Tillis introduces bipartisan bill to protect victims, clamp down on sex traffickers

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis on Feb. 14 introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to protect people who were strong-armed into commercial sex by traffickers who used drugs or illegal substances.

“I am proud to join this bipartisan legislation that will strengthen the penalties for these criminals and help ensure human traffickers are held accountable for their atrocious crimes,” said Tillis, who was joined by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Protecting Rights Of Those Exploited by Coercive Trafficking (PROTECT) Act of 2018, S. 2429.

If enacted, S. 2429 would clarify current law to specify that using drugs to sway a person into commercial sex acts constitutes coercion, and that using drugs to obtain labor or services constitutes forced labor, according to a summary provided by Tillis’ office. The explanation would apply to both traffickers and individuals who facilitate trafficking.

“We should do everything in our power to bring human traffickers to justice, particularly those who use drugs to control their victims,” Tillis said.

The bill also includes a provision that would protect from prosecution any trafficked victims who were forced to commit crimes, or victims whose trafficker-cultivated substance addiction leads them to commit crimes, according to the summary.

Several groups have endorsed Tillis’ legislation, including the Fraternal Order of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, National District Attorneys Association, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Truckers Against Trafficking.

S. 2429 awaits consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee. U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY) on Feb. 14 introduced a companion bill, H.R. 5027, in the U.S. House of Representatives that has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.