Tennessee Report Card

Tennessee scored an B in the 2022 Shared Hope International Report cards.

The Project

Since 2011, Shared Hope has laid the foundation for transformational policy, practice, and cultural change by supporting state legislators and stakeholders to enact the minimum fabric of laws needed to address child sex trafficking. The Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking build upon the last decade of progress, challenging states to take the next step in the fight against sex trafficking by focusing on the area where the largest gaps remain—victim protections. These materials provide an in-depth analysis of current laws and include recommendations to strengthen those laws.

Tennessee Report Card Issue Highlights

Tennessee Criminal Provisions

Policy goals accomplished in areas related to buyer accountability under the trafficking law, buyer and trafficker accountability under state CSEC laws, mistake of age defenses, decoy defenses, and financial penalties. Gap remains related to business-entity liability under the trafficking law.

Tennessee Identification of and Response to Victims

Policy goals accomplished in areas related to third party control, screening through child welfare and the juvenile justice system, non-criminalization for prostitution offenses, and child abuse definitions. Gaps remain in areas related to foreign national victims, expanded non-criminalization, juvenile court jurisdiction, and non-familial trafficking cases.

Tennessee Continuum of Care

Policy goals accomplished in areas related to MDT responses, extended foster care services, and appropriations. Gaps remain in areas related to community-based services and services through child welfare and the juvenile justice system.

Access to Justice for Trafficking survivors in Tennessee

Policy goals accomplished in areas related to civil orders of protection, restitution, and civil remedies. Gaps remain in areas related to crime victims’ compensation, vacatur, and statutes of limitation.

Tools for a Victim-Centered Criminal Justice response in Tennessee

Policy goal accomplished related to alternatives to live, in-court testimony. Gaps remain in areas related to hearsay exceptions, victim supports, and privileged communications.

Prevention and Training in Tennessee

Policy goals accomplished in areas related to training for child welfare, juvenile justice agencies, prosecutors, and school personnel as well as prevention education in schools. Gap remains related to training for law enforcement.

Supporting Youth (18+) in Tennessee

Protections related to appropriations and civil remedies are extended to sex trafficked youth.

Laws regarding Child Labor Trafficking in Tennessee

Protections related to appropriations, civil orders of protection, restitution, and civil remedies are extended to child labor trafficking victims.

Tennessee Download Library

Shared Hope International continues to deploy new law review, grading, and analysis packages from November 2022 through February 2023.

2021: Report Card | Law Analysis
State Ratings under the Protected Innocence Challenge (previous framework 2011-2019) can be found here.

Download the Complete Toolkit

Get each state’s report card and analysis conveniently packaged in our 2022 Report Cards Toolkit. Download the Full Toolkit (20MB)

Legislative Technical Assistance

For legislators and partner non-profits that assist elected officials in creating legislation, request a consultation with our Policy Team. We will set up a meeting to discuss your legislative goals and create a customized goal for ongoing technical assistance, bill drafting services, and legislative support.
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