The Solution
Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline:
1-855-558-6484
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The Tennessee General Assembly has passed over 50 new pieces of legislation regarding human trafficking since the 2011 TBI report.
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Tennessee is a “safe harbor” state with laws that decriminalize prostitution for minors, treating them as victims instead. (Shared Hope International)
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Tennessee ranked #1 in the 2013 State Report Card of the Protected Innocence Challenge graded by advocacy leader Shared Hope International on 41 key legislative components to fight the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking, and maintained an “A” rating through 2019. (Shared Hope International)
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Shared Hope International released the Advanced Legislative Framework, ensuring robust and trauma-informed protections for trafficking victims. In the first year of the new Framework, TN received a "D" rating, increased to a "B" in 2022, then in 2023 was ranked #1 in the U.S. with an "A" rating. (Shared Hope International)
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Tennessee is a Tier One (Green) State regarding our legislative infrastructure according to the Polaris Project, another leading National advocacy group. (Polaris)
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The Grace Empowered Project, led by the Attorney General’s office, gives first offenders arrested for prostitution an opportunity to seek exit strategies and survivor services. However, there are few shelters and long-term rehabilitation programs in TN. (Davidson County Office of the District Attorney General)​
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Beginning February 9, 2016 Nashville instituted the first-in-state Human Trafficking Intervention Court dedicated solely to human trafficking cases in order to expedite and be more “victim services” oriented. (Davidson County Office of the District Attorney General)
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Tennessee has criminal provisions addressing the “demand” side, or buyers of commercial sex. The John School seeks to reduce recidivism rates and curb demand. (John School Davidson County)
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Tennessee has a State Human Trafficking Task Force comprised of a network of collaborative partners from state agencies, nonprofit leaders, legislators, law enforcement, survivors, subject matter experts, researchers, and community leaders. (Office for Victims of Crime)​
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The 2013 Comprehensive Plan for the Delivery of Services to Human Sex Trafficking Victims published by the Tennessee Department of Human Services as a result of this statewide task force concludes that Tennessee communities don’t have sufficient services designed specifically for trafficking survivors; rehabilitative services for survivors remain disjointed​
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Our partners at End Slavery Tennessee have now provided an emergent care facility: safe house and assessment center (short term), and they are our primary referral agency for women seeking a long-term residential rehabilitative program.
Rest Stop Ministries
restore survivors. stop oppression
Rest Stop Ministries provides Tennessee with a long-term care facility uniquely designed to rehabilitate women survivors of domestic sex trafficking. Our residential restoration program opened November 2015, and has grown into a strong evidence-based program with 3 distinct pillars:
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1. Residential Restoration: providing long-term (18 months) comprehensive trauma-informed holistic services in a housing-healing community with 24/7 staff support (7 beds). Safe housing and a therapeutic community are the first steps to healing.
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2. Good Hope Farms: Hope Enterprise & Workforce Empowerment, a 9-month job readiness and paid hands-on job skills certification that runs concurrently with the core residential restoration pillar. Economic independence is the key to ending the cycle of abuse and exploitation.
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3. Alumni Aftercare enables transition success by offering a 2-bed Graduate Apartment for 6 months while aiding finding safe, affordable, permanent housing. During a full year of transition, we offer graduates subsidies for housing, ongoing therapy, and continued case management, as well as a life-long support community through retreats, groups, and other gatherings.