I think most US states honor marriages performed in other states, even if the marriage is locally illegal and violates consent limits. I'd be surprised if the 17-year old case resulted in any attention. But she would certainly be entitled to refugee status if she claimed she was being abused according to local standards. If they aren't married, and she's below the local consent limit, then sex within that jurisdiction is a crime, just like murder would be.
Things like age of consent are always fuzzy and arbitrary. We can certainly agree that 4 is too young and 19 is OK, but other countries may draw the legal line at 11 or at 17.
There are medicines that are perfectly legal to possess here with a prescription that have got people imprisoned for bringing with them into Japan.
John