Your experience matters. Your voice can change the law.
The Criminalized Survivors Study is a national research project led by the Center for Global Justice at Regent University School of Law. We are asking survivors of human trafficking to share their experiences — so that the barriers you face can be documented, understood, and addressed through real policy change.
This study was designed in collaboration with a survivor advisory board. Survivors are not just participants — they are partners in every phase of this research.
Many survivors of human trafficking carry criminal records that resulted from what they were forced to do during their exploitation. These records create lasting barriers — making it harder to find work, secure housing, pursue education, and rebuild stability.
Despite growing awareness, there is very little research that documents the full range of these barriers in survivors’ own words. This study is here to change that.
What we’re studying: How criminal records from trafficking exploitation affect survivors’ access to employment, housing, education, and long-term stability — and what kinds of legal and policy reforms would make the biggest difference.
Why it matters: This research will be used to advocate for legislative change at both state and federal levels, including support for the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. Your responses will directly shape policy recommendations, model legislation, and advocacy efforts designed to expand record relief for survivors nationwide.
Who designed this study: This project was developed in collaboration with a survivor advisory board and is conducted in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Survivors guide every phase of this research — from survey design to data interpretation to advocacy.
This study has been reviewed and approved by the Regent University Institutional Review Board (IRB).
