Supporting Human Trafficking Survivors: A Call to Action

I’m proud to share insights from our work at Free to Thrive in report, Trafficked and Arrested: Understanding the Criminalization of Human Trafficking Survivors. Read the full report here.

Who are the criminalized victims and survivors we serve?

• 55% were first trafficked as minors
• 94% are U.S citizens 
• Over 70% are people of color, reflecting systemic injustice
• 89% are survivors of domestic violence
• 33% are former foster youth

Their criminal records create barriers to employment, housing, education, and financial independence, preventing survivors from leaving their exploitation behind and moving on with their lives.

California's Human Trafficking Vacatur Law (2017) can give survivors a fresh start by clearing their records. Free to Thrive has successfully cleared 215+ criminal records in 19 counties, boasting a 99.5% success rate.

But there is still much work to do. We must:

1. Improve and expand the laws that support survivors
2. Provide training to law enforcement and prosecutors so that they can better identify victims
3. Create uniform statewide systems for handling vacatur petitions
4. Provide more funding for nonprofits and public defenders to pursue vacatur petitions
5. Encourage more law firms to represent survivors pro bono

Let’s work together to give survivors their opportunity to thrive. 💙✊ 

#FreeToThrive #EndHumanTrafficking