Washington Earns a 'B' in Shared Hope International’s 2025 'Just Like Me' Report Card

Building on a Legacy of Leadership in Anti-Trafficking Reform

WA, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Washington Earns a “B” in Shared Hope International’s 2025 “Just Like Me” Report Card, Building on a Legacy of Leadership in Anti-Trafficking Reform

Shared Hope International (SHI), a national leader in combating child and youth sex trafficking, today announced Washington State’s results in the 2025 Just Like Me Report Cards. Washington earned a score of 86, a grade of “B,”, and ranked #4 nationally, placing it within Tier 1 among all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Just Like Me Report Cards, released nationally by Shared Hope on October 14th, introduce a new survivor-informed 10-point legislative agenda that focuses on the toughest and most transformative policy reforms needed to end the unjust criminalization of trafficking survivors and strengthen survivor-centered justice.
ShapeWashington’s Progress
Washington has long been recognized as a pioneer in anti-trafficking legislation, serving as one of the first states in the nation to criminalize human trafficking and adopt a survivor-centered approach. Shared Hope was founded in Vancouver, Washington, and has maintained deep roots and partnerships across the state—supporting policy innovation, advocacy, and survivor restoration programs for over two decades.

2025 Just Like Me Report Card Highlights for Washington:
JLM Score: 86 | JLM Grade: B | Rank: #4 (Tier 1)
State law prohibits the criminalization of children for prostitution offenses.
State law directs child sex trafficking victims towards community-based providers rather than defaulting to the juvenile justice or child welfare system to connect impacted young people with protection, services, and care.
The legislature has taken steps to remove barriers for child sex trafficking victims applying for and accessing crime victims’ compensation.

Shared Hope’s analysis commends Washington for its strong legislative foundation while encouraging renewed focus on full implementation and equitable access to trauma-informed services for survivors across the state.
ShapeA Framework for Long-Term Reform
The Just Like Me framework replaces Shared Hope’s former 40-point grading system with a focused 10-point Legislative Agenda designed to target the most impactful areas of reform.

Each policy goal is informed by survivors and grounded in over 15 years of legislative research, advocacy, and collaboration with policymakers.

In January 2026, Shared Hope will release a companion resource—the Just Like Me Policymaker’s Guide—which will provide detailed analysis of more than 30 additional policy areas essential to strengthening state responses to child and youth sex trafficking.
Shape
About Shared Hope International
Founded in Vancouver, WA, Shared Hope International is a global leader in the fight against sex trafficking. Through prevention programs, survivor restoration services, and legislative advocacy, Shared Hope works to end sex trafficking and support survivors on their journey to healing and rebuilding their lives.

Media Contact:
John Lang
Director of Marketing and Development
Shared Hope International
john@sharedhope.org | 757-617-9561

For more information about Shared Hope Report Cards, visit https://reportcards.sharedhope.org/

John Lang
Shared Hope Internatonal
+1 757-617-9561
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.