A post from Marian Hatcher

Shared Hope International’s Report Cards are designed not merely to evaluate state laws, but to serve as an advocacy roadmap for lawmakers seeking to strengthen their state’s response to trafficking. By clearly identifying gaps, elevating best practices, and pairing grades with technical assistance, the Report Cards help states understand how to improve—not just where they fall short.

Illinois offers a powerful case study of how this tool is intended to be used. Its journey—from early leadership, to setbacks under an updated survivor-centered framework, and ultimately to comprehensive reform—demonstrates how policymakers can leverage the Report Cards to improve both their grade and, more importantly, outcomes for trafficked children and youth.

History of the Report Cards Project

In 2011, the Protect Innocence Challenge (PIC) project was launched in response to a critical gap: many states did not have a criminal law against child sex trafficking. This gap made it difficult to identify victims, hold offenders accountable, or build effective systems of protection.

In response, Shared Hope began sustained advocacy to strengthen state laws and improve protections for survivors. The earliest Report Cards reflected the reality of the time—most states received failing grades.

This work required more than statutory reform. It demanded a shift in cultural attitudes and stronger collaboration across systems. By supporting state legislators and engaging partners in law enforcement, child welfare, and survivor advocacy, Shared Hope helped expose gaps in existing laws and advance survivor-centered policies. This approach fostered shared responsibility and laid the foundation for more protective legal frameworks.

The impact was significant. By 2019, no state received an “F,” and most earned grades of “A” or “B,” signaling a nationwide shift in how child sex trafficking was understood and addressed.

Building on this progress, Shared Hope introduced the Report Cards on Child and Youth Sex Trafficking, an advanced legislative framework that reflected a deeper evolution in state policy—placing greater emphasis on victim protections and trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses.

In October 2025, Shared Hope launched the Just Like Me Report Card, a natural outgrowth of this work and a reflection of the organization’s commitment to ending the unjust criminalization of trafficking survivors. Grounded in years of research, collaboration, and legislative advocacy, the Just Like Me Campaign aims to stop the ongoing injustice of criminalizing survivors.

Designed as an accessible advocacy tool, the Just Like Me Report Cards provide a clear snapshot of where each state’s laws stand across ten key priorities. A companion Policymakers’ Guide offers detailed statutory analysis of 37 areas of law, along with state-specific recommendations to strengthen protections and advance reform. Together, these resources equip policymakers with actionable guidance to craft law and policy that ensure all survivors are recognized, supported, and protected.

Report Cards in Action: Illinois Case Study

Illinois was an early leader in responding to child sex trafficking. In 2010, it became the first state in the country to enact a Safe Harbor law—the Illinois Safe Children’s Act—designed to divert child trafficking victims from the criminal legal system into services. This landmark legislation helped establish Illinois as a model for survivor-centered policy and contributed to the state earning a “B” on Shared Hope’s 2019 Report Card, reflecting strong legislative efforts related to domestic minor sex trafficking, demand reduction, trafficker accountability, and investigative tools.

During my tenure prior to retirement from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, I was deeply involved in statewide and local collaborations reflected in Report Card periods from 2011 through 2019, including work across child welfare and law enforcement systems. While Illinois’s early leadership was significant, implementation challenges soon emerged. Insufficient oversight, delayed appropriations, leadership turnover, and an overburdened child welfare system at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services limited the Safe Harbor law’s effectiveness and strained statewide coordination.

Over time, these growing pains gave way to increased awareness, advocacy, and collaboration across agencies. Still, when Illinois’s grade fell from a “B” to an “F” under the advanced Report Cards on Child and Youth Sex Trafficking, the shift prompted swift public scrutiny—demonstrating the accountability power of the Report Cards and underscoring the need for system-level reform.

In response, I began liaising, in my role as a Shared Hope International policy consultant, with the statewide joint task force co-chaired by the Illinois State Police. Alongside Sidney McCoy, Shared Hope’s Director of Advocacy, we provided technical assistance and a Report Card briefing to the task force. Encouragingly, state leaders were already working to address gaps in coordination and pursuing legislative reforms to strengthen Illinois’s juvenile trafficking response. Shared Hope’s role was to help align those efforts with the Report Card framework and refine remaining areas in need of reform.

These efforts—along with the sustained advocacy of survivor leaders and partner organizations across Illinois—culminated in the passage of the Illinois Statewide Trauma-Informed Response to Human Trafficking Act. With this comprehensive, coordinated, and survivor-centered legislation in place, Illinois’s grade rose from an “F” to an “A.”

“Illinois is now among the leading states in the fight against human trafficking, and this new ‘A’ ranking from Shared Hope International represents my administration’s enduring commitment to keeping all Illinoisans safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This year, I proudly signed pivotal legislation that established a coordinated, multi-agency effort to better support survivors of human trafficking.”

“This progress reflects the power of community—survivors, advocates, and public servants coming together to build systems rooted in dignity and care,” said Dulce M. Quintero, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services and Joint Human Trafficking Working Group Co-Chair. “This Act strengthens our shared capacity to respond with humanity and purpose.”

Conclusion

Illinois’s journey—from early leadership, through implementation challenges, to renewed reform—illustrates exactly how Shared Hope’s Report Cards are intended to function: as a constructive advocacy tool that identifies gaps, sparks accountability, and supports lawmakers in building stronger, survivor-centered systems. Grades are not an endpoint; they are a catalyst for collaboration, technical assistance, and progress.

When policymakers engage with the Report Cards as a roadmap rather than a ranking, real change is possible. Illinois’s transformation from an “F” to an “A” demonstrates that with political will, coordinated systems, and trauma-informed policy, states can meaningfully improve their response to child and youth sex trafficking—and better protect those most at risk.