Many states criminalize trafficked children and youth, overlooking their victimization and involving them in punitive systems, often seeing this as the only or best way to direct trafficked children towards healing services. Even when states move away from punitive systems as their default response, other systems become the default for protecting children, and too often these systems separate children from their communities and the support networks that build their resiliency. To end this cycle, states need to establish robust, comprehensive Safe Harbor responses, including true Safe Harbor legislation, that keeps child victims out of the juvenile and criminal justice systems and provides access to services within their own communities.

Governors across the country are in the unique position to impact the experiences and outcomes of survivors of sex trafficking. Utilizing this position of leadership, governors can guide policymakers, criminal justice stakeholders, and agency leaders in developing alternative, victim-centered policies, protocols, and practices that provide robust safe harbor protections for child sex trafficking victims.

Please email or tweet your governor, urging them to support a robust Safe Harbor response in your state – one that will increase appropriate identification and end the criminalization of victims and ensure they have access to crucial services. Thank you!