Ohio Receives 9 out of 12 in Latest State Ratings on Anti-Human Trafficking Laws

State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) today announced that the Polaris Project, a leading organization in the fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery, released its 2014 state ratings on human trafficking laws.

Ohio received 9 out of 12 total points and now ranks in the uppermost tier with 39 other states. To qualify for this top ranking, a state must have enacted significant laws to combat human trafficking.

“Four years ago when the Polaris Project began rating states based on anti-trafficking laws, Ohio received only 4 out of 12 points,” said Rep. Fedor. “Our state has come a long way in improving efforts to eradicate human trafficking, but there is still much work to be done. I will not waver in the fight to strengthen Ohio’s anti-human trafficking laws, and I am appreciative of my colleagues who continue to support anti-trafficking initiatives.”

The Polaris Project recently released its 4th annual ranking of all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on ten categories of laws critical to a basic legal framework that combats human trafficking, including punishing johns and supporting survivors. The Polaris Project has helped contribute to the passage of over 100 anti-trafficking laws in states across the country.

For the past eight years, Rep. Fedor has been a leading advocate in the fight against human trafficking. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed Rep. Fedor’s End Demand Act, a bill aimed at tackling the black market-driven demand for purchasing commercial sex with a minor. Two years prior, her bill to provide protections to victims of trafficking, the Safe Harbor Act, was also signed into law.