Human trafficking bill introduced to help victims reintegrate into society

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio is No. 4 in the country for the most human trafficking cases, so lawmakers are looking at new ways to decrease that number and help survivors.

“We want to make sure perpetrators are held accountable for the true lifelong trauma they give to their victims and at the same time we give resources to our victims,” Representative Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) said.

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Under current state law, human trafficking survivors can get their records expunged for charges of soliciting, loitering and prostitution. But newly introduced House Bill 385, or the ‘Expanding Human Trafficking Justice Act,’ sponsored by Reps. Williams and Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) aims to expand the law to allow for certain misdemeanors and felonies to be expunged, like theft and drug possession, which advocates said are most common.

“Carrying a criminal record can be a major roadblock to employment, stable housing and educational opportunities,” Richardson said. “We believe in the promise of new life and new beginnings for those trapped in the despair of trafficking.”

“We believe it’s just unfair for victims of labor trafficking or sex trafficking to have to deal with that stigma, that stain on their record because they were forced, compelled under detest or actually physically forced to do this,” Williams said.

Annette Mango is a human trafficking survivor, she said when she was first re-entering society, she was met with difficulty getting housing and a job.

“They sit up there and say, ‘you no longer belong here, you’re going to bring trouble here,’” Mango said. “Even though I was already being victimized by everybody else, they also victimized me based off my record.”

She said people made assumptions about her based on her record.

“Most of these places said ‘no, we don’t want you working here,” Mango said. “I said ‘why,’ they said, ‘first of all, felons don’t do a good job, felons don’t come to work.’ They said, ‘felons steal.’ So, I was already doomed.”

Mango said when she got her record expunged, it changed her life.

“My paperwork started coming in that said ‘expunged, expunged, expunged, expunged,” she said. “It changed my life so much; it gave me confidence. When I go for an apartment, I don’t have to worry about them saying to me that I’m going to be a ‘menace to society.’ When I go for another job, I don’t have to worry about them saying ‘hey what about this human trafficking, what happened?’”

Mango said that is why it is important to expand the law, to be sure other survivors are afforded the same relief. Williams said while helping survivors is key, it is not the only piece to the puzzle.

“There is a multitude of legislation we want to introduce over the long term,” he said. “There is no reason our state is in the top five in the nation for human trafficking.”

House Bill 377, or the ‘Enact Human Trafficking Prevention Act,’ sponsored by Reps. Williams and Nick Santucci (R-Howland Twp.),’ aims to increase the penalty for all human trafficking, including of a minor or person with a developmental disability, in some cases creating life sentences for those offenses.

“Most often human traffickers’ prey on the most vulnerable people in our society, the homeless, the indigent, those with substance abuse problems,” Williams said.

The bill also redefines what a minor is considered in terms of trafficking from under 16, to all minors under 18.

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