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Home>What We Do>Bring Justice>Legislative Advocacy>Connecticut House Bill 5621 has been enacted! This bill would prevent commercially sexually exploited children from being prosecuted for prostitution and blamed for their own victimization.

Connecticut House Bill 5621 has been enacted! This bill would prevent commercially sexually exploited children from being prosecuted for prostitution and blamed for their own victimization.

The passage of House Bills 5621 in 2016 now prevents older commercially sexually exploited children from being prosecuted for prostitution and, thereby, blamed for their own rape, abuse and  victimization. Specifically, HB 5261 raises the age of liability under the prostitution offense to  18 years of age, to better protect 16 and 17 year olds from liability and unfair stigmas.

Arresting, charging and placing children on trial for their own victimization is counterproductive and can further traumatize the child or tighten trauma bonds with traffickers. Additionally, allowing children to be prosecuted for prostitution enables unfair stigmas to be placed on  exploited children. Ensuring that victims are not treated like criminals is a necessary element to a comprehensive, just response to youth who have been commercially sexually exploited.

Additionally, laws that limit or remove protections for older minors enable buyers, traffickers, the public, and the victims themselves to believe that an older minor is less of a victim, which is  inconsistent with Connecticut’s laws. Maintaining the age of 18 with respect to victim  identification and protective responses provides the most uniform, legally consistent approach to  deterring the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

House Bill 5621 no longer requires that a minor be victimized multiple times in order to be  recognized as a victim of the crime of sex trafficking. HB 5621 removes a significant barrier to victim identification. House Bill 5621 also allows decoy investigations,” by undercover police  officers posing as minors to be used against buyers seeking attempting to engage minors in  commercial sex acts under Connecticut’s CSEC offense “enticing a minor.”

Thank you Governor Malloy for signing House Bill 5621 which ensures proper identification and protection for all child victims of sex trafficking!

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Shared Hope International
  • The Problem
    • What is Sex Trafficking?
    • FAQs
    • Glossary of Terms
  • What We Do
    • Prevent
      • Training
      • Awareness
    • Restore
      • Programs
      • 3rd Party Service Providers
      • Stories of Hope
      • Partners
    • Bring Justice:Institute for Justice & Advocacy
      • Research
      • Training
      • Advocacy
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Policy Research and Resources
    • Store
  • Take Action
    • Activism
    • Volunteer
    • Give
    • Advocacy
  • Blog&Events
    • News & Events
    • Request a Speaker
    • Host an Event
    • Attend an Event
  • About
    • Our Mission and Values
    • Our Story
    • ANNUAL REPORT 2019
    • Financial Accountability
    • Leadership
    • Join Our Team
    • Press Center
    • Contact Us
  • Donate