Legal Loophole Hampering Efforts To Combat Sex Trafficking In Ohio

(ONN) – Ohio remains a major focus for the nation’s largest advocacy group combatting juvenile sex trafficking, primarily because of a major legal loophole that puts Ohio all by itself.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, the loophole is a law that requires a 16 or 17-year old to prove they were coerced into commercial sex acts before an adult can be charged with sex trafficking.

Ohio is the only state nationally that has such a provision, which is a major reason why Ohio’s grade remained a ‘C’ in the most recent report cards issued by Shared Hope International.

State Senator Teresa Fedor of Toledo is sponsoring a bill that would change the law to match the standards in both federal law and all other state law nationally.