Tennessee Ranks 1st in Child & Youth Sex Trafficking Response
Shared Hope International releases 2022 state report cards.
NASHVILLE, TN. November 3, 2022. Shared Hope International, an organization that coordinates a national U.S. network of protection to improve the response to victims of trafficking, has released the 2022 Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking – ranking Tennessee highest and most improved state. States are graded under an advanced legislative framework, providing a comprehensive analysis and assessment of all state statutes related to and impacting child and youth sex trafficking in all 50 states and D.C.
The Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking grading scale focuses on how states protect survivors of child and youth sex trafficking, including through the development and funding of Safe Harbor laws, an evidence-based and victim-centered approach to justice.
Tennessee has reclaimed its #1 ranking for its response to human trafficking, following a restructuring of Shared Hope’s grading scale in 2021, shifting its focus to addressing a crucial gap: victim protections. Prior to 2021, Tennessee had ranked #1 in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Formal grading paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some highlights from Tennessee’s report card include:
increased accountability and harsher punishments for buyers and traffickers;
screening processes for victim identification through child welfare and the juvenile justice system;
mandatory human trafficking training for child welfare, juvenile justice agencies, prosecutors, and school personnel.
To maximize Tennessee’s response to human trafficking, the Tennessee Counter-Trafficking Alliance (TCTA) was launched in 2017. Comprised of End Slavery Tennessee (serving Middle TN), CCAHT – Grow Free TN (serving East TN), and Restore Corps (serving West TN), these organizations were designated by the Governor’s Public Safety Subcabinet as the regional points of contact for human trafficking victim referrals. In partnership, the state of Tennessee and TCTA ensure a coordinated, state-wide referral process, provide on-the-ground comprehensive, specialized support for victims and their families, and partner with stakeholders to create strategic system changes across local and state governments.
TCTA partners released a joint statement from organization leaders Leah Moyer, End Slavery Tennessee, Kate Trudell, CCAHT – Grow Free TN, and Rachel Sumner Haaga, Restore Corps, “The Tennessee Counter Trafficking Alliance is encouraged by Tennessee’s progress in strengthening anti-human trafficking policy, laws, and systems. While we still have much more work to accomplish, it is an honor to collaborate with our elected officials and lead the nation in the fight to end human trafficking through ground-breaking legislation in Tennessee. We will use this momentum to further identify advocacy needs, cultivate future strategies addressing gaps, and formalize a framework for effective counter-trafficking systems. We thank Shared Hope International for its leadership in streamlining best practices and helping both national and statewide efforts that amplify survivor voices.”