ATLANTA – The Senate unanimously approved legislation on Tuesday that imposes higher fines and stiffer sentences on sex traffickers while also offering new treatment options to victims of the sex trade.
The 54-0 vote caps a four-year push by advocates to overhaul how the state treats people forced into prostitution – who previously often faced criminal charges themselves. The bill passed the House earlier this month and now heads to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature.
The legislation calls for a 25-year minimum sentence for those convicted of using coercion to traffic someone under the age of 18, and slaps a minimum sentence of five years on those who pay for sex with a 16-year-old. People trying to have sex with someone even younger face at least 10 years behind bars.
“These are the children living on the streets of Atlanta who come here for food and end up in child trafficking,” said state Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, who sponsored the measure. “This says we want to take care of our children in the state of Georgia and clean up our act.”
Unterman also praised grassroots groups, whom she credited with pushing the measure, with the help of civil rights groups and conservative lawmakers alike. Republican Attorney General Sam Olens made it one of his top priorities.