“The Human Trafficking Legal Center has really helped me feel seen and feel heard. The only way we’re going to fight this is when we can hear all survivors.”
Jose Alfaro | Lived Experience Expert on Domestic Child Sex Trafficking | Advisor, The Human Trafficking Legal Center
Survivors of Human Trafficking
Survivors’ voices and leadership must be at the forefront of the anti-trafficking community.
Sign up today to join our Survivor Leadership Listserv.
Please note, we are not a crisis response organization. If you believe you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you are feeling that you may harm yourself, please call 988.
If you are an advocate or a survivor seeking information about pro bono legal services, please refer to the below for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive.
Seeking immigration legal services?
The Human Trafficking Legal Center provides limited direct legal services to assist low-income immigrant survivors of human trafficking in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area to apply for affirmative T Visas before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). We accept referrals for immigration legal services from partner organizations providing case management to survivors. If you are a trafficking survivor seeking immigration help, please write to us at inquiry@htlegalcenter.org and provide the name and contact information of your case manager, and we will send them our referral form. If you are a case manager seeking to make a referral for a client, please write to us at inquiry@htlegalcenter.org and specify that you are seeking direct legal services on behalf of your client, and we will respond with our referral form. Sending our referral form will allow our staff to review each case and determine whether someone is eligible for services.
Seeking a pro bono attorney for a civil or criminal case against your trafficker?
Trafficking survivors have the right to file civil suits against their trafficker(s) in federal court. Trafficking survivors may also seek victim-witness representation to support them during a criminal case against their trafficker. Human Trafficking Legal Center supports survivors by connecting them with pro bono attorneys who can stand by them as they assert their rights in court. If you are hoping to find pro bono counsel for a civil or criminal case against your trafficker, please write to us at inquiry@htlegalcenter.org. We may contact you to determine your eligibility for pro bono legal help. Please note, the Human Trafficking Legal Center cannot provide direct legal advice on particular cases.
Seeking legal help with vacatur or expungement of crimes related to your trafficking?
For assistance with vacatur or expungement, please contact the Freedom Network Survivor Re-Entry Project. Trafficking survivors in the Colorado, Utah, and greater Los Angeles area may contact ALIGHT.
Seeking legal help with intimate image abuse related to your trafficking?
You can find a directory of pro bono or low bono attorneys through the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. You may also find assistance through the Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project, a project providing victims of Nonconsensual Distribution of Intimate Images (NDII) with pro bono legal assistance. You can also create a case on StopNCII.org, a site that helps survivors create a digital fingerprint for intimate images that may have been shared without consent.
Seeking legal help with trafficking-related debt and credit repair?
You can find more information on credit repair for survivors of human trafficking by accessing the following guides: Credit Repair for Survivors of Human Trafficking and Guide for Applying for Credit Repair under the Debt Bondage Repair Act. You may also explore if there are any upcoming virtual credit repair clinics being offered and apply to participate in a pro bono legal clinic, if available. The Human Trafficking Legal Center is not a certifying agency under the Debt Bondage Repair Act.
What if I have other legal needs?
If you have other legal needs, we will do our best to refer you to the appropriate legal service provider in your area. We also recommend contacting your local, state, or county Bar Association. You can do so by Googling your location and “bar association” or using a bar association directory (example: American Bar Association’s directory). You may also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888 for assistance.
What if I have non-legal or social service needs?
If you are looking for social services, please see this searchable list of human trafficking service providers across the United States. Freedom Network USA also maintains a membership network of anti-trafficking service providers across the country. You may also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888 for assistance.
- Trump’s Registration Requirement for Immigrants (Multilingual) (National Immigration Law Center)
- Know Your Rights Resources (National Immigration Law Center)
- Know Your Rights with ICE in English (Immigrant Defense Project)
- Spanish Version (Immigrant Defense Project)
- Breaking Down the News (Tahirih Justice Center)
- Community Resources (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)
- How to Find a Loved One After a U.S. Immigration Arrest (National Immigration Law Center)
- Know Your Rights: What to do if you are arrested or detained by Immigration (NILC)
- U.S. Immigration Benefits for Noncitizen Crime Victims (DHS Blue Campaign)
In 2019, the Human Trafficking Legal Center launched the Survivor Leadership Series in partnership with Survivor Alliance. The program included webinars produced by survivors for survivors, providing community, rights education, and leadership skills.
Many of the survivor-led sessions cover topics requested by members of the community, including Tax Issues for Trafficking Survivors, Human Trafficking Survivors & Criminal Vacatur, A Survivor’s Guide to Civil & Criminal Cases, Media Training, and A Survivor’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace.
Watch the Survivor Leadership Series.
