Despite Florida’s continuing effort to combat human trafficking, the state still ranks third in reported instances of what’s often referred to as modern-day slavery. That’s leading some lawmakers to file bills reforming the newly-minted Safe Harbor Act. But, some experts say the proposed reformation may do more harm than good.
Taylor Biro is an outreach advocate for homeless, abused and trafficked youth in Tallahassee. She’s covered in colorful tattoos and piercings and sports tri-color hair that’d put most punk rockers to shame. At the Capital City Youth Services' Going Places Drop-In-Center, she’s a welcome sight for like-minded kids who, after suffering trauma, find it hard to trust adults. Her treatment philosophy is simple: create a safe and welcoming environment without making kids feel like they’re being locked up.
“A lot of times they’re told what to do by a lot of people and just kind of letting the reins go a little bit and letting them be empowered and be the ones that want to make the decision and make the change. It’s going to last longer,” Biro explained.
Biro’s approach is a far cry from how state authorities used to deal with trafficking victims before the passage of the Florida Safe Harbor Act in 2013. Law enforcement used to treat everyone involved in prostitution as criminals, regardless of whether they were willing or unwilling participants. The law gave authorities leeway to refer suspected victims to social services rather than putting them behind bars. Instead, the law reserved the punishment for traffickers and their customers, increasing fines and jail time for both pimps and johns. It also created a small network of safe houses for those fleeing exploitation. Linda Alexionok is executive director of advocacy group the Children’s Campaign. She admitted the current law needs expansion.
“There is a need to reexamine and create the right type of safe house for these victims and that does need to be done,” Alexionok said in a phone interview Friday.
Alexionok believes a lack of proper funding and emphasis on safe house treatment has led to many of those facilities failing, including one high-profile case in Miami. She theorizes that failure spurred Miami Republican Representative Erik Fresen to file a bill requiring suspected trafficking to be committed to a Department of Children and Families facility for a hundred days to undergo observation and assessment. Alexionok argues that approach only serves to further alienate an already suspicious population.
“It’s indicative upon us to create the environment in which the victim does feel safe and not recreate the same exact environment that they’re in and just change you know, who the pimp is , who the john is,” Alexionok continued.
Fresen’s bill would force law enforcement officers to turn over a child suspected of being exploited to a DCF agent, who then will commit the victim to one of a variety of facilities -- including a hospital, temporary safe house or DCF-approved group home. There the child would be administered treatment for trauma by a licensed psychiatrist. Trudy Novicki is the Executive Director of Kristi House, a Miami victim advocacy group. She’s worried Fresen’s measure is too broadly-worded and she doesn’t think detaining human trafficking victims is constitutional.
“The law says that there are very limited circumstances that you can deprive a person of their liberty and there are standards that are set,” Novicki explained in a phone interview Friday. “So, to be able to pick up a child only for that and detain them in a secure setting, I don’t believe it’s going to pass constitutional muster.”
Novicki understands the intent of the bill. In her experience, there are some children who, for their own good, should be detained in secure facilities.
“I believe that there are some children that are sexually exploited that suffer from severe mood dysregulation, what we call emotional disorders, severe emotional disorders, mental health issues, that need for a period of time, inpatient psychiatric care,” Novicki admitted.
But she doesn’t think the bill addresses individual concerns and instead lumps all victims into the same group.