GA senator wants immunity for human trafficking victims | savannahnow.com

ATLANTA — A prominent Republican lawmaker wants child victims of human trafficking to be immune from prosecution in Georgia, building on the state’s 2011 crackdown on prostitution and other sexual crimes.

State Sen. Renee Unterman of Buford pre-filed the legislation on Thursday before joining about 50 supporters for a candlelight vigil for victims of sex trafficking at an Atlanta church. Unterman said she’s working with prosecutors and other groups to line up support for the bill.

Supporters said they expect claims from some opponents that the bill legalizes child prostitution — an argument that has killed similar legislation in recent years.

Jennifer Swain, executive director of youthSpark, said prosecuting a victim serves no purpose. The organization works with at-risk girls and teenagers in Fulton County and intervenes to prevent them from becoming victims of child prostitution, she said.

“This is just adding another layer of protection so that those victims who have been prostituted are not treated as criminals on any part of their journey,” Swain said.

The bill is paired with a constitutional amendment to create a fund helping children who are victims of trafficking pay for health care, housing and other services. A governor-appointed commission would manage that effort, funded by higher fines against people convicted of sex trafficking and related crimes.

Chuck Spahos, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, said the organization has been in touch with Unterman as she prepared the bill. Spahos said they have no objection to the main objective but want to make sure the bill isn’t too broad.

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