A survivor of child labour who is rebuilding his life after exploitation returned to the Hope for Justice Lighthouse shelter where he previously found safety to share his experiences. He said: “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to return to the Lighthouse and express my heartfelt thanks to the entire Hope for Justice team for the life-changing support I received in 2019.” About a dozen young boys – all survivors of human trafficking or previously at risk of exploitation – listened to the inspiring testimony of how everything had changed for him thanks to the care and opportunities he found at the Lighthouse. We are so thrilled to hear about the positive impact that our work has had on this young man’s life. We are so grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of survivors of child trafficking. Thank you for all your support, which enables breakthrough moments like this to happen! (Library image) (fb)

Hope for Justice is an endorser and strong supporter of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, so we are delighted to see it pass through Congress with almost unanimous bipartisan support and to be close to becoming law. The Act criminalizes the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery, whether real or AI-generated (deepfakes). It requires social media and other websites to remove such content within 48 hours of notice from a victim. Sarah Wolfson Butler, our U.S. Program Director, said: “This legislation addresses a grave violation of personal privacy and dignity by making it unlawful for anyone to knowingly publish intimate visual depictions of identifiable individuals without their consent. We have seen a direct nexus between online exploitation and other forms of exploitation, including human trafficking, and this bill is critical in protecting further victimization and protecting the lives of survivors nationwide.” (fb)