PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania House passed a series of bills Wednesday aimed at cracking down on human trafficking.
Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the number of active human trafficking cases in the court system, which is why western Pennsylvania Republican state Rep. Natalie Mihalek is sponsoring a bill that advocates for victims.
Mihalek’s bill would expand Pennsylvania’s Rape Shield Law to cover victims of human trafficking, which prevents an accuser’s sexual history from being brought up in court.
“It takes a tremendous amount of courage to face your attacker in court for the public to see, for them to judge you as a victim. The victims are not on trial and they should never be treated as if they are,” she said.
“We must protect these victims who are brave enough to come forward and ensure that our justice system does not revictimize them. A victim is a victim, no matter what is in her past.”
The bill passed in the Pennsylvania House 201-0.
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The state House also passed a bill that would allow expert testimony in sexual assault, domestic abuse and human trafficking cases to explain victims’ actions and responses, which, many times, are not what would be expected.
“House Bill 580 will assist in a jury understanding the complicated dynamics of victim behavior,” explained Bucks County Republican state Rep. Meghan Schroeder.
Several other related bills passed the House on Wednesday, including one that would add human trafficking to the list of crimes that require offender registration under Megan’s Law, and one that would stiffen penalties for the charge of “dealing in infant children.”
The sponsor of the bill, Delaware County Republican state Rep. Craig Williams, said the average age of someone forced into sex slavery is 12 years old.
“My bill requires those convicted of trafficking in humanity for sexual servitude and those who are engaging with victims of sexual servitude to register as sexual offenders,” he said.
Williams’ bill passed 186-15.
Each bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.