Forty states were handed F’s after a detailed analysis of child sex-trafficking laws and policies by Shared Hope International, an anti-trafficking nonprofit.
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“The dismal score that we got as a state is a call to action,” said Maryland state Sen. Susan C. Lee . “We clearly need more housing resources and better mechanisms to connect victims with services, and we must provide ‘safe harbor’ to youth victims of human trafficking, not only in words, but in deeds.”“Safe harbor” has been an issue for half a decade in Maryland, as dozens of other states implemented laws to stop police and prosecutors from charging minors with prostitution or solicitation.
, the criteria for trafficking have been met. Rather than being sent to juvenile detention or a court system, many argue, the children should be connected to medical assistance, safe housing, mental health support and other social services they may need.with immediate services so they don’t end up in juvenile detention facilities, the state has yet to codify that children cannot be punished for being sold for sex.
“When you have national groups saying, ‘You’re really behind the eight ball here,’ more people will pay attention,” said Amanda Rodriguez, who spearheads legislative efforts for the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force as executive director ofHer message is being echoed by advocates throughout the nation as states grapple with the new low grades assigned by Shared Hope.
was Florida, in part because of the state’s comprehensive laws to provide protection to child victims who testify against their exploiters, prevention education in schools and mandatory training for child welfare and juvenile justice agencies.To come up with the grades, Raino and other researchers at Shared Hope spent more than two years surveying police, prosecutors, legislators, child welfare agencies, service providers and survivors of trafficking.
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