Shared Hope International

Leading a worldwide effort to eradicate sexual slavery...one life at a time

Home>What We Do>Bring Justice>Policy Program

POLICY PROGRAMS

Who We Are

Our Policy Team leads ground-breaking research, provides technical assistance to elected officials and policy advocates, and equips change agents with promising practices from across the country that provide stronger protections for exploited children and youth, hold offenders accountable, and, ultimately, prevent the vulnerabilities that foster sex trafficking victimization.

Advocacy | Report Cards | Resources | Advocacy Action Center

Our Priorities

null

PROTECTION FROM UNJUST CRIMINALIZATION

Any child engaged in commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking, not a “prostitute” or “delinquent youth.”  As such, state responses should account for the link between trafficking victimization and forced criminality by protecting against criminalization for a broad range of criminal conduct committed as a result of trafficking victimization.

We advocate for policies that:

  • Prohibit the prosecution of all minors for prostitution offenses.
  • Protect against criminalization for status offenses, misdemeanors, and felonies committed as a result of trafficking victimization.
  • Ensure access to a continuum of funded services outside of punitive systems, ideally through community-based providers.
  • Establish legal remedies that help mitigate the harmful impact of unjust criminalization, including vacatur, expungement, and sentencing relief.
  • Mandate training on identification of—and response to—trafficking victimization for relevant stakeholder groups.

null

ACCESS TO JUSTICE

Providing survivors with the means to seek justice and comprehensive services promotes economic, social, and emotional healing.

We advocate for policies that:

  • Eliminate the statute of limitations for prosecuting exploiters and filing civil claims against offenders.
  • Ensure access to crime victims’ compensation and civil orders of protection.
  • Mandate restitution.

null

COURTROOM PROTECTIONS

States can play an important role in reducing or eliminating the risk of re-traumatization from serving as victim-witnesses against trafficking offenders.

We advocate for policies that:

  • Provide hearsay exceptions and alternatives to live, in-court testimony.
  • Promote safety and empowerment for victim-witnesses, including court record confidentiality, caseworker privilege, courtroom supports, and access to a victim advocate.

null

OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY

Offender accountability serves to further justice and deter others from committing crimes amounting to trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation.

We advocate for policies that:

  • Hold all offenders accountable.
  • Identify buyers of sex with children as sex trafficking offenders, regardless of
    whether a trafficker or third-party offender is involved or identified.

Our Work

Advocacy

  • Support state and federal legislative efforts through technical assistance, coalition building, workgroup/task force engagement, and stakeholder convenings.
  • Lead national conversations to influence policy change.
  • Advocate for criminalized survivors through amicus briefs, petitions, and outreach to decisionmakers.
  • Engage grassroots and grass tops stakeholders in policy reform efforts.
  • Present at the nation’s leading conferences on human rights and protections for children, youth, and families.

Just Like Me Report Cards

  • Evaluate—and rank—states on a Top Ten list of laws focused on ending the criminalization of trafficking survivors and addressing its lasting impacts. 
  • Empower grassroots advocates through user-friendly toolkits that feature legal summaries, policy considerations from lived experience experts, and guidance on related policy issues. 
  • Feature national state law surveys and policy issue briefs. 

Resources

Produce, publish, and/or collaborate on reports, field guidance, white papers, law journal articles, and issue briefs to advance policy priorities and elevate emerging best practices.

Advocacy Action Center

Promote grassroots advocacy through an online platform that allows individuals to join the fight against child and youth sex trafficking either through legislator engagement or by signing a petition.

MEET OUR TEAM

null

Sarah Bendtsen, J.D.

Director of Policy Strategy
null

Sidney McCoy, Esq.

Director of Advocacy
null

Sarah Roberts, J.D., LL.M.

Senior Director of Policy and Legislation

Quick Information

Unjust Criminalization and Service Responses

State-Specific Resources

Technical Assistance

Shared Hope International
Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating
STORE | WEBINARS | REPORTCARDS | JuST CONFERENCE
 
Donate

1-866-437-5433
Instagram YouTube Linkedin

Models Used to Protect Identities.