Human Trafficking Laws in Alaska

Human Trafficking Laws in Alaska

Human trafficking is a huge problem in Alaska and across the country. Victims are often vulnerable people like runaway teens or immigrants who don’t speak English. Traffickers force them into prostitution or other kinds of modern-day slavery. It’s a terrible crime that destroys lives.

Luckily, Alaska has passed some good laws to crack down on traffickers. This article will explain the main laws and what they do. I’m not a lawyer but I want to help people understand their rights. There’s still more work needed to stop trafficking completely. But the laws we have now are a good start.

What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking means forcing or tricking someone into working for little or no pay. The main types are sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Sex trafficking means making someone perform sex acts for money. Labor trafficking is making people work for free doing things like farm work, cleaning, or child care.

Traffickers use violence, threats, lies, debt bondage, and other ways to control their victims. Victims feel trapped and afraid to leave or go to the police for help. Traffickers are experts at finding vulnerable people and luring them in with promises of love or a better life.

Alaska’s Human Trafficking Laws

Here are some of the main laws Alaska uses to prosecute human traffickers and help victims:

• First-degree human trafficking – Forcing someone into sex work or labor. This is a class A felony with penalties up to 99 years in prison.
• Second-degree human trafficking – Benefiting financially from human trafficking. This is a class B felony with up to 10 years in prison.
• Sex trafficking of a minor – Causing someone under 18 to perform commercial sex acts. This is a class A felony.
• Prostitution – Paying for or making money from prostitution. This can be a misdemeanor or felony depending on age of victim.
• Promoting prostitution – Making money from prostitution done by others. This is a class C felony.

Alaska laws recognize that human trafficking victims are forced into these crimes against their will. Victims are not usually charged with prostitution or other offenses. Instead the focus is on prosecuting the traffickers.

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Recent Changes to Strengthen Anti-Trafficking Laws

In 2012, Alaska passed a new law that made sex trafficking of a minor a specific crime. Before, prosecutors had to rely on other charges like kidnapping or sexual abuse of a minor. The new law helped highlight the problem of child sex trafficking in Alaska.

Alaska also passed a law in 2012 to allow victims of human trafficking to have past prostitution convictions cleared from their records. This helps victims move on with their lives and find good jobs.

In 2017, Alaska passed a law to add promoting prostitution as a felony. This targets people who profit from prostitution rings even if they aren’t directly trafficking victims. The law also increased penalties for sex trafficking of a minor to up to 99 years in prison.

Protecting Victims and Providing Services

Alaska law says minors under 18 who are forced into prostitution are victims of sex trafficking. They can’t be charged with crimes and are entitled to special help like counseling, healthcare, and safe housing.

Alaska’s Office of Children’s Services works with community groups to identify trafficking victims under 18 and get them help. They have social workers trained on trafficking who can respond quickly when a victim is found.

For adult victims, Alaska has a network of shelters, legal aid, and social services to help them recover and start new lives. Police work with these groups to connect victims to services instead of treating them like criminals.

Still More Progress Needed

Alaska has made good steps but trafficking is still a big problem. Remote rural areas and the I-5 corridor are active areas for traffickers. More awareness, victim services, and law enforcement training are needed.

Some additional laws that could help:

• Tougher penalties for buying sex from trafficking victims
• Training for hotel workers to spot signs of trafficking
• Laws to make it easier to sue traffickers for damages

With more work, we can eliminate human trafficking and make Alaska safe for everyone.

Resources

Here are some good sites to learn more about human trafficking:

• Alaska Statutes on Human Trafficking
• Report Card on Alaska’s Laws
• National Human Trafficking Hotline – Alaska Data