Virginia Report Card

Virginia scored an F 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.

Virginia Report Card Issue Highlights

Virginia Criminal Provisions

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

Virginia Identification of and Response to Victims

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

Virginia Continuum of Care

Gaps remain in all areas, including community-based services, MDT responses, services through child welfare and the juvenile justice system, extended foster care services, and appropriations.

Access to Justice for Trafficking survivors in Virginia

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

Tools for a Victim-Centered Criminal Justice response in Virginia

Gaps remain in all areas, including hearsay exceptions, alternatives to live, in-court testimony, victim supports, and privileged communications.

Prevention and Training in Virginia

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

Supporting Youth (18+) in Virginia

Protection related to civil remedies is extended to sex trafficked youth.

Laws regarding Child Labor Trafficking in Virginia

Protections related to child abuse definitions and non-familial trafficking cases are extended
to child labor trafficking victims.

Virginia 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