Under the law, an individual was trafficked if they were manipulated into doing any kind of work (including sex work) through force, fraud, or coercion, and someone else got paid part or all of the money earned.

Force, fraud or coercion can look a lot of different ways. If you or your family were threatened, if you were physically or sexually abused, if you were tricked, or if you were pressured over time to do work for someone else’s financial benefit, it probably qualifies as trafficking. Trafficking does not require physical force. Survivors may not identify as “trafficked” at the time because traffickers often present themselves as romantic partners, normal employers, or protectors.

Under federal law, human trafficking includes two main forms.

Labor trafficking: when a person is forced or pressured to work under abusive conditions through threats, lies, debt, isolation, or fear. This can happen in places like restaurants, hotels, factories, farms, construction sites, private homes, or caregiving jobs. Traffickers may control a person by taking their identification, threatening deportation, withholding pay, or using violence or intimidation.

Sex trafficking: when someone is made to engage in commercial sex through force, fraud, or coercion. For minors under 18, any commercial sex is trafficking, even if there were no threats or physical violence. Sex trafficking often takes place in hotels, massage businesses, strip clubs, and private residences. It can be facilitated through online platforms and social media.

We take on any kind of case where our client was trafficked in any industry.

What’s the bottom line? If you did work and someone else kept any of the money you earned – even if they told you that they were holding it for you or you were paying off a debt, that likely qualifies as trafficking. It does not matter if the work you did was legal or illegal, or if you came to the United States with a visa or not. You are still protected under anti-trafficking laws, and you are entitled to compensation.

Yes. We provide trauma-informed, confidential representation to survivors. Our work is centered on helping survivors recover lost wages, emotional distress damages, housing costs, medical and counseling expenses, and gaining long-term financial stability, while also pursuing accountability from the corporations that profited from exploitation.

Our attorneys work closely with survivors, trusted family members, and victim advocates to navigate federal civil claims, California remedies, immigration protections, and court-ordered safety measures – all with your safety, privacy, and autonomy as our top priorities.

There are usually time limits for when you can bring a civil lawsuit. However, if your exploitation started when you were a minor and you were 28 years old or younger on September 16, 2022, there is now no time limit at all - meaning you can bring a case at any time. It is still better to contact us soon, however, because evidence gets harder to gather over time, and we may be able to build a stronger case for you if you don’t wait.

If your exploitation started after you reached the age of 18, we have 10 years from the end of the trafficking period to bring a case. Certain factors can extend that time, and we analyze these on a case-by-case basis.

The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), 18 USC § 1595, allows survivors to bring civil lawsuits against businesses that benefitted from and enabled the abuse. Under this model, survivors do not need to name their traffickers to recover and do not need to use their real name in public court filings. However, if a survivor wants to name their individual trafficker(s) as a defendant and sue the trafficker(s), we can absolutely do that as well under the TVPA. It is the survivor’s choice.

There are also other laws, such as California’s version of the TVPA, CCP § 52.5, Labor Code violations, and civil assault laws we can use to bring a claim. We evaluate the facts of each case and determine how to get our clients the maximum recovery under all applicable laws.

TVPA civil lawsuits allow survivors to recover damages for the harm the trafficking caused them. These damages acknowledge both the economic losses and the profound personal suffering survivors endure.

Compensatory Damages for Trafficking Survivors

Economic damages address the financial impact of trafficking:

• Medical expenses for physical injuries, ongoing therapy, and future treatment needs
• Mental health care and counseling costs
• Lost wages from time unable to work
• Future earning capacity diminished by trafficking-related harm

Non-economic damages compensate for personal suffering:

• Pain and suffering from physical abuse
• Emotional distress caused by trauma, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder
• Loss of dignity and autonomy during trafficking