Bill Would Provide Post-Conviction Relief to Victims of Sex Trafficking, Labor Trafficking, and Other Forms of Human Trafficking / Gillibrand: When Human Trafficking Victims Manage to Escape, We Shouldn't Brand Them as Criminals

Statement

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today stood with survivors of trafficking and advocacy groups to announce new bipartisan legislation, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2016, which would clear criminal records of victims of human trafficking. This bill would apply to non-violent crimes committed by individuals as a direct result of human trafficking.

"We need to make sure we're doing everything we can to take care of human trafficking survivors who manage to escape from captivity," said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "In many cases, when trafficked people -- including children -- are forced into slavery, they are tagged with criminal charges that stay with them for the rest of their lives, even though they have absolutely no freedom to say no to their captors, who force them to commit crimes. I urge all of my colleagues to support my legislation to clear non-violent criminal convictions of trafficking victims who were forced to break the law while in captivity. We all have a responsibility to take care of the most vulnerable Americans."

Human trafficking is a modern day form of slavery affecting millions in the United States and abroad. This crime involves either the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit a person for labor or commercial sex, or the exploitation of a minor for commercial sex. As a result of being trafficked, victims are commonly charged with crimes such as conspiracy, money laundering, drug trafficking, and related offenses that then follow them throughout the duration of their lives. These charges make it difficult for human trafficking victims to find jobs and housing, leaving them vulnerable to being exploited and trafficked again.

"We have been able to help numerous women in the Bronx to move on from the trauma of human trafficking with the New York State Law that expunges their criminal convictions, so we welcome Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, which will remove the burden from victims across the nation and have a positive impact on a great number of lives," said Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark.

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