Bill expands legal protections for child trafficking victims in Pennsylvania | News, Sports, Jobs

(The Center Square) — Child victims of human trafficking in Pennsylvania could soon benefit from new Safe Harbor protections from criminal prosecution.

State senators introduced a bill earlier this month that would improve existing laws to prevent survivors from being funneled into the juvenile justice system.

Specifically, the legislation protects children from charges of prostitution and related crimes, reversing a long-standing status quo in which sexually exploited minors are held responsible for the crimes they are victims of.

Ideally, victims' rights advocates say, a change in the accountability system would make it easier to identify victims, a historically difficult task. Trafficking victims are often reluctant to come forward because doing so would expose them to criminal prosecution.

Additionally, many child victims of trafficking are unaware that they are victims of a crime.

“We must change the way the law treats children who have been sexually exploited and implement provisions that seek to reverse the long-term impact on victims of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking,” said Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, who co-sponsored the bill. “These children must be recognised as victims and provided with the necessary support services to help them recover from their exploitation.”

The bill also requires courts to protect the identities of child trafficking victims. By keeping their names out of the public eye and directing their path to social services, lawmakers believe victims will benefit more from their recovery.

“Sex trafficking rings are not limited to faraway foreign countries or isolated private islands. They operate actively within our local communities, often in close proximity.” said Sen. Cris Dush, a Brookville Republican and co-sponsor of the bill.

Most child victims of trafficking begin their journey in vulnerable areas. They are enticed, often for long periods of time, by predators from their local communities who find opportunities in difficult situations such as homelessness, drug addiction and family estrangement.

The bill's language places a strong emphasis on uniformity and coordination among law enforcement agencies. Lawmakers hope to ensure that police officers and prosecutors speak the same language, both locally and across jurisdictions.

This requires them to adopt the victim-centred approach of health and social service organisations. This approach prioritises the needs and experiences of the victim to avoid further involvement in the criminal justice system, advocates say.

“There is no point in knowing the statistics and horrors of human trafficking without taking serious legislative measures,” said Dush, who was moved to act following briefings on the subject earlier this year.