How CalVCB Helps Human Trafficking Survivors
Human
trafficking is a $150 billion-a-year industry, but the women and men, boys and
girls, trafficked for both sex and labor never see that money. When they
finally manage to break free, many do not have access to funds for housing, a
car, food or other essentials and can end up back with their trafficker.
In California,
that's no longer the case. Survivors can now apply for up to $20,000 in income
loss from the California Victim Compensation Board. The law bases the
compensation on minimum wage at the time the crime occurred and caps it at
$10,000 a year for up to two years. Victims must apply within seven years of
the date of the crime. Minors may apply up until their 28th birthday, but
CalVCB will not release the income loss funds until that minor victim turns 18.
Assembly Members
Christy Smith and Lorena Gonzalez authored Assembly Bill 629, which passed the
Legislature with unanimous bipartisan support and was signed into law by
Governor Gavin Newsom. The bill closes a loophole and allows CalVCB to rely on
evidence other than official employment documentation when considering and
approving income loss applications for human trafficking victims.
For years,
crime victims have qualified for income loss compensation through CalVCB;
however, applicants need to submit formal documentation, such as a W-2 form, to
prove their income. For the thousands of human trafficking victims statewide,
this regulation made it impossible for them to qualify.
That all
changed on January 1, 2020, when AB 629 went into effect. Under regulations
adopted by CalVCB in May, six weeks before the July 1, 2020, deadline, human
trafficking victims will still need to provide CalVCB with evidence of a crime,
including, but not limited to, a statement under penalty of perjury from the
applicant, a caseworker, a licensed attorney or a witness, or a law enforcement
report. The law applies to California residents, and those brought from other
countries and trafficked in our state.
Since the
beginning of the year, CalVCB has approved five human trafficking income loss
applications and compensated those survivors more than $70,000.
Applicants may
also qualify for medical, dental and mental health treatment, home security and
relocation compensation.
Victims,
advocates, representatives and attorneys can apply for compensation in several
ways:
- Create an application
using CalVCB Online — a secure and private
portal users can easily access from a smartphone, tablet or computer.
- Contact a local county Victim Witness Assistance Center.
- Call the CalVCB Help Line
at (800)
777-9229.
- Download an application
from CalVCB's How to Apply page.
- E-mail CalVCB at info@victims.ca.gov
