Human trafficking victims in Georgia will soon be allowed to sue their traffickers

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    ATLANTA (WGCL) — Governor Brian Kemp will sign three laws that will impact human trafficking in the state. According to a spokesperson, Gov. Kemp will sign SB 33, SB 34, and HB 287.

SB 33 allows victims of human trafficking to sue their traffickers. Also, victims will be allowed sue anyone else who knowingly benefited financially from human trafficking.

There is a time restriction on when a lawsuit can be filed. According to the governor’s office, “These lawsuits may be filed within ten years from the date of the offense or from the victim’s 18th birthday if the victim is a minor. The bill also creates a cause of action allowing the Attorney General to file suit against human traffickers and their associates.”

SB34 creates a process for human trafficking victims to legally change their names, and HB 287 requires Georgia schools to teach human trafficking awareness to students in grades 6-12.

Governor Kemp will sign the bills during a ceremony on Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Buford.

The new laws come as Georgia’s First Lady Marty Kemp tweeted in January “each month about 374 girls are sex trafficked in Georgia and that’s 374 too many.”

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