Heller introduces legislation to protect child trafficking victims in court

U.S. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) recently introduced a bill that would strengthen protections for child trafficking victims testifying against human traffickers in court.

The Protecting Child Trafficking Victim Witnesses Act, S. 3597, would ensure children trafficking victims receive the same protections provided to other child abuse victims in court, according to Sen. Heller’s office.

“When a child trafficking victim is testifying against their trafficker, they must be treated like every other child victim witness,” the senator said on Oct. 22. “Our court system can and should prioritize the safety and well-being of these victims while delivering justice.”

If enacted, S. 3597 would call for victim-centered protocols to be instituted by federal prosecutors, who in turn would rely on guidance issued by the U.S. Attorney General no later than 180 days after the measure became law, according to the text of the bill.

“Trafficking victims are victims, not criminals, and it is critical that this is understood by society and throughout our systems,” said Sen. Heller. “As we work to rid our state, country and world of the heinous crime of human trafficking, we must protect its victims.”

A trafficked child’s statement is vital for successful prosecution of human traffickers because it provides the court with a more complete understanding about the crime, according to Heller’s office.

The victim-centered protections could include providing minors with victim witness advocates, as well as allowing them to testify via closed-circuit television, permitting videotaped depositions, or limiting the number of individuals present during a child’s testimony, according to Sen. Heller’s statement.

S. 3597 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.