I have been in and out of
the system since I was 16
I was thrown out of the house the prior year by my mom, when I told her my stepfather had been abusing me. I moved in with my boyfriend, who turned me out online. I got my first prostitution conviction when I turned 18 and collected a rap sheet of drug possession, assault, and theft cases for the next five years. I became homeless. Addicted to drugs. And assaulted by my “clients” at least once a week.
It was a freezing night in February.
It was 2 AM and I had nowhere to go.
All the shelters were full, and I was already high. I was working an area up the street from the Home Depot when my client raped me and pushed me out of the car onto the highway offramp. I walked about a half mile to the CVS and stole about $400 worth of merch.
I was assigned a court-appointed attorney. He told me he had spoken with the prosecutor, who had concerns about my case. She had pulled my juvenile records and noticed my prostitution–related offenses from an early age. She also saw I had been a victim of two assaults and a rape, but I had never appeared for court.
My attorney introduced me to a survivor advocate who worked in a community agency and asked if I wanted to continue the case so we could talk about some options. He said he worked with the prosecutor a lot on cases like mine, and they tried to help where they could…
The sex trade is complex.
Some individuals self-identify as voluntarily engaging in commercial sex. Others may be victims of human trafficking under the threat or use of force or coercion. Still others engage in the sex trade because they lack other means to pay for their basic life necessities.
Trafficked and exploited women and girls intersect with systems in ways we don’t think of.
The common misconception that “we don’t have human trafficking in our jurisdiction” leads many criminal justice system professionals to fail to recognize common indicators of trafficking and/or exploitation— but it thrives in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the country.
Women in the sex trade are subject to severe violence.
Between two-thirds and one hundred percent of all women involved in the sex trade experience physical and/or sexual violence at the hands of traffickers or customers.
Exploited women often have criminal records.
Their criminality is fueled by their exploitation. The complex dynamics that lead women to enter and remain in The Life, including trauma, substance abuse, and poverty, may prompt them to commit theft, drug-related offenses, and other crimes. But criminal records follow survivors throughout their lives, often limiting their ability to obtain employment, education, and housing—the very opportunities that would enable them to exit The Life. The roadblocks are greatest for Black women, women of color, and trans women, who are arrested for prostitution and related offenses at disproportionate rates. 1
Identification of survivors can be a critical turning point.
Some survivors actively seek out the justice system’s intervention. Many others intersect with the system as victims, witnesses, or as defendants charged with a crime. By recognizing survivors as survivors—however they come into contact with the system—prosecutors, law enforcement, and allied professionals can help end trafficking and exploitation. They can direct survivors to resources that provide exit ramps from exploitation. And they can close on-ramps by identifying women who are vulnerable and directing them to the support they need.
Prosecutors need to lead the way
Of all actors in the criminal justice field, prosecutors have the most influence over the system’s response to a survivor. They decide whether and how to pursue charges. They have the power to offer plea deals and recommend sentences. A prosecutor’s actions can end the cycle of exploitation — or they can perpetuate it.
Prosecutors are more than public officials who institute criminal proceedings. They are agents for change and advocates for their communities. By identifying marginalized women and girls who are victims, making fair charging decisions, facilitating criminal record relief for survivors, and connecting women and girls with services and support, prosecutors can clear the way to a different life path.
About the Initiative
Just Exits is closing ON RAMPS to and building OFF RAMPS from exploitation in four central ways:
Educating prosecutors and law enforcement about how exploiters coerce, manipulate, brainwash, and force victims to engage in illegal activity
- Web-based public trainings
- Written esources & tools
Supporting prosecutors in their efforts to identify wrongful arrests and charges and to remedy wrongful convictions of exploited persons
- Implementation of a new, model response to sexually exploited women and girls in three pilot jurisdictions
- Customized, private training for prosecutors and allied professionals
- Tailored support on case-specific and office-level issues
Collaborating with communities to ensure that survivors can access services that offer meaningful life opportunities
- Helping prosecutors’ offices expand and strengthen their relationships with local, regional, and national service providers
Measuring meaningful prosecution outcomes to ensure a just response.
- Development and implementation of a performance management system to give prosecutors the tools to identify trends in outcomes, monitor the implementation of best practices, and make data-driven and research-informed decisions
Definitions
Human Trafficking
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Exploitation
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The Life
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