Most survivors get themselves out. Then the record their trafficker left them follows them everywhere.
Survivors leave with nothing: no ID, no money, sometimes a record for crimes they were forced to commit, sometimes debts in their name they never took on. Rebuilding means clearing all of it.
Updated October 2026. Every figure links to its source below.
The odds
of survivors with a record say some or all of it came from being trafficked1
457 U.S. survivors, 2022 survey
say their record kept them from getting or keeping a job2
say it kept them from safe housing2
needed a safe place to stay when they got out1
had their identity misused for money by their trafficker1
people estimated in modern slavery in the U.S., against victims in new federal trafficking cases in 20233
the two measure different things
What changes the odds
Survivors are some of the most resourceful people there are: most got themselves out. What they need next is a safe bed, trauma care, and a lawyer to clear the record. Every one of those is available, and we connect survivors to them.
of survivors named counseling as one of their most valuable supports1
states now have a record-relief law for trafficking survivors; only 3 have none2
50 states minus the 3 without one; laws vary widely in strength
survivors broke free without the help of law enforcement, so community help is often the first help1
They need the trafficking hotline first, then safe housing, counseling, and legal help to clear a record they never should have had. RISEaid walks with people through it: they do the work, and we connect them with the resources to get there.
Need help yourself? Call or text 888-860-RISE. In an emergency call 911; for a mental health crisis call or text 988.
Questions people ask
Do trafficking survivors have criminal records?
Often. In Polaris's 2023 National Survivor Study, 42% of respondents had a criminal record, and 90% of those said some or all of it was directly related to their trafficking.
What do survivors need after leaving trafficking?
A safe place to stay (70% needed one at exit), counseling, income, and legal help. 69% said their record cost them a job and 59% said it kept them from safe housing.
How many people are trafficked in the U.S.?
No one knows exactly. Walk Free estimates 1.1 million people lived in modern slavery in the U.S. in 2021, a measure that includes forced marriage; only 670 victims appeared in new federal trafficking cases in 2023.
Sources
Figures were read on each source in October 2026. Where data is older, preliminary, from one state, or from a small study, the figure says so.
- 1.Polaris Project (2023). In Harm's Way: How Systems Fail Human Trafficking Survivors (National Survivor Study)
- 2.Polaris Project (2023). Criminal Record Relief for Trafficking Survivors
- 3.Walk Free, Global Slavery Index (2023). Country study: United States