The Massachusetts legislature has taken a crucial step to reduce trafficking by passing the state’s first anti-human trafficking legislation today, said Polaris Project. The new bill (HB 3808) makes it a criminal offense to traffic people for forced services or sexual servitude. Prior to this legislation, Massachusetts was one of only three states to have no law against human trafficking.
“By passing this crucial bill, Massachusetts legislators are sending a strong signal that the enslavement of men, women and children is simply not acceptable,” said Mary Ellison, Director of Policy for Polaris Project. “We are thrilled to see Massachusetts catching up to the 47 other states that have already passed anti-trafficking legislation.”
The legislation carries a potential 20-year sentence for human trafficking, and traffickers of children could face life in prison. It also establishes fines of up to $1 million on businesses who engage in human trafficking and increases funding for social services for victims of sex and labor trafficking. Two other provisions significantly target traffickers’ profits: the state may forfeit traffickers’ assets and put them into a victims’ trust fund and trafficking victims may also sue their traffickers.
With the passage of this bill, West Virginia and Wyoming are the only two remaining states that have no criminal laws against human trafficking.
“Stronger state laws like this one can make it easier for local prosecutors to win cases against traffickers and increase services for survivors of trafficking,” continued Ms. Ellison. “Trafficking occurs because it is a high-profit, low-risk venture. These are the types of tools we need to reduce trafficking in our communities and protect trafficking victims.”
Human trafficking is a $32 billion a year industry worldwide, and the United States is an active and profitable venue for both sex trafficking and labor trafficking. The federal anti-trafficking bill, The Trafficking Victims Protection Act recently expired and is currently being considered by the U.S. Congress.
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