Human trafficking survivors shared stories in effort to pass Massachusetts sex trade survivors act

January is human trafficking prevention month and today survivors took to the state house to advocate for bills to help those who were most at need and 22 News State us reporter Ellen Fleming spoke with survivors who explained why they feel this bill is necessary at a briefing today survivors shared their stories and Advocates pushed for bills that would change the laws around sex work to protect victims of such crimes both the House and Senate have a version of the sex trade survivors act both of which are sitting in the Judiciary Committee the bills are Survivor Le and would repeal the crime of selling sex expunge records of prostituted people push finds collected from buyers to the Massachusetts office for Victim Assistance and create a commission to expand resources for survivors and those trying to leave sex work up to 87% of people worldwide selling sex do not do so by choice they do so to survive they do so because they're being exploited Etc and being criminalized is not helping now to be clear this would not decriminalize the act of buying sex individuals who buy sex would still be held accountable for their crimes this has been an issue in several cities in Western Massachusetts including Springfield where in recent years policing has focused on enforcement of those buying sex opposed to those selling sex the prostituted person is a victim and not a criminal and we need to have laws and policies that reflect that very basic tenant now these bills will need to be voted out of committee before February 7th for them to stay viable that deadline is known as joint rule 10day these bills aren't strangers to the Northeast similar legislation went into effect in Maine this past fall working for you at the State House in Boston Ellen Fleming 22 News