Trafficking in America Task Force

Thank you to Apne Aap Women Worldwide for convening this critical discussion at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
As a survivor of child s*x trafficking and image-based abuse, conversations like this are not theoretical—they are deeply personal.
One truth stood out during our panel: systems of exploitation survive in silence. They begin to collapse when survivors speak and are included in shaping the policies meant to protect others.
Grateful to stand alongside courageous survivor leaders from around the world who are turning lived experience into global action.
Protecting children.
Supporting survivors.
Holding exploiters accountable.
— Jerome Elam
CEO, Trafficking in America Task Force

For many survivors of human trafficking, escaping exploitation is only the beginning of the journey. The trauma often leaves lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

This report highlights an important federal program designed to help survivors recover medical expenses and lost wages caused by trafficking. These types of programs matter because justice must include restoration, not just prosecution.

As a Marine Corps veteran, a survivor of child s*x trafficking and image-based abuse, and the CEO of the Trafficking in America Task Force, I have seen firsthand how survivors are often left to rebuild their lives with little support. Survivors should not be forced to carry the financial burden of crimes committed against them.

True survivor-centered justice means:

• Holding traffickers accountable
• Providing long-term trauma-informed care
• Ensuring financial restitution and recovery
• Empowering survivors to rebuild their futures

Programs that help survivors recover medical costs and lost wages are a step toward recognizing the full impact of exploitation. But we must continue to push for stronger policies, expanded victim compensation, and survivor-informed solutions.

Survivors deserve more than sympathy.
They deserve justice, dignity, and opportunity.

This is why we continue the fight.

—
Jerome Elam
CEO, Trafficking in America Task Force
Marine Corps Veteran | Survivor | Global Human Rights Advocate

Federal program helps s*x trafficking survivors recover medical costs, lost wages A federal program aims to help s*x trafficking survivors recover medical costs and lost wages.