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The Solution Anchor

The Solution

  • The Tennessee General Assembly has passed 36 new pieces of legislation regarding human trafficking since the 2011 TBI report.

 

  • Tennessee is a “safe harbor” state with laws that decriminalize prostitution for minors, treating them as victims instead. 

 

  • Tennessee ranked #1 in the 2013 State Report Card of the Protected Innocence Challenge graded by advocacy leader Shared Hope International on 41 key legislative components to fight the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking, and has maintained an “A” rating in subsequent years. 

 

  • Tennessee is also a Tier One (Green) State regarding our legislative infrastructure according to the Polaris Project, another leading National advocacy group.

 

  • The Grace Empowered Project, led by the Attorney General’s office, (formerly called the Hannah Project led by Assistant District Attorney Antoinette Welch) gives first offenders arrested for prostitution an opportunity to seek exit strategies and survivor services…however, there are few shelters and long-term rehabilitation programs in TN

 

  • Beginning February 9, 2016 Nashville instituted the first-in-state Human Trafficking Intervention Court dedicated solely to human trafficking cases in order to expedite and be more “victim services” oriented.  

  • Tennessee has criminal provisions addressing the “demand” side, or buyers of commercial sex.  The John School seeks to reduce recidivism rates and curb demand.

 

  • Tennessee has a State Human Trafficking Task Force comprised of a network of collaborative partners from state agencies, nonprofit leaders, legislators, law enforcement, survivors, subject matter experts, researchers, and community leaders.

 

  • The Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-855-558-6484 for suspected victims.

 

  • The 2013 Comprehensive Plan for the Delivery of Services to Human Sex Trafficking Victims published by the Tennessee Department of Human Services as a result of this statewide task force concludes that Tennessee communities don’t have sufficient services designed specifically for trafficking survivors; rehabilitative services for survivors remain disjointed

 

  • In the 2013 follow-up study from the TBI, Director Mark Gwyn states, “there is still a need to develop more resources to aid sex trafficking victims and their families.  We have only scratched the surface in combatting sex trafficking.”

 

  • Our partners at End Slavery Tennessee have now provided an emergent care facility:  safe house and assessment center (short term), and they are our primary referral agency for women seeking a long-term residential rehabilitative program.
     

Rest Stop Ministries
restore survivors. stop oppression

 

Rest Stop Ministries provides Tennessee with a long-term care facility uniquely designed to rehabilitate women survivors of domestic sex trafficking.  Our residential restoration program opened November 2015.

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