CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING
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* last updated July 2019
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FEDERAL TRAFFICKING
DEFINITION AND CRIMINAL/CIVIL STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Federal
Definition: 18 U.S.C.A. § 1591
Sex Trafficking of Children by Force, Fraud, or Coercion
(a) Whoever knowingly—
(1) in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, obtains, advertises, maintains, patronizes, or solicits by any means a person; or
(2) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture which has engaged in an act described in violation of paragraph (1), knowing, or, except where the act constituting the violation of paragraph (1) is advertising, in reckless disregard of the fact, that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion described in subsection (e)(2), or any combination of such means will be used to cause the person to engage in a commercial sex act, or that the person has not attained the age of 18 years and will be caused to engage in a commercial sex act, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).
Criminal statute of limitations: 18 U.S.C.A. § 3299
Notwithstanding any other law, an indictment may be found or an information instituted at any time without limitation for any offense under section 1201 [18 USCS § 1201] involving a minor victim, and for any felony under chapter 109A [18 USCS §§ 2241 et seq.], 110 [18 USCS §§ 2251 et seq.] (except for section [sections] 2257 and 2257A [18 USCS § 2257 and 2257A]), or 117 [18 USCS §§ 2421 et seq.], or section 1591 [18 USCS § 1591].
Civil statute of limitations: 18 U.S.C.A. § 1595(c)
(c) No action may be maintained under subsection (a) unless it is commenced not later than the later of—
§ (1) 10 years after the cause of action arose; or
§ (2) 10 years after the victim reaches 18 years of age, if the victim was a minor at the time of the alleged offense
STATE TRAFFICKING
DEFINITIONS AND CRIMINAL/CIVIL STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Alabama
Definition: Ala. Code § 13A-6-152
Human trafficking in the first degree
(a) A person commits the crime of human trafficking in the first degree if:
(1) He or she knowingly subjects another person to labor servitude or sexual servitude through the use of coercion or deception.
(2) He or she knowingly obtains, recruits, entices, solicits, induces, threatens, isolates, harbors, holds, restrains, transports, provides, or maintains any minor for the purpose of causing a minor to engage in sexual servitude.
(3) He or she knowingly gives monetary consideration or any other thing of value to engage in any sexual conduct with a minor or an individual he or she believes to be a minor
(e) Human trafficking in the first degree is a Class A felony.
Definition: Ala. Code § 13A-6-153
Human trafficking in the second degree
(a) A person commits the crime of human trafficking in the second degree if:
(1) A person knowingly benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture or engagement for the purpose of sexual servitude or labor servitude.
(2) A person knowingly recruits, entices, solicits, induces, harbors, transports, holds, restrains, provides, maintains, subjects, or obtains by any means another person for the purpose of labor servitude or sexual servitude.
(3) A corporation, or any other legal entity other than an individual, may be prosecuted for human trafficking in the second degree for an act or omission only if an agent of the corporation or entity performs the conduct which is an element of the crime while acting within the scope of his or her office or employment and on behalf of the corporation or entity, and the commission of the crime was either authorized, requested, commanded, performed, or within the scope of the person’s employment on behalf of the corporation or entity or constituted a pattern of conduct that an agent of the corporation or entity knew or should have known was occurring.
(b) Human trafficking in the second degree is a Class B felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Ala. Code § 15-3-1
Except as otherwise provided by law, the prosecution of all felonies, except those specified in Section 15-3-3, Section 15-3-5, or any other felony that has a specified limitations period, shall be commenced within five years after the commission of the offense.
Criminal statute of limitations: Ala. Code § 15-3-5
There is no limitation of the time within which a prosecution must be commenced for:
(4) Any sex offense involving a victim under 16 years of age, regardless of whether it involves force or serious physical injury or death
Civil statute of limitations: Ala. Code § 6-2-8
(a) If anyone entitled to commence any of the actions enumerated in this chapter, to make an entry on land or enter a defense founded on the title to real property is, at the time the right accrues, below the age of 19 years, or insane, he or she shall have three years, or the period allowed by law for the commencement of an action if it be less than three years, after the termination of the disability to commence an action, make entry, or defend. No disability shall extend the period of limitations so as to allow an action to be commenced, entry made, or defense made after the lapse of 20 years from the time the claim or right accrued. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as denying any imprisoned person the right to commence an action enumerated in this chapter and to make any proper appearances on his or her behalf in such actions.
