Bills
| 3.23.22

Human Trafficking: Expanding Services for Survivors and Punishing Perpetrators (S. 1738)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is S. 1738?

(Updated November 30, 2018)

This bill aims to better serve survivors of human trafficking, and come down harder with the hammer of justice on perpetrators of human trafficking.

S. 1738 would amend the federal criminal code to add an additional $5,000 penalty to those convicted of crimes related to:
 - Slavery
 - Human trafficking
 - Sexual abuse or exploitation
 - Child abuse
 - Transportation for illegal sexual activity
 - Human smuggling

The bill would also establish a Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund where these extra penalties will be collected. The fund will be used from 2015-2019 for grants given to victims, and to improve the programs that exist for survivors under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, and the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.


If authorized, this bill would fund services for victims of child pornography and improve domestic child trafficking deterrence programs. Funds would also go to investigating and prosecuting child trafficking offenses, rescuing victims, and restoring their lives.

Argument in favor

Offers better protections and services to victims, funds better tools for law enforcement fighting these crimes, and broadens the definition of human trafficking.

Argument opposed

It remains to be seen how easily or effectively these changes can be made. Not to mention, states have to foot part of the bill, making this it seem less expensive.

Impact

The federal criminal code, law enforcement officers and their criminal investigations of human trafficking. Also victims of human trafficking and the services they receive.

Cost of S. 1738

H.R. 3530 — the House companion bill to S. 1738 — would authorize the use of $25 million annually between 2015-2019 from the Department of Justice (DOJ). It would also allocate funding to the DOJ's Crime Victims Fund from 2016 to 2020. The CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3530 (and consequently S. 1738) would cost $125 million over the 2015-2024 period.

Additional Info

 In Depth:

This bill would also amend the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, changing the definition of "child abuse" to also include human trafficking and the production of child pornography.

The federal criminal code would also be amended to:
  - increase the restitution for victims of human trafficking
  - create provisions for standing against human trafficking racketeering;
  - help prosecutors (at the state and local level) obtain warrants for wiretaps more easily when investigating crimes involving human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and child pornography production.
  - increase the penalties for crimes that involve enticement into slavery, sex trafficking of children, child exploitation, and repeat sex offenders

Of Note:

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls and texts from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

Phone: 1-888-373-7888

Text: HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

-According to the National Association of Attorneys General, human trafficking is a $32 billion global industry. The U.S. State Department estimates 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked into this country each year, with women accounting for 80 percent. Of those, 70 percent are forced into the commercial sex trade.

Media:

Bill Summary from Sponsoring Rep. John Cornyn (R-TX)

Wikipedia

Change.org

Women's Policy Inc. (On H.R. 3530)

(Photo Credit: Flickr user Brett Jordan)