Victory! Trafficking Survivors Relief Act Signed into Law

“I had acquired 16 felonies at the hands of my trafficker. I served a year in the county jail and four years in prison to follow. 

My record upon release prevented me from jobs ... It prevented me from doing outreach in jails and prisons with recovery groups and ministries when I wanted to reach women who had been where I’d been.

It was hard to move on and regain my life after exploitation with charges following me that didn’t reveal my trafficking experience. Instead, my charges painted me as a criminal.” 

This is what survivor, Ashley Chesney, said when advocating for the passage of the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (TSRA).

The TSRA helps trafficking survivors, like Ashley, expunge criminal records that were obtained while under the control of a trafficker. It affirms that survivors should not be punished for their own exploitation.

And now, the TSRA has officially been signed into law! 

🎉 Read more about this incredible victory and the impact it will have on survivors across the nation.  

Ending Sexploitation Podcast: Expert Attorney Explains Obscenity Laws in 2026

Lily Moric steps in to host the show this week, and she's joined by expert attorney and founder of the NCOSE Law Center, Benjamin Bull. They discuss legal strategies to combat the harms of pornography. In particular, Ben explores obscenity laws and what it would look like to enforce them in 2026.

Under obscenity laws, much of Internet pornography would likely not be protected under the First Amendment and could be prosecuted. Enforcement of these laws has faded, but Benjamin Bull remains hopeful that it could be a winning strategy.

🎧 Tune in to the discussion on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. 

📣 ACTION: Ask the DOJ to enforce obscenity laws!

It's Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Here's a Prevention Tactic that Works.

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To make this month more than mere lip-service, we should be working on assessing and implementing tactics that actually do prevent trafficking. One such tactic is gathering momentum, with four states having implemented it and many more considering being next.  

What is this tactic? Making sex buying a felony.  

“Woah,” some people might think. “Isn’t that a little extreme? Sure, the sex traffickers should be charged with felonies. But the sex buyers? They’re just normal guys getting their needs met!”

The truth is, however, that sex buyers are the driving force behind all sex trafficking. And they are primary perpetrators of violence against sex trafficked and prostituted individuals.

📝 Why make sex buying a felony? Read more to find out.

📣 ACTION: Ask your state to make sex buying a felony!

CBS News: AI videos of child sexual abuse surged to record highs in 2025, new report finds

An article from CBS News reported a 26,362% increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse material in 2025. In 2024, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) only detected 13 videos of AI-generated CSAM, while in 2025, the group detected 3,440. 

According to the IWF, over half of these videos include extremely graphic sexual acts, including torture. They also warn that with the growing popularity and accessibility of AI, even users with minimal knowledge of tech are able to generate sexual abuse images en masse.

🤖 Learn more about how AI is contributing to a surge of child sexual abuse material.

📣 ACTION: Urge Congress to pass the AI LEAD and AI GUARD Acts!

The AI LEAD Act allows tech companies to be held liable if their products causes harms to users and the AI GUARD Act requires AI chatbots to implement age verification. Take action now!

Sincerely, 

P.S. Want to make a big difference in the fight to end sexual exploitation? Join the Defender Coalition! The Defender Coalition is a community of monthly donors and advocates, committed for the long haul to ending sexual abuse and exploitation at its roots.