Illinois Goes from “F” To “A” on Support For Survivors of Human Trafficking
Illinois Ranks Second In The Nation For Human Trafficking Survivor Laws
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is announcing Illinois has gone from an “F” on the Shared Hope International Just Like Me Report Cards to an “A” due to the recent passage of the Illinois Statewide Trauma-Informed Response to Human Trafficking Act. Illinois is one of only three states to receive an “A” grade. The Just Like Me Report Cards grade states based on a Top Ten list of laws focused on human trafficking survivors and addressing its lasting impacts. Illinois is now ranked second in the nation for its policies surrounding human trafficking survivors.
“Illinois is now among the leading states in the fight against human trafficking, and this new ‘A’ ranking from Shared Hope International represents my administration’s enduring commitment to keeping all Illinoisans safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This year, I proudly signed pivotal legislation that established a coordinated, multi-agency effort to better support survivors of human trafficking. Using trauma-informed strategies to identify and support survivors across Illinois, these imperative measures are helping us protect and empower our most vulnerable.”
Earlier this year, the Illinois General Assembly passed and Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2323, the Illinois Statewide Trauma-Informed Response to Human Traffic Act (Act), to provide consistency in the state’s response by creating a uniform service response, policies, agency infrastructure, screening tools, training, and protocols. Much of the act focused on survivors.
“Supporting people who have been trafficked, a modern day form of slavery, is a moral imperative that requires a comprehensive framework involving coordination between public and private partners,” said ISP Director and Joint Human Trafficking Work Group Chair Brendan F. Kelly. “By supporting survivors, law enforcement can be more effective in going after traffickers using the information and knowledge survivors are now more comfortable sharing with law enforcement, knowing that resources are available to build a new life.”
The groundwork for the Act was laid by the ISP and Illinois Department of Human Services led Joint Human Trafficking Working Group – an ad hoc working group comprised of several State agencies, the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, the Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor, and more than 60 stakeholders representing human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault advocacy organizations, survivors, local law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, as well as medical, substance use disorder, and behavioral health providers.
“This progress reflects the power of community – survivors, advocates, and public servants coming together to build systems rooted in dignity and care,” said Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services and Joint Human Trafficking Working Group Co-Chair , Dulce M. Quintero. “At IDHS, we know healing doesn’t happen in isolation – it grows from connection, from being seen, and from having access to support that honors each person’s experience. This Act strengthens our shared capacity to respond with humanity and purpose.”
The first step to supporting survivors is identifying them. The Act calls for expanded screening of those in the State’s care (Department of Children and Family Services, juvenile justice, corrections) to identify individuals who are being trafficked. The Act also mandates training for state inspectors, investigators, and regulators on signs of human trafficking in industries at high risk for trafficking, such as restaurants, hotel, agriculture, construction, and educational materials on the rights of youth workers. To help law enforcement identify those being trafficked, the Act requires the development of law enforcement curriculum standards and policy guidelines for human trafficking detection, investigation, and response.
Once identified, providing support services to help survivors of human trafficking through a trauma-informed process is essential to promoting recovery, empowerment, and reintegration into society. Collaboration among law enforcement, social workers, the legal system, state agencies, healthcare providers, and community organizations strengthens the network of protection and resources available to victims. The Act includes specific provisions to support those who have been trafficked.
- Coordinates several state agencies through a single statewide plan to identify and respond to survivors.
- Creates standards of care for human trafficking service providers.
- Develops curriculum standards and training for human trafficking and other service providers.
- Calls for collaboration with medical and legal associations to provide training for their members working with survivors.
- Requires Children’s Advocacy Centers adopt multidisciplinary team human trafficking task force protocols and facilitate training, standards, and collaboration to ensure a coordinated response to trafficked children.
In alignment with the Act, ISP, partnering with local law enforcement and private partners, recently created the Illinois Trafficking Enforcement Group (ITEG) to take its work in combating human trafficking to the next level. Similar to the nine ISP Metropolitan Enforcement Groups and 13 Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces created to combat drug trafficking, ITEG consists of local and state partners focused on fighting human trafficking, while also working with community groups and health organizations to provide trauma-informed support services to individuals who have been trafficked.
Every year, millions of men, women, and children are victims of trafficking worldwide, including in the United States and in Illinois. The signs of human trafficking can be subtle. To learn more, visit Recognizing the Signs | National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you suspect human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text *233733. For more information visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. You can also email ISP.CrimeTips@illinois.gov.
