The new law is a valuable tool in the arsenal to reduce demand for sex trafficking

Making solicitation of prostitution a crime and strengthening training requirements are key elements of North Carolina legislation that helps combat human trafficking.

Lawmakers have asked the Department of Labor to increase awareness, and the Department of Human Services to expand training available to county social services departments. NC Stop Human Trafficking, led by Pam Strickland, is pleased with the law's implementation and hopes more can be done, such as requiring all county DSS employees to participate in training and be evaluated on their understanding.

The bill passed 42-0 in the Senate and 114-0 in the House. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed it Friday.

“Since solicitation of prostitution has historically been a misdemeanor, law enforcement has not been incentivized to pursue this charge,” Strickland told Center Square. “NC Stop Human Trafficking has discussed the issue of charging clients of sexual services with law enforcement agencies across the state, and many have taken the same position. The undercover operations required to arrest clients of sexual services are extremely costly — they require many hours of planning and training and additional levels of staff to ensure the safety of the officers involved.”

And when the operation is successful, the net gain is “a handful of crimes that will often be reduced or dismissed,” she said.

Some agencies think it's worth the effort, others don't.

“Once law enforcement, district attorneys and judges are informed of this change,” Strickland said, “we expect the number of charges for purchasing sex to increase significantly.”

Also in the new lawChild custody hearings require disclosure of criminal history. This includes disclosure if there has been a conviction for sexual battery, human trafficking, or sexual exploitation of a minor, or if custody of a minor child has been denied.

Since the start of the long session in January 2023, a legislative team from the 4-year-old party North Carolina Demand Reduction Task Force implored Jones Street lawmakers for change. The task force itself is a collaboration between NC Stop Human Trafficking, Shield NC and Legacy of Hope International.

“Reducing the demand for commercial sex is the most effective strategy to reduce sex trafficking,” Strickland said. “One tactic to reduce the demand for commercial sex is to increase the risk of prosecution for buyers of sex. The new law is a valuable tool in the demand reduction arsenal.”

House Bill 971 requires lodging facilities to train their staff to identify potential victims of human trafficking and report situations in real time to local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This number must be posted in a location that is visible to the public and employees.

The new law also prohibits viewing pornography on government networks and devices. Strickland, however, lamented the lack of consequences, which could include termination of employment.

“In the case of elected officials,” she said, “the violation should be made public, so that votes can determine the consequences.”

The rights of victims are also mentioned in the text of the law.

Strickland said, “NC Stop Human Trafficking is pleased that the General Assembly passed H971 to protect the privacy of human trafficking victims and their families by not making their personal information public. The law requires victims or their guardians to file a petition for victim confidentiality.”

North Carolina ranked ninth in 2021 in terms of incidents National Human Trafficking Hotline 2022 Report.922 signals were received, including 318 from victims or survivors.

North Carolina had the ninth largest number of unaccompanied foreign childrenarriving primarily at the U.S.-Mexico border, out of a total of 21,772 since fiscal year 2015.

North Carolina's ranking among other states in human trafficking and sexual exploitation is bolstered by its major interstates and its proximity to the state's six major military bases. Interstate 40, 2,500 miles long, runs from Wilmington to Barstow, California, and Interstate 95 runs 1,900 miles through the heart of the East, from Miami to the Canadian border in Maine. Interstates 85, 77, 74, 40 and 26 round out the list.

The six major bases include the U.S. Army's Fort Liberty Air Force Base and Pope Air Force Base, both in the southeastern part of the state; Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in eastern North Carolina; and the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune Air Force Base and New River Air Force Base along the coast, less than an hour's drive from Cherry Point Air Force Base, further inland. There are also two U.S. Coast Guard bases along the northern coast in Elizabeth City; and the Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal on the southern coast in Brunswick County.