By its very definition, the crime of human trafficking involves being forced, manipulated or tricked into activities that a person would not otherwise engage in – such as selling sexual services or doing any kind of work without pay. Research finds that the majority of trafficking survivors report having some kind of a criminal record as a result of being trafficked. Criminalizing survivors for things their traffickers forced them to do flies in the face of logic. Trafficking survivors should have access to a simple, dignified and affordable process that allows them to fully clear their criminal records and move on with their lives in true freedom.
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“My abuser forced me to post ads online, pay the phone bills and get his cars fixed. Those actions were enough to land me in prison. I am still facing many hardships and I’m still being punished for being exploited.“
– Human Trafficking Survivor
Many states have attempted to provide relief by giving trafficking victims a path toward having criminal records cleared. We offer detailed report cards for each state, assessing what works and what doesn’t in their laws – if they have one – and providing clear steps for improvement. Today, all but three remaining states (Alaska, Iowa, and Maine) and the federal government offer some form of criminal record relief specific for survivors of trafficking
90 percent of survivors with a criminal record reported at least some or all was related to their trafficking experience.
– Polaris National Survivor Study
In these videos survivors of human trafficking share the challenges and difficulties they face in clearing their unjust criminal records and how those records make it hard to move forward, heal and rebuild their lives.
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act is legislation is far from perfect, but it is a good first step toward giving federally criminalized survivors a real shot at real freedom. Contact your representatives today and ask for their support.
Human trafficking survivors deserve to be able to clear their criminal records so they can move on from the pain of their exploitation. Give now to support victims and survivors and help us continue to prevent victims from criminalization.
