Thousands of people in the United States and around the world have endured the control of another person against their will. Trafficking has become an epidemic in this country and is an example of modern-day slavery. In the last ten years, 49,000 reports of human trafficking have been made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Sex trafficking cases typically have a short statute of limitations, which makes it difficult for victims to seek justice. Now, under new legislation, websites, internet providers, and other businesses may be held liable for sex trafficking.
Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act
The Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which was signed into law in 2018 along with the Senate bill Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, holds websites civilly and criminally liable to knowingly assist, facilitate, or support sex trafficking. This means that websites such as Craigslist and Facebook can be held liable for third party ads that involve sex trafficking. If you were trafficked through an ad posted on a website, that website might now be liable to you for damages. The Act states that anyone injured as the result of a website or internet provider’s assistance, facilitation, or support of trafficking may recover damages and attorney’s fees.
Trafficking Victims Protection Act
Unbeknownst to many, some businesses, such as hotels and motels, profit off of sex trafficking. Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, hotels can be held both criminally and civilly liable for allowing trafficking to take place on their property. Businesses like hotels turn a blind eye to trafficking and often profit from the services of traffickers. Hotel employees often ignore the obvious signs of sex trafficking and fail to seek help for the victims. A responsible hotel might need to train its employees to recognize trafficking and report suspected trafficking. Victims of sex trafficking who were forced to use hotels as their base might be able to seek compensation from businesses who ignored their plight and enabled the trafficking to continue.
Contact a Sex Trafficking Attorney
If you’ve been the victim of trafficking, you want an experienced attorney on your side. Gregg Goldfarb, is willing to fight the businesses that enable trafficking and help victims pursue just compensation. Contact us online or call us at 305-374-7000 to schedule a free consultation.