Kentucky Report Card

Kentucky scored a D 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.

Kentucky Report Card Issue Highlights

Kentucky Criminal Provisions

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

Kentucky 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.

Kentucky Continuum of Care

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

Access to Justice for Trafficking survivors in Kentucky

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

Tools for a Victim-Centered Criminal Justice response in Kentucky

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

Prevention and Training in Kentucky

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

Supporting Youth (18+) in Kentucky

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

Laws regarding Child Labor Trafficking in Kentucky

Protections related to child abuse definitions, services through a non-punitive system, civil remedies, and privileged communications are extended to child labor trafficking victims.

Kentucky 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.
Request Assistance