Pathway to Clear Trafficking Victims
Submitted by Monica Schultz
By it’s 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. (From the Polaris Project)
“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.” (From a Human Trafficking Survivor)