Inslee signs bill to create support programs for survivors of adult sex trafficking
Olympia, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation into law this week focused on providing funding for more healing and transition services for survivors of adult sex trafficking in Washington state.
Substitute Senate Bill 5114 was written by and specifically for survivors of adult sex trafficking. Some of the services the legislation will help provide include: safety planning, housing, substance use disorder treatment, health services, legal advocacy, translation and interpretation services, education, employment support, outreach, and emergency financial help.
Sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson and Rep. Tina Orwall, the legislation will also help fund at least one community-based organization to operate and service survivors in eastern Washington and another organization in western Washington, but multiple agencies will be funded.
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The bill was written by survivor leaders who formed a coalition called Washington Against Sexual Exploitation (WASE Forward). They worked directly with the state law makers and other key stakeholders to shed light of the unique needs of sex trafficking survivors. WASE Forward leaders also helped advocate for better policies to support the recovery from violence, trauma, and abuse in sexual exploitation.
“The bill will create many opportunities to create and enhance services for adult survivors of sex trafficking,” said Jeri Moomaw, executive director of Innovations Trafficking Collaborative, and co-founder of WASE Forward. “This is important because many survivors don’t know that services exist, and there are people available to support them through their healing process.”
WASE Forward helps to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of vulnerable people in Washington state and support survivors of sex trafficking in marginalized communities that are disproportionality harmed by human trafficking, the press release stated.
"The cultural response is an equitable response to reach and provide tailored made services to underserved communities,” explained Nature Carter, a co-founder of WASE Forward and a leader in the African American community who works to continue to reach marginalized communities to address intersections of violence.
