John,
Please tell Congress to do something for survivors.
Human trafficking involves being forced, manipulated, or tricked into activities that someone would not otherwise do — such as selling sexual services, doing any kind of work without pay or without promised working conditions, and even being forced to commit a crime as a result of their trafficking situation.
And having a criminal record — even an arrest record without a conviction — can make it harder or virtually impossible for survivors to secure jobs, rent apartments, or even coach their children's sports teams.
That's why over 100 organizations that support anti-trafficking efforts have joined hands to support the passage of HR 7137 — the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act.
Polaris' recent National Survivor Study, a survey of nearly 500 trafficking survivors in the US, found that 42% of all respondents reported having a criminal record. Of those with records, 90% reported that all, or some, of their arrests were related to their exploitation.
"Due to the record I accrued while being sexually exploited, I have a VERY hard time making a new start. It hurts my chances of obtaining good housing and employment."
— National Survivor Study participant
The TSRA creates a pathway for survivors of human trafficking who have been convicted of a federal offense as a result of their trafficking situation to clear their criminal records of those crimes.
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