Statement by Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of NCOSE
Washington, DC – Tuesday, President Trump signed H.R. 1865, FOSTA-SESTA, into law. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation welcomes this new legislation.
“Finally, immunity for those engaged in online sex slavery is over,” said Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. “Before FOSTA-SESTA, sex trafficking victims were essentially barred from the civil courts when seeking justice against websites that knowingly facilitated prostitution and sex trafficking, and state and local prosecutors had tied hands because the law was giving broad immunity to these websites. The signing of FOSTA-SESTA changed that and is an historic and overwhelming victory for human dignity and freedom from sexual exploitation.”
“The National Center on Sexual Exploitation rejoices with every trafficked or prostituted victim set free from a life of desperation and destruction,” Hawkins continued. “We are also concerned for those who turned to prostitution out of despair, lacking any other financial resources, and who now do not know where to turn. That is why we and a collection of sexual exploitation abolitionist organizations have gathered a list of resources to help anyone currently in the sex trade. These resources can be found at www.SexTradeSurvivorResources.com. We encourage the public to share these resources widely so that survivors of commercial sexual exploitation can seek healing and support.”