KANSAS CITY – The Restoration House of Greater Kansas City and the Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association endorse The Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act (HR 3942), a bill that will assist trafficking victims gaining crucial grand funding to restart their lives. The bipartisan legislation was introduced to the House in early October. The Restoration House staff and board members played a key role in bringing the bill to the floor through consultation with Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and her staff.
This bill is a huge win in the fight against sex trafficking. Providing survivors with a way to restart their lives is crucial to bring the vicious cycle of trafficking to a halt. We pray this bill is followed by more legislation like it that address trafficking with real solutions!
The full press release from the office of Congresswoman Hartzler is below. The December newsletter will feature more information on Restoration House’s role in the legislation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2017
Contact: Steve Walsh, 473.442.9311
Hartzler, Noem, Bordallo Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Victims of Sex Trafficking Restart Their Lives
WASHINGTON – Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) , and Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) introduced bipartisan legislation Wednesday to expand the eligible grant funding for victims of sex trafficking so they can have a safe place to heal, recover and restart their lives. The Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act (HR 3942) expands the Transitional Housing Assistance Grant to include sex trafficking so that women who have been brutalized by this terrible industry can get the help they need.
“The Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act provides housing for sex trafficking victims at a crucial time when they are trying to reclaim their hopes, dreams and futures,” Hartzler said. “When I heard the stories of these sex trafficking victims, and saw that they are all over our country and even here in Missouri, I knew that we must do something to help. I’m proud to introduce this bill so that these women can get the support they need and know that the American people are standing with them.”
While there are a growing number of organizations reaching out to provide housing, hope, and healing, there are very few resources to help provide assistance for housing and healing. Expanding the Transitional Housing Assistance Grant to include sex trafficking victims will allow more women to receive the help they need to find safety and begin a new life free from the violence of the past.
“A home is so often where recovery begins, and yet, transitional housing for sex trafficking survivors is scarce,” Noem said. “In many cases, sex trafficking survivors require stronger security protocols and different support services than other victims of violence. To better respond to these unique needs, I’m proud to join Congresswomen Hartzler and Bordallo on this bipartisan bill. We’re hopeful it will extend transitional housing, healing, and hope to many more trafficking survivors.”
“Transitional housing assistance grants are critical opportunities to provide support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence seeking a fresh start,” Bordallo said. “Human trafficking, and especially sex trafficking, exploits vulnerable women and girls and as our country places additional focus on the causes and effects of this horrific crime, we should ensure that tools are in place to provide housing and hope. Expanding the program to those individuals is the right thing to do.”
The Housing for Survivors of Sex Trafficking Act amends Title 42 U.S. Code §13975 to add sex trafficking as an authorized use under the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. This legislation addresses the needs of female victims of sex trafficking.
Funding Background
This grant originated from the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. According to the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women, the current objective of this grant is to provide transitional housing assistance and related support services to minors, adults, and their dependents. This housing assistance grant is for victims who are homeless or in need of transitional housing because of a situation of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and for those whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient.
This funding is open to state and local governments and other organizations including domestic violence and sexual assault victim service providers; domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions; other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, or community-based and culturally specific organizations that have a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
