Thistle Farms Celebrates Legislative Win
Bill addressing inequities in Tennessee’s Aggravated Prostitution law heads to Governor’s desk
NASHVILLE, TN – Thistle Farms, an international nonprofit justice enterprise serving women survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction, celebrates the passage of a bill, carried by Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah) and Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge), that addresses the most harmful provisions of Tennessee’s long-standing law regarding aggravated prostitution in a key bipartisan win for survivors of prostitution and human trafficking.
Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution law, passed in 1991, has required people living with HIV who have been convicted of aggravated prostitution to register as “violent sex offenders” on the state’s sex offender registry for their entire lives. The longstanding law placed needless and harmful barriers before survivors when trying to access housing, employment, and recovery services in the aftermath of trafficking.
“This bill was a coordinated effort between law enforcement officials, direct service organizations, and community partners across the state of Tennessee,” said Tasha Kennard, CEO of Thistle Farms. “We are grateful to our sponsors and the numerous cosponsors who signed onto this bill from both sides of the aisle for their heartfelt commitment to seeing this change made, and to the entire Tennessee General Assembly for recognizing the harmful impacts of the current law. With this bill headed to the Governor’s desk, our community is rejoicing in the renewed opportunity that now lies ahead for so many survivors of human trafficking and prostitution.”
In December 2023, the US Dept. of Justice released an opinion that TN’s Aggravated Prostitution law violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, discriminating against those convicted of prostitution while having HIV, solely because they have HIV. SB181/HB1384, as amended, allows a trafficked person to have their aggravated prostitution offense expunged and request removal from the sex offender registry if they have no other violations that would require them to be listed. Going forward, it removes the requirement for anyone convicted of a new aggravated prostitution offense to register as a sexual offender.
ABOUT THISTLE FARMS
A Nashville-based, international justice enterprise, Thistle Farms has been on a mission since 1997 to change the way people see, understand, and support systems that exploit women - including addiction, incarceration, poverty, and trafficking. Thistle Farms does this by ensuring access to safe and supportive housing, meaningful employment, and a lifelong community of support. For more information, visit thistlefarms.org.
# # #
