20 6월 Ohio Made This Sex Trafficking Survivor A criminal — She Wants Another Possibility
Hope Joy Zeferjohn try shed regarding Kansas Capitol with the big date the lady family relations try posing having images on the governor.
Zeferjohn's parents and you can sisters stood behind him, exact poster college students to own Brownback's services to return children to their house regarding promote worry.
However, Zeferjohn, sixteen, was at state custody inside the Salina, already underneath the criminal power over one who trafficked her to own sex.
Annually pursuing the photo was removed, Zeferjohn is energized within the with 10 felonies, plus annoyed human trafficking. She was 17.
“We deserve some other chance,” said Zeferjohn, now 21, that is trying a good pardon away from Gov. Laura Kelly. “As long as I have pledge, I can bring desire to somebody.”
The fresh new Ohio Sentencing Percentage states human trafficking costs, if or not for males or females any kind of time years, is actually rare and tend to be usually pleaded right down to most other less criminal activities.
But supporters to possess trafficking survivors say misguided violent recharging, together with resulting plea great deals attained during the circumstances such as for instance Zeferjohn's, become more common than just condition suggestions indicate.
And Zeferjohn, 12 other women is actually against violent prosecutions just after becoming listed in condition infant custody, powering away, and you will shedding sufferer to help you intercourse traffickers as they have been minors, told you Karen Countryman-Roswurm, movie director of your Cardiovascular system for Combating Individual Trafficking on Wichita State College.