On January 25, 2017, advocates from across the state convened in Harrisburg to encourage lawmakers to pass safe harbor legislation this session. If passed, the Safe Harbor Bill would protect child-victims of commercial sexual exploitation by making minors under the age of 18 immune from prosecution for prostitution and prostitution-related crimes, providing support services for minor-victims of commercial sexual exploitation, training police officers to identify and help child-victims, and establishing a fund for victim services and awareness. In short, the legislation would ensure that prostituted child-victims would get support and needed services, not jail time.
The advocacy day, which was organized by the Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Work Group—a statewide initiative of Pennsylvania’s community-based anti-trafficking coalitions and state and national partner organizations—kicked off with a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda. Hugh Organ, Associate Executive Director of Covenant House, began the press conference by reading a statement from Senator Stewart Greenleaf (R, Montogomery). Last session, Senator Greenleaf introduced a safe harbor bill (S.B. 851) that failed to pass before the end of the session. In his prepared statement, Senator Greenleaf urged legislators to act quickly to pass safe harbor legislation this term.
After Senator Greenleaf’s statement was read, Representatives Joanna McClinton (D, Philadelphia) and Morgan Cephas (D, Philadelphia) echoed Senator Greenleaf’s call to urgent action. Representative Mary Jo Daley (D, Montgomery) also was in attendance to lend her support for the legislation. Terri Hamrick, CEO of Survivors Inc., Shea Rhodes, our Director, and Jamie Manirakiza, Social Service Program Director of the Salvation Army’s Anti-Trafficking Program, rounded out the press conference with comments on the importance and impact of the safe harbor bill. The central message conveyed is that this legislation is immediately necessary to ensure that child-victims are not treated as criminals, but instead are protected and provided with the means to begin healing.
Following the press conference, smaller groups of advocates met with senators and representatives and their staff to foster support for the legislation, to share impact and survivor stories with the legislators, and to address questions or concerns about the bill. The CSE Institute applauds the efforts of the Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Work Group and the numerous organizations and advocates who came together in solidarity to support protective legislation for child-victims of sex trafficking. Furthermore, the CSE Institute applauds the efforts of Senator Greenleaf and Representatives McClinton and Cephas and encourages the legislature to pass safe harbor legislation this term.
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For more information on the importance and impact of safe harbor legislation, see Why “Safe Harbor” Full-Immunity is the Best Policy for Decriminalizing Child Victims of Sex Trafficking.