AB 2020 (Bonta): Fact Sheet
SUMMARY
The Human Trafficking Survivors Act of 2024 will
implement policies to protect and lift up the voices of survivors of human trafficking.
BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM
Human trafficking has a strong presence in the United
States. In 2021, the National Human Trafficking
Hotline received 51,073 contacts about human
trafficking and issues related to human trafficking
across the United States. Contacts can include phone
calls, texts, websites, online tip reports, or emails. Of those contacts, there were 10,360 human trafficking
cases, and 16,710 victims involved in these cases. For
California, the hotline received 5,257 contacts. Of
those contacts, 1,334 human trafficking cases were
identified with 2,122 victims involved in those cases.
Understanding the true scope of human trafficking is
difficult because it is an underreported crime.
Additionally, there are indicators that Latina and Black women and girls are disproportionately represented
among human trafficking victims and survivors.
However, there is a lack of nationwide data for people
of color.
Despite the progress we have made in the United
States in addressing human trafficking, California can
continue to improve how we support and provide
resources to survivors of human trafficking. We can
ensure human trafficking survivors have opportunities
for their voices and input to be heard. We can also
continue to improve law enforcement interactions
with survivors of human trafficking.
Survivors of trafficking frequently first engage with
government through interactions with law
enforcement. This means their encounters with law
enforcement and their treatment in the overall justice
system can have a big impact on their lives. According
to a 2023 National Survivor Study, sixty-two percent of survivors reported being cited, detained, or arrested
by law enforcement. Most of those survivors arrested
were arrested, detained, or cited during their
trafficking situation. A majority of those surveyed
indicated that all or at least some of their criminal
record was related to their trafficking victimization.
Effectively identifying survivors and working with
them using a trauma centered approach, could make a
critical difference for a survivor. While some law
enforcement agencies may already have protocols and
best practices in place when they interact with or
interview human trafficking survivors, those protocols
and best practices can be implemented at agencies
across the state so that survivors are better identified and referred to services and the resources they need.
These referrals could include referrals to community
based organizations.
Additionally, we can work on eliminating barriers to
survivors. A 2023 study indicated that our systems are
failing human trafficking survivors. Survivors do not
have access to services they may need such as mental
health services, employment assistance, and help
setting up accounts at banking institutions. In
conversations with several organizations who work
with human trafficking survivors, they uplifted the
need to create a survivor board, so their voices are
better heard by decision makers.
EXISTING LAW
Under California law, anyone who deprives or violates
the personal liberty of another with the intent to
obtain forced labor or services, deprives or violates
the personal liberty of another with the intent to
commit specified crimes including pimping, pandering,
or child pornography, or causes a person who is a
minor at the time of the commission of the offense to
engage in a commercial sex act, is guilty of human
trafficking. Unfortunately, existing law also does not
account for systemic barriers that human trafficking
victims may face, such as the need for identification
documents. Existing law does not require all law
enforcement agencies to have protocols in place when
interacting with human trafficking victims. In order to better provide resources and support to human
trafficking victims, our laws need to be strengthened.
SOLUTION
The Human Trafficking Survivors Act, centers the
needs of human trafficking victims by doing the
following:
1. Establishing survivor boards at the county
level; and
2. Establishing protocols for law enforcement
interactions with human trafficking survivors
AB 2020: HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS ACT (UPDATED – 04.30.2024)
Assemblymember Mia Bonta, 18th Assembly District
AB 2020 (Bonta): Fact Sheet
SUPPORT
California Catholic Conference
Californians for Safety and Justice
California Public Defenders Association
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Glide
Initiate Justice
National Association of Pediatric Nurse
Practitioners
Prosecutors Alliance of California
Smart Justice California
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Haydee Dominguez, Legislative Director
[email protected] | (916) 319-2018