Courtney Stodden is revisiting one of the most controversial chapters of their life, saying they now view her controversial 2011 marriage to actor Doug Hutchison as an experience of grooming and abuse.
The actress and reality TV personality, who now identifies herself as non-binary and uses she/they pronouns, revealed that her marriage with Hutchison left her traumatized.
Courtney Stodden says she was a “child who was exploited” during her marriage to Doug Hutchison
Stodden was 16 when she married Hutchison, who was 51, in Las Vegas in May 2011. The 35-year age gap immediately generated intense public attention, but Hutchison defended the relationship at the time, repeatedly describing it as genuine love. But now, she realizes she was too young to understand the relationship’s actual dynamic.
Stodden has used she/they pronouns since 2022, and she has increasingly spoken about her teenage years from the perspective of an adult who says she now better understands what happened to her. Earlier this year, reflecting on the anniversary of the marriage, Stodden described herself as “a child surviving adult trauma in plain sight.”
She also shared an old wedding photograph in which Hutchison’s face had been partially scratched out. “Just because a child says ‘I do’ does not mean she understands consent,” Stodden wrote, explaining that she was still emotionally a child when she entered the marriage.
The reality TV star and model has since provided a much darker account of the relationship. During an appearance on Call Her Daddy, she alleged that The Green Mile actor initially connected with her while presenting himself as someone who could help teach her about acting.
Stodden described Hutchison as emotionally and physically abusive and alleged that she had little control over her finances, legal affairs, or her own body during the marriage. Hutchison also allegedly kept a gun in the home. She rejected the idea that she had been a willing “child bride,” arguing that she was also “a child who was exploited.”
Hutchison convinced Stodden’s parents to marry her off within just a week of meeting in person, and considering she was a minor at that time, Courtney’s mother has received immense hate over the years. Addressing the situation, the model said:
“My mom has gotten a lot of hate, and I understand why. If I ever have a baby and I’m raising that baby, from my own experiences, I would never sign my kid off, ever, to an adult man who is 34 years older… But I think she thought she was doing something that was going to make me happy… In retrospect, she knows it was the wrong decision.”
During the marriage, Stodden says Hutchison was emotionally and physically abusive. She alleged that she had little control over her finances, legal affairs, or her own body. The actor allegedly also kept a gun in the home. Courtney says it was one of the defining elements of the relationship. She rejected the idea that she had simply been a willing “child bride.” In her words:
“I was not a child bride. I was a child who was exploited. I think that is something that people should think about.”
Doug Hutchison defended their relationship for years
When Stodden and Hutchison’s marriage became public, the latter openly defended his relationship with his teen bride. The actor, known for roles in The Green Mile and Lost, wrote about Stodden as an “Angel” and told E! that “true love can be ageless.”
During a 2011 appearance on Good Morning America, Hutchison acknowledged that learning Stodden was only 16 had initially been shocking. However, he said the revelation did not make him want to end the relationship. He described Stodden as “16 going on 36” and himself as “51 going on 21.”
Hutchison also rejected criticism surrounding their age difference, telling E! that there was “nothing illegal or immoral” about their marriage. That same year, he offered another defense of the relationship during an Australian television appearance, saying, “51 plus 16 equals love, in our world!”
The couple separated in 2013 before briefly reconciling. Stodden eventually filed for divorce in 2018, and the divorce was finalized in 2020. Hutchison continued defending the relationship for years. In a 2018 interview, he said he did not advocate similar relationships between older adults and teenagers but described himself as a “rare exception.”
After Stodden publicly accused him of grooming in 2020, a representative for Hutchison characterized the allegations as a “retaliatory effort.” Courtney later tied the knot with her current husband, Jared Safier, in 2024. To this day, she remains an active advocate against child marriage.
What are your thoughts on Courtney Stodden’s revelations about her marriage to Doug Hutchison?
Image courtesy: Courtney Stodden/Instagram
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