What is the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act?
Survivors of human trafficking are often criminalized for situations stemming from their trafficking experiences. Having a criminal record – even an arrest record without a conviction – can make it harder or virtually impossible for survivors to secure jobs, rent apartments, or even coach their children’s sports teams. If enacted, the TSRA would provide the first-ever pathway for criminalized survivors of human trafficking to clear their federal criminal records. Passing this bill would make a historic step forward in protecting victims and survivors of trafficking at the federal level.
TSRA was introduced in the House of Representatives in January, 2024 and in the Senate in April, 2024.
90 percent of survivors with a criminal record reported at least some or all was related to their trafficking experience.
– Polaris National Survivor Study
Why Criminal Record Relief Matters
As part of the National Survivor Study, a research partnership with survivors, Polaris conducted online and phone surveys with 457 sex and labor trafficking survivors. The study found that for a majority of survivors, their criminal record created barriers to gainful employment, finding safe housing, continuing their education, and child custody.
Survivor Stories
Survivors of human trafficking are calling for Congress to pass the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. Learn why they support this bill:
Find more videos HERE from survivors who share the challenges they face in clearing their unjust criminal records and how those records make it hard to move forward, heal, and rebuild their lives.
Read their Stories
Learn more about why survivors of human trafficking need federal criminal record relief legislation and why they’re calling on Congress to pass the TSRA:
TSRA Toolkit
Learn how policies are created, the latest on state and federal criminal records relief, data points about criminal records, and how you can engage with your elected officials to make a difference.
How to Help
We’re so close to gaining, for the first time, a federal law that will give survivors of human trafficking a pathway to clear their criminal records. We need YOUR HELP. Here are three ways you can help get this bill passed to support victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Send a Letter to Congress
Contact your Members of Congress by sending them an email asking them to support this bill. Our online form will identify your Representatives and Senators and provide an email for you to edit and send.
Get on the Phone
Voice your support for the TSRA by calling your Congress members on the phone and asking them to support this bill.
Schedule a Meeting
Make an appointment with your Congress members. You can call or email them to schedule and appointment in your home state.