood and those who, despite the challenges they face, are content with the choices they’ve made. Through intimate interviews, viewers will learn about the experiences of child brides as wives, mothers and teens and how the decision to marry young has profoundly changed their lives. Child Brides examines the path these young girls and women have taken, and finds out where they believe they are heading now.