POLICY
Shaping legislation to reduce impunity for perpetrators and better care for survivors
We give local, state, and national governmental leaders the tools, data, and insights to pass legislation that will combat exploitation for decades to come.
Our Policy Principles
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Anti-demand underlies everything we do, and policy is no exception. Our objective is to make sex-buying a felony on the first offense in every state, because trafficking simply would not exist without its consumer base of buyers.
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Our goal is to provide victims with a pathway out of the life; not to pretend that sexual exploitation is a viable profession. We believe in restorative justice, policies to promote survivor employment, and comprehensive record clearing procedures for survivors.
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We do not focus solely on punishing predators after a child is harmed; we aim for policies that prevent the harm from happening in the first place. We advocate for laws that permit investigation and action before a child is exploited, because, once lost, childhood innocence can never be truly restored.
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A Survivor Advisory Council vets our legislative initiatives to help ensure that the policies we advocate for do not carry unintended consequences either for those still trapped in the life or those who have overcome it.
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Resources for combatting trafficking and exploitation are scarce nationwide and, in many areas, law enforcement is stretched to the limit. We look for opportunities to improve existing systems, maximize resources, remove obstacles, and repurpose assets.
Harsher Punishments for Offenders
Make a Difference
Research has shown that harsher punishments for exploitation-related offenses is a powerful deterrent. As a result, we’re focused on reducing impunity for perpetrators as well as providing better care for survivors.
Our team of subject matter and policy experts assist in drafting legislation and provide expert testimony on issues concerning human trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). We also provide training for officials and governmental employees to enable them to identify and help end human trafficking.
Federal Policy Work
In Washington D.C., we’re working to inform lawmakers and agency personnel on the critical importance of anti-demand, survivor needs, and the outsized role pornography plays in enabling the exploitation of children and adults.
Trafficking Survivors Relief Act
The STOP CSAM ACT
The EARN IT Act
The Ending Forced Arbitration in Human Trafficking Act
The Defiance Act
Street Grace is a named supporter of the following federal bills:
Jimmy Deal Trafficking Survivors Assistance Act
REPORT Act
SHIELD Act
KOSA: Kids Online Safety Act
Street Grace Justice Project
We train pro bono attorneys on how to use current laws to represent survivors who need their records expunged and connect them with survivors in need.
We also offer trainings for law enforcement, judges, and service providers on CSEC and human trafficking, legislative changes, and trauma informed care for survivors.
Advocacy Day
Let your voice be heard. Each year, prior to the Georgia legislative session, we gather for our annual Human Trafficking Advocacy Day at the state capitol in Atlanta to learn about the current anti-human trafficking bills from the lawmakers themselves.
We provide an “Advocacy 101” training and advocacy materials so attendees can visit their representatives’ offices and ask them to support needed legislation. This annual event is a phenomenal opportunity for citizens to show their support for survivors of sex trafficking, demand an end to child exploitation, and get firsthand experience influencing policy.