(b) If anyone entitled to commence any of the actions enumerated in this chapter is, at the time the right accrues, below the age of 19 years, or insane, and the injury upon which the action is based arises from a sex offense as described in Section 15-20A-5, he or she shall have six years after the termination of the disability to commence the action.
(c) When both disabilities coexist at the time the claim accrued, the limitation does not attach until both are removed.
(d) A disability which did not exist when a claim accrued does not suspend the operation of the limitation unless the contrary is expressly provided.
Alaska
Definitions:
Alaska Stat. Ann. § 11.66.110
Sex trafficking in the first degree
(a) A person commits the crime of sex trafficking in the first degree if the person
(1) induces or causes another person to engage in prostitution through the use of force;
(2) as other than a patron of a prostitute, induces or causes another person who is under 20 years of age to engage in prostitution; or
(3) induces or causes a person in that person’s legal custody to engage in prostitution.
(b) In a prosecution under (a)(2) of this section, it is not a defense that the defendant reasonably believed that the person induced or caused to engage in prostitution was 20 years of age or older.
(c) Except as provided in (d) of this section, sex trafficking in the first degree is a class A felony.
(d) A person convicted under (a)(2) of this section is guilty of an unclassified felony.
Alaska Stat. Ann. § 11.66.120
Sex trafficking in the second degree
(a) A person commits the crime of sex trafficking in the second degree if the person
(1) manages, supervises, controls, or owns, either alone or in association with others, a prostitution enterprise other than a place of prostitution;
(2) procures or solicits a patron for a prostitute; or
(3) offers, sells, advertises, promotes, or facilitates travel that includes commercial sexual conduct as enticement for the travel; in this paragraph, “commercial sexual conduct” means sexual conduct for which anything of value is given or received by any person.
(b) Sex trafficking in the second degree is a class B felony.
Alaska Stat. Ann. § 11.66.130
Sex trafficking in the third degree
(a) A person commits the crime of sex trafficking in the third degree if the person
(1) receives compensation for prostitution services rendered by another; and
(2) with the intent to promote prostitution,
(A) manages, supervises, controls, or owns, either alone or in association with others, a place of prostitution;
(B) as other than a patron of a prostitute, induces or causes another person who is 20 years of age or older to engage in prostitution;
(C) receives or agrees to receive money or other property under an agreement or understanding that the money or other property is derived from prostitution; or
(D) engages in conduct that institutes, aids, or facilitates a prostitution enterprise.
(b) Repealed by 4th Sp. Sess. 2017, ch. 1, § 72, eff. Nov. 27, 2017.
(c) Sex trafficking in the third degree is a class C felony.
Alaska Stat. Ann. § 11.66.135
Sex trafficking in the fourth degree
(a) A person commits the crime of sex trafficking in the fourth degree if the person
(1) receives compensation for prostitution services rendered by another; and
(2) engages in conduct that institutes, aids, or facilitates prostitution under circumstances not proscribed under AS 11.66.130(a)(2)(D).
(b) Repealed by 4th Sp. Sess. 2017, ch. 1, § 72, eff. Nov. 27, 2017.
(c) Sex trafficking in the fourth degree is a class A misdemeanor.
Criminal statute of limitations: Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.10.010
(a) Prosecution for the following offenses may be commenced at any time:
(9) human trafficking in violation of AS 11.41.360 or 11.41.365.
Civil statute of limitation: Alaska Stat. Ann. § 09.10.065
Commencement of actions for acts constituting sexual offenses
(a) A person may bring an action at any time for conduct that would have, at the time the conduct occurred, violated provisions of any of the following offenses:
(4) felony sex trafficking; or
(5) felony human trafficking.
Arizona
Definition: Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-1307
Sex Trafficking
A. It is unlawful for a person to knowingly traffic another person who is eighteen years of age or older with either of the following:
1. The intent to cause the other person to engage in any prostitution or sexually explicit performance by deception, force or coercion.
2. The knowledge that the other person will engage in any prostitution or sexually explicit performance by deception, coercion or force.
B. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 2 Felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Ariz. Rev. Stat, Ann. §13-107
A. A prosecution for any homicide, any conspiracy to commit homicide that results in the death of a person, any offense that is listed in chapter 14 or 35.1 of this title and that is a class 2 felony, any violent sexual assault pursuant to § 13-1423, any violation of § 13-2308.01 or 13-2308.03, any misuse of public monies or a felony involving falsification of public records or any attempt to commit an offense listed in this subsection may be commenced at any time.
B. Except as otherwise provided in this section and § 28-672, prosecutions for other offenses must be commenced within the following periods after actual discovery by the state or the political subdivision having jurisdiction of the offense or discovery by the state or the political subdivision that should have occurred with the exercise of reasonable diligence, whichever first occur
1. For a class 2 through a class 6 felony, seven years.
Arkansas
Definition: Ark. Code Ann. § 5-18-103
Trafficking of Person
(a) A person commits the offense of trafficking of persons if he or she knowingly: (1) Recruits, harbors, transports, obtains, entices, solicits, isolates, provides, or maintains a person knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude; (2) Benefits financially or benefits by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture under subdivision (a)(1) of this section; (3) Subjects a person to involuntary servitude; (4) Recruits, entices, solicits, isolates, harbors, transports, provides, maintains, or obtains a minor for commercial sexual activity; or (5) Sells or offers to sell travel services that he or she knows includes an activity prohibited under subdivisions (a)(1)-(4) of this section. (c)(2) Trafficking of persons is a Class Y felony if a victim was a minor at the time of the offense.
Criminal statute of limitations: Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109
(a)(1) A prosecution for the following offenses may be commenced at any time:(E) Sexual indecency with a child, § 5-14-110; (F) Sexual assault in the first degree, § 5-14-124; (G) Sexual assault in the second degree, § 5-14-125, if the victim was a minor at the time of the offense; (I) Engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium, § 5-27-303; (J) Transportation of minors for prohibited sexual conduct, § 5-27-305; (K) Employing or consenting to the use of a child in a sexual performance, § 5-27-402; (L) Producing, directing, or promoting a sexual performance by a child, § 5-27-403; and (M) Computer exploitation of a child in the first degree, § 5-27-605
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a prosecution for another offense shall be commenced within the following periods of limitation after the offense’s commission:
(1)(A) Class Y felony or Class A felony, six (6) years.
(2) A prosecution may be commenced for a violation of the following offenses, if, when the alleged violation occurred, the offense was committed against a minor, the violation has not been previously reported to a law enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney, and the victim has not reached the age of twenty-eight (28) years of age:
(A) Sexual assault in the third degree, § 5-14-126;
(B) Sexual assault in the fourth degree, § 5-14-127;
(C) Endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree, § 5-27-205;
(D) Permitting abuse of a minor, § 5-27-221; and
(E) Computer child pornography, § 5-27-603.
Civil statute of limitation: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-130:
(a) Notwithstanding any other statute of limitations or any other provision of law that can be construed to reduce the statutory period set forth in this section, any civil action based on sexual abuse which occurred when the injured person was a minor but is not discovered until after the injured person reaches the age of majority shall be brought within three (3) years from the time of discovery of the sexual abuse by the injured party.
California
Definition: Cal. Pen Code § 236.1
Human Trafficking
(b) A person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to effect or maintain a violation of Section 266, 266h, 266i, 266j, 267, 311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 311.4, 311.5, 311.6, or 518 is guilty of human trafficking. (c) A person who causes, induces, or persuades, or attempts to cause, induce, or persuade, a person who is a minor at the time of commission of the offense to engage in a commercial sex act, with the intent to effect or maintain a violation of Section 266, 266h, 266i, 266j, 267, 311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 311.4, 311.5, 311.6, or 518 is guilty of human trafficking. A violation of this subdivision is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison as follows:
(1) Five, 8, or 12 years…
(2) Fifteen years to life and a fine of not more than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) when the offense involves force, fear, fraud, deceit, coercion, violence, duress, menace, or threat of unlawful injury to the victim or to another person.
Criminal statute of limitations: Cal. Pen. Code § 800
Except as provided in Section 799, prosecution for an offense punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for eight years or more or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision(g) The Legislature finds that the definition of human trafficking in this section is equivalent to the federal definition of a severe form of trafficking found in Section 7102(9) of Title 22 of the United States Code.
(h) of Section 1170 for eight years or more shall be commenced within six years after commission of the offense.
Civil statute of limitations: Cal. Civ. Code § 52.5
(c) An action brought pursuant to this section shall be commenced within seven years of the date on which the trafficking victim was freed from the trafficking situation or, if the victim was a minor when the act of human trafficking against the victim occurred, within 10 years after the date the plaintiff attains the age of majority.
(d) If a person entitled to sue is under a disability at the time the cause of action accrues so that it is impossible or impracticable for him or her to bring an action, the time of the disability is not part of the time limited for the commencement of the action. Disability will toll the running of the statute of limitations for this action. (1) Disability includes being a minor, lacking legal capacity to make decisions, imprisonment, or other incapacity or incompetence. (2) The statute of limitations shall not run against a plaintiff who is a minor or who lacks the legal competence to make decisions simply because a guardian ad litem has been appointed. A guardian ad litem’s failure to bring a plaintiff’s action within the applicable limitation period will not prejudice the plaintiff’s right to bring an action after his or her disability ceases.
(e) The running of the statute of limitations may be suspended if a person entitled to sue could not have reasonably discovered the cause of action due to circumstances resulting from the trafficking situation, such as psychological trauma, cultural and linguistic isolation, and the inability to access services.
Colorado
Definition: Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18-3-504
Human trafficking for sexual servitude–human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude
(1)(a) A person commits human trafficking for sexual servitude if the person knowingly sells, recruits, harbors, transports, transfers, isolates, entices, provides, receives, or obtains by any means another person for the purpose of coercing the person to engage in commercial sexual activity.
(b) Human trafficking for sexual servitude is a class 3 felony.
(2)(a) A person commits human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude if the person:
(I) Knowingly sells, recruits, harbors, transports, transfers, isolates, entices, provides, receives, obtains by any means, maintains, or makes available a minor for the purpose of commercial sexual activity; or
(II) Knowingly advertises, offers to sell, or sells travel services that facilitate an activity prohibited pursuant to subsection (2)(a)(I) of this section.
(b) Human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude is a class 2 felony. The court shall sentence a person convicted of such a class 2 felony to the department of corrections for a term of at least the minimum of the presumptive range for a class 2 felony, as set forth in section 18-1.3-401.
Criminal statute of limitations: Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-5-401
(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided by statute applicable to specific offenses, delinquent acts, or circumstances, no adult person or juvenile shall be prosecuted, tried, or punished for any offense or delinquent act unless the indictment, information, complaint, or petition in delinquency is filed in a court of competent jurisdiction or a summons and complaint or penalty assessment notice is served upon the defendant or juvenile within the period of time after the commission of the offense or delinquent act as specified below:
Murder, kidnapping, treason, any sex offense against a child, and any forgery regardless of the penalty provided: No limit
Attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any sex offense against a child; penalty provided: No limit
Civil Statute of limitation: Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-80-103.7
General limitation of actions–sexual assault or sexual offense against a child–six years—definitions
(1) Notwithstanding any other statute of limitations specified in this article, or any other provision of law that can be construed to reduce the statutory period set forth in this section, any civil action based on a sexual assault or a sexual offense against a child shall be commenced within six years after a disability has been removed for a person under disability, as such term is defined in subsection (3.5) of this section, or within six years after a cause of action accrues, whichever occurs later, and not thereafter. Nothing in this section shall be construed to extend the statutory period with respect to vicarious liability
Connecticut
Definition: Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 53a-192a
Trafficking in Persons of Offense defined: (a) A person is guilty of trafficking in persons when such person (1) compels or induces another person to engage in conduct involving sexual contact with one or more third persons, or provide labor or services that such person has a legal right to refrain from providing, by means of (A) the use of force against such other person or a third person, or by the threat of use of force against such other person or a third person, (B) fraud, or (C) coercion, as provided in section 53a-192, (2) compels or induces another person who is under eighteen years of age to engage in conduct involving sexual contact with one or more third persons that constitutes sexual contact for which such third person may be charged with a criminal offense, or (3) otherwise commits an act that constitutes sex trafficking. For the purposes of this subsection, “sexual contact” means any contact with the intimate parts of another person, and “sex trafficking” means the recruitment, harboring, transportation or provision of a person for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with another person for a fee. (b) Trafficking in persons is a class A felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 54-193a
Repealed. (2019, P.A. 19-16, § 23, eff. Oct. 1, 2019.)
Civil statute of limitations: Adult: Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52-577e
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 52-577 and 52-577d, an action to recover damages for personal injury caused by sexual assault may be brought at any time after the date of the act complained of if the party legally at fault for such injury has been convicted of a violation of section 53a-70 or 53a-70a.
Civil statute of limitations: Minor: Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52-577d
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 52-577, no action to recover damages for personal injury to a person under twenty-one years of age, including emotional distress, caused by sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault may be brought by such person later than thirty years from the date such person attains the age of twenty-one.
Delaware
Definition: Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 787
Trafficking an individual, forced labor and sexual servitude; class D felony; class C felony; class B felony; class A felony
(b) Prohibited activities.–(1) Trafficking an individual.–A person is guilty of trafficking an individual if the person knowingly recruits, transports, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains, advertises, solicits, or entices an individual in furtherance of forced labor in violation of paragraph (b)(2) of this section or sexual servitude in violation of paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Trafficking an individual is a class C felony unless the individual is a minor, in which case it is a class B felony.
(2) Forced labor.–A person is guilty of forced labor if the person knowingly uses coercion to compel an individual to provide labor or services, except where such conduct is permissible under federal law or law of this State other than 79 Laws ch. 276. Forced labor is a class C felony unless the individual is a minor, in which case it is a class B felony.
(3) Sexual servitude.–a. A person commits the offense of sexual servitude if the person knowingly:
- Maintains or makes available a minor for the purpose of engaging the minor in commercial sexual activity; or
- Uses coercion or deception to compel an adult to engage in commercial sexual activity.
- Sexual servitude is a class C felony unless the individual is a minor, in which case it is a class B felony.
- It is not a defense in a prosecution under paragraph (b)(3)a.1. of this section that the minor consented to engage in commercial sexual activity or that the defendant believed the minor was an adult.
(4) Patronizing a victim of sexual servitude.–A person is guilty of patronizing a victim of sexual servitude if the person knowingly gives, agrees to give, or offers to give anything of value so that the person may engage in commercial sexual activity with another person and the person knows that the other person is a victim of sexual servitude. Patronizing a victim of sexual servitude is a class D felony unless the victim of sexual servitude is a minor, in which case it is a class C felony. It is not a defense in a prosecution when the victim of sexual servitude is a minor that the minor consented to engage in commercial sexual activity or that the defendant believed the minor was an adult.
(6) Aggravating circumstance.–An aggravating circumstance during the commission of an offense under paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) of this section occurs when:
- The person recruited, enticed, or obtained the victim from a shelter designed to serve victims of human trafficking, victims of domestic violence, victims of sexual assault, runaway youth, foster children, or the homeless; or
- The person used or threatened use of force against, abduction of, serious harm to, or physical restraint of the victim.
If an aggravating circumstance occurred, the classification of the offense under paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) of this section is elevated by 1 felony grade higher than the underlying offense.
Criminal statute of limitations: Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 205
Time limitations
(a) A prosecution for murder or any class A felony, or any attempt to commit said crimes, may be commenced at any time.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, prosecutions for other offenses are subject to the following periods of limitation:
(1) A prosecution for any felony except murder or any class A felony, or any attempt to commit said crimes, must be commenced within 5 years after it is committed;
(2) A prosecution for a class A misdemeanor must be commenced within 3 years after it is committed;
(3) A prosecution for a class B misdemeanor, a class C misdemeanor, an unclassified misdemeanor or a violation must be commenced within 2 years after it is committed.
(e) Notwithstanding the period prescribed by subsection (b) of this section, a prosecution for any crime that is delineated in § 787 of this title and in which the victim is a minor, subpart D of subchapter II of Chapter 5 of this title, or is otherwise defined as a “sexual offense” by § 761 of this title except § 763, § 764 or § 765 of this title, or any attempt to commit said crimes, may be commenced at any time
Civil Statute of limitations: Del. Code Ann. Tit 11, § 787
(i)(3) An action under this subsection must be commenced not later than 5 years after the later of the date on which the victim: (a.) was freed from the human trafficking situation; or (b.) attained 18 years of age.
Florida
Definition:Fla. Stat. Ann. § 787.06
Human Trafficking
(3) Any person who knowingly, or in reckless disregard of the facts, engages in human trafficking, or attempts to engage in human trafficking, or benefits financially by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture that has subjected a person to human trafficking:
(a) 1. For labor or services of any child under the age of 18 commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(a) 2. Using coercion for labor or services of an adult commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(b) Using coercion for commercial sexual activity of an adult commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(c) 1. For labor or services of any child under the age of 18 who is an unauthorized alien commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(e) 1. For labor or services who does so by the transfer or transport of any child under the age of 18 from outside this state to within the state commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(f) 1. For commercial sexual activity who does so by the transfer or transport of any child under the age of 18 from outside this state to within the state commits a felony of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment for a term of years not exceeding life, or as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
Criminal SOL: Fla. Stat. Ann. § 775.15
Time limitations; general time limitations; exceptions
(1) A prosecution for a capital felony, a life felony, or a felony that resulted in a death may be commenced at any time. If the death penalty is held to be unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court or the United States Supreme Court, all crimes designated as capital felonies shall be considered life felonies for the purposes of this section, and prosecution for such crimes may be commenced at any time.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, prosecutions for other offenses are subject to the following periods of limitation:
(a) A prosecution for a felony of the first degree must be commenced within 4 years after it is committed.
(b) A prosecution for any other felony must be commenced within 3 years after it is committed.
(16)(a) In addition to the time periods prescribed in this section, a prosecution for any of the following offenses may be commenced at any time after the date on which the identity of the accused is established, or should have been established by the exercise of due diligence, through the analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence, if a sufficient portion of the evidence collected at the time of the original investigation and tested for DNA is preserved and available for testing by the accused:
- Kidnapping under s. 787.01 or false imprisonment under s. 787.02.
- An offense of sexual battery under chapter 794.
- A lewd or lascivious offense under s. 800.04, s. 825.1025, or s. 847.0135(5).
- Aggravated child abuse under s. 827.03.
Civil SOL: Fla. Stat. Ann. § 95.11
Limitations other than for the recovery of real property
(7) For intentional torts based on abuse.–An action founded on alleged abuse, as defined in s. 39.01, s. 415.102, or s. 984.03, or incest, as defined in s. 826.04, may be commenced at any time within 7 years after the age of majority, or within 4 years after the injured person leaves the dependency of the abuser, or within 4 years from the time of discovery by the injured party of both the injury and the causal relationship between the injury and the abuse, whichever occurs later.
(9) Sexual battery offenses on victims under age 16.–An action related to an act constituting a violation of s. 794.011 involving a victim who was under the age of 16 at the time of the act may be commenced at any time. This subsection applies to any such action other than one which would have been time barred on or before July 1, 2010.
Georgia
Definition: Ga. Code Ann. § 16-5-46
Trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude
(b) A person commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor servitude when that person knowingly subjects another person to or maintains another person in labor servitude or knowingly recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means another person for the purpose of labor servitude.
(c) A person commits the offense of trafficking an individual for sexual servitude when that person knowingly:
(1) Subjects an individual to or maintains an individual in sexual servitude;
(2) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, solicits, patronizes, or obtains by any means an individual for the purpose of sexual servitude; or
(3) Benefits financially or by receiving anything of value from the sexual servitude of another.
(f)(2) Any person who commits the offense of trafficking an individual for labor servitude or sexual servitude against an individual who is under 18 years of age or if the offense is committed against an individual who has a developmental disability, the person shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 25 nor more than 50 years or life imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $100,000.00.
Criminal SOL: § 17-3-2.1.
Periods excluded from limitation of prosecution for certain offenses
(a) For crimes committed during the period beginning on July 1, 1992, and ending on June 30, 2012, if the victim of a violation of:
(1) Cruelty to children, as defined in Code Section 16-5-70;
(2) Rape, as defined in Code Section 16-6-1;
(3) Sodomy or aggravated sodomy, as defined in Code Section 16-6-2;
(4) Statutory rape, as defined in Code Section 16-6-3;
(5) Child molestation or aggravated child molestation, as defined in Code Section 16-6-4;
(6) Enticing a child for indecent purposes, as defined in Code Section 16-6-5; or
(7) Incest, as defined in Code Section 16-6-22,
is under 16 years of age on the date of the violation, the applicable period within which a prosecution shall be commenced under Code Section 17-3-1 or other applicable statute shall not begin to run until the victim has reached the age of 16 or the violation is reported to a law enforcement agency, prosecuting attorney, or other governmental agency, whichever occurs earlier. Such law enforcement agency or other governmental agency shall promptly report such allegation to the appropriate prosecuting attorney.
(b) For crimes committed on and after July 1, 2012, if the victim of a violation of:
(1) Trafficking a person for sexual servitude, as defined in Code Section 16-5-46;
(2) Cruelty to children in the first degree, as defined in Code Section 16-5-70;
(3) Rape, as defined in Code Section 16-6-1;
(4) Aggravated sodomy, as defined in Code Section 16-6-2;
(5) Child molestation or aggravated child molestation, as defined in Code Section 16-6-4;
(6) Enticing a child for indecent purposes, as defined in Code Section 16-6-5; or
(7) Incest, as defined in Code Section 16-6-22,
is under 16 years of age on the date of the violation and the violation is not subject to punishment as provided in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 16-6-4, paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Code Section 16-6-4, or subsection (c) of Code Section 16-6-5, a prosecution may be commenced at any time.
17-3-1. Limitation of prosecutions
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Code Section 17-3-2.1, prosecution for other crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment shall be commenced within seven years after the commission of the crime except as provided by subsection (d) of this Code section; provided, however, that prosecution for the crime of forcible rape shall be commenced within 15 years after the commission of the crime.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Code Section 17-3-2.1, prosecution for felonies other than those specified in subsections (a), (b), and (d) of this Code section shall be commenced within four years after the commission of the crime, provided that prosecution for felonies committed against victims who are at the time of the commission of the offense under the age of 18 years shall be commenced within seven years after the commission of the crime.
(d) A prosecution for the following offenses may be commenced at any time when deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence is used to establish the identity of the accused:
(1) Armed robbery, as defined in Code Section 16-8-41;
(2) Kidnapping, as defined in Code Section 16-5-40;
(3) Rape, as defined in Code Section 16-6-1;
(4) Aggravated child molestation, as defined in Code Section 16-6-4;
(5) Aggravated sodomy, as defined in Code Section 16-6-2; or
(6) Aggravated sexual battery, as defined in Code Section 16-6-22.2;
provided, however, that a sufficient portion of the physical evidence tested for DNA is preserved and available for testing by the accused and provided, further, that if the DNA evidence does not establish the identity of the accused, the limitation on prosecution shall be as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section.
Civil SOL: Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-33.1
Childhood Sexual Abuse
(b)(1) As used in this subsection, the term “childhood sexual abuse” means any act committed by the defendant against the plaintiff which occurred when the plaintiff was under 18 years of age and which would be in violation of:
(A) Trafficking a person for sexual servitude, as prohibited in Code Section 16-5-46;
(E) Child molestation or aggravated child molestation, as prohibited in Code Section 16-6-4, unless the violation would be subject to punishment as provided in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 16-6-4 or paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Code Section 16-6-4;
(F) Enticing a child for indecent purposes, as prohibited in Code Section 16-6-5, unless the violation would be subject to punishment as provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 16-6-5;
(2)(A) Notwithstanding Code Section 9-3-33, any civil action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse committed on or after July 1, 2015, shall be commenced:
(i) On or before the date the plaintiff attains the age of 23 years; or
(ii) Within two years from the date that the plaintiff knew or had reason to know of such abuse and that such abuse resulted in injury to the plaintiff as established by competent medical or psychological evidence.
Hawaii
Definition: HI Rev Stat § 712-1202 (2019)
Sex trafficking.
(1) A person commits the offense of sex trafficking if the person knowingly:
(a) Advances prostitution by compelling or inducing a person by force, threat, fraud, or intimidation to engage in prostitution, or profits from such conduct by another; or
(b) Advances or profits from prostitution of a minor; provided that with respect to the victim’s age, the prosecution shall be required to prove only that the person committing the offense acted negligently.
(2) Sex trafficking is a class A felony.
Criminal SOL: Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 701-108
(1) A prosecution for murder, murder in the first and second degrees, attempted murder, and attempted murder in the first and second degrees, criminal conspiracy to commit murder in any degree, criminal solicitation to commit murder in any degree, sexual assault in the first and second degrees, and continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of fourteen years may be commenced at any time.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, prosecutions for other offenses are subject to the following periods of limitation:
(b) A prosecution for a class A felony must be commenced within six years after it is committed;
(d) A prosecution for any other felony must be commenced within three years after it is committed;
(6) The period of limitation does not run:
(c) For any felony offense under chapter 707, part V or VI, during any time when the victim is alive and under eighteen years of age.
Civil SOL: § 657-1.8.
Civil action arising from sexual offenses; application; certificate of merit
(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, except as provided under subsection (b), no action for recovery of damages based on physical, psychological, or other injury or condition suffered by a minor arising from the sexual abuse of the minor by any person shall be commenced against the person who committed the act of sexual abuse more than:
(1) Eight years after the eighteenth birthday of the minor or the person who committed the act of sexual abuse attains the age of majority, whichever occurs later; or
(2) Three years after the date the minor discovers or reasonably should have discovered that psychological injury or illness occurring after the minor’s eighteenth birthday was caused by the sexual abuse, whichever comes later.
A civil cause of action for the sexual abuse of a minor shall be based upon sexual acts that constituted or would have constituted a criminal offense under part V or VI of chapter 707.
(b) For a period of eight years after April 24, 2012, a victim of child sexual abuse that occurred in this State may file a claim in a circuit court of this State against the person who committed the act of sexual abuse if the victim is barred from filing a claim against the victim’s abuser due to the expiration of the applicable civil statute of limitations that was in effect prior to April 24, 2012.
Idaho
Definitions: I.C. § 18-8602
(1)(a) “Human trafficking” means:
(i) Sex trafficking in which commercial sexual activity is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained eighteen (18) years of age; or
(ii) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
(b) Human trafficking may include, but is not limited to, the use of the following types of force, fraud, or coercion:
(i) Threatening serