“New York is safer when survivors and witnesses feel comfortable reporting crimes. But individuals involved in the commercial sex trade often feel reluctant to report crimes, because they are afraid they will be prosecuted themselves for prostitution offenses,” said District Attorney Bragg.

“These commonsense fixes underscore that survivors of sex trafficking are survivors of sexual violence, and deserve the same protections under New York State law,” said District Attorney Bragg.

“Sex traffickers target the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including – far too often – young New Yorkers in the child welfare system,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, instead of providing a safe home, this husband and wife forced eight young women to engage in prostitution. We will continue to prioritize proactive investigations like these to dismantle sex trafficking operations and keep New Yorkers safe.”