Justice for Human Trafficking Survivors

The goal of the FY 2020 Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Programs is to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to victims of human trafficking, as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended. Funding through this program supports direct services to victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking, as well as for efforts to increase the capacity of communities to respond to human trafficking through the development of interagency partnerships, professional training, and public awareness activities over a three-year project period. This award is made to Lone Star Legal Aid and is funded under the Services for Victims of Human Trafficking solicitation which is designed to provide services to victims of human trafficking. Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) will implement Justice for Human Trafficking Survivors (JHTS) to provide free civil legal services for low-income sex trafficking and labor trafficking victims to help them obtain safety and protection, assert autonomy and maximize choice, and establish stability and self-sufficiency as they reclaim and rebuild their lives. JHTS will meet this goal through multiple strategies, including significant capacity-building, community outreach, cross-training, reciprocal referrals, intake, and legal assistance. The project will cover Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Galveston Counties in East Texas and along the Texas Gulf Coast. Harris County includes Houston, the fourth largest city in the U.S and a well known hub for human trafficking. JHTS will provide a range of free civil legal services for low income survivors of human trafficking, including, but not limited to: protective orders; housing; health care; wage claims and other employment issues; expunctions and non-disclosures, divorce, custody, visitation, and parental termination; guardianships; public benefits; identity theft; consumer protection; bankruptcy; education; federal tax; immigration matters; crime victim compensation; address confidentiality; privacy; and name changes. CA/NCF