South Carolina Earns an 'F' in Shared Hope International’s 2025 'Just Like Me' Report Card

Recognized for Strong Partnerships and Survivor-Centered Legislation

SC, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Shared Hope International (SHI), a national leader in combating child and youth sex trafficking, today announced South Carolina’s results in the 2025 Just Like Me Report Cards. South Carolina earned a score of 35, a grade of “F,”, and ranked #46 nationally, placing it within Tier 3 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 focused on ending the unjust criminalization of trafficking survivors and strengthening survivor-centered systems of justice and care.

South Carolina’s Progress
South Carolina continues to demonstrate leadership through strong partnerships and collaborative advocacy efforts aimed at protecting survivors and holding traffickers accountable. Shared Hope has maintained deep relationships in the state, providing technical assistance and supporting the development of Safe Harbor protections and survivor-centered legal reforms.

2025 Just Like Me Report Card Highlights for South Carolina:
-JLM Score: 35 | JLM Grade: F | Rank: #46 (Tier 3)
-South Carolina state law prohibits the criminalization of child sex trafficking victims for prostitution offenses.
-South Carolina is one of only a handful of states that have enacted legislation protecting child sex trafficking victims from being criminalized for human trafficking offenses, recognizing the underlying exploitation and lack of criminal intent.
-The legislature has enacted laws eliminating some barriers for child sex trafficking survivors applying for and accessing crime victims’ compensation.

Shared Hope’s analysis commends South Carolina’s progress and sustained partnerships while identifying opportunities for further reform in expanding survivor services and broadening legal protections for those affected by trafficking.

A Framework for Long-Term Reform
The Just Like Me framework replaces Shared Hope’s previous 40-point grading system with a focused 10-point Legislative Agenda, designed to highlight the most critical and challenging areas of legal reform. Each policy goal is survivor-informed and grounded in more than 15 years of legislative research, advocacy, and policy analysis.

In January 2026, Shared Hope will release a companion resource—the Just Like Me Policymaker’s Guide—which provides a detailed statutory analysis of more than 30 additional policy areas essential to strengthening state responses to child and youth sex trafficking.

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
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