Annie (name changed) was arrested as a prostitute. She was fifteen and pregnant with her fourth child. Thankfully, law enforcement officers, once they realized her age, identified her as a victim of sex trafficking. However, if her interrogation officer did not recognize that she was not a criminal, Annie would have ended up in a juvenile detention center and then right back into the hands of her traffickers.

Georgia representatives Jay Neal and Ann Purcell saw this type of problem as a serious issue. Under Georgia law, juveniles can be convicted for sexual crimes even if the were forced into sexual slavery at the time. House Bill 1078 will "amend Part 4 of Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to commencement and conduct of juvenile proceedings in courts, so as to provide for the modification of orders of delinquency for children who are victims of sexual abuse or sexual trafficking; to amend Part 8 of Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to access to juvenile court records and hearings, so as to provide for the sealing of court records for children who are victims of sexual abuse or sexual trafficking; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes." Essentially, this means that child survivors of sexual abuse or sexual slavery will not be punished for what was done to them.

Therefore, please help to pass House Bill 1078 so that the hundreds of girls in Georgia like Annie can be treated fairly and justly under Georgia law.