“To strengthen protections for child sex trafficking victims testifying against human traffickers.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section directs the Attorney General, in consultation with federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and other stakeholders, to develop and publish victim-centered guidance within 18 months of enactment to strengthen protections for child sex trafficking victims testifying against human traffickers, including (1) practices to minimize adverse consequences of testifying, (2) safe travel, lodging, and accompaniment, (3) use of child advocacy centers and family justice centers where appropriate, and (4) safety planning including post-trial. Within 180 days after publication, the Attorney General must disseminate the guidance and provide training to each U.S. Attorney's office.
This section amends the Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015 to expand required Department of Justice anti-human trafficking training programs by adding the following elements: (1) for Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers, training on protections for child sex trafficking victims testifying against human traffickers based on victim-centered guidance published by the Attorney General under the Protecting Child Sex Trafficking Victim Witnesses Act; and (2) for Federal prosecutors, training on both seeking continuations of services for victims and the specified victim-centered guidance to strengthen protections for child sex trafficking victims testifying against human traffickers. (Thus, the training—currently covering investigation and prosecution of human trafficking "johns" (covered offenders), victim screening and health services, and victim criminality—now incorporates child victim protections during testimony.)
This section expands authorized training activities under child human trafficking deterrence block grants by adding to the list of training topics (1) strengthening protections for child sex trafficking victims testifying against human traffickers based on victim-centered guidance published by the Attorney General under the Protecting Child Sex Trafficking Victim Witnesses Act; and (2) carrying out any authorized uses of grants under section 204(a)(1) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (i.e., grants for services to victims of child human trafficking). (Thus, these block grants—which support collaboration among law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and victims' services to rescue child victims and prosecute traffickers—may now also fund training on victim services previously limited to separate grants.)
This section revises definitions and testimony procedures for child victims and witnesses under 18 U.S.C. § 3509 (i.e., protections minimizing courtroom trauma through closed-circuit television, videotaped depositions, support persons, and multidisciplinary teams). Specifically, it (1) expands the definition of "exploitation" to include child sex trafficking (in addition to child pornography and child prostitution); (2) adds victim advocacy agencies to multidisciplinary child abuse teams; (3) replaces "prostitution" with "commercial sex act" (as defined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, 22 U.S.C. § 7102) in the definition of "sexual abuse"; (4) in child testimony rules, eliminates the requirement to testify "in a room" separate from the courtroom; and (5) throughout subsections (b) and (i), authorizes "digital recording" in addition to videotape for depositions, preliminary hearings, adult attendant viewing, and related uses.