Can you hear their story?

Across the country and for many years, victims of child sex trafficking have been sentenced to jail for crimes they were caused to commit by the trafficker. No one was listening or knew what to listen for. Rather than being identified as a victim and given care, they are identified as criminals, adding to their trauma. 

Child sex trafficking survivors who have been convicted as adults face substantially longer sentences—sometimes 10, 20 or even 50 times longer than what they would have received in juvenile court—and today many still linger in prisons for the crimes committed against them. 

Lived Experience Expert and Just Like Me Campaign Leader Yvonne explains, “I was trafficked and raped from the age of 11. At 16 years old, I was arrested, told I was the criminal, and spent many years in jail. Yet nobody was there to stop my trafficker or the men paying him to use me. Through the help of Shared Hope International, I am now able to be that voice I wish I’d had at 16 through the Just Like Me Campaign, which is working to bring notice to this kind of injustice and give a voice to those still in prison.” 

Tell Your Legislators: There are Child Sex Trafficking Victims in Our Prisons.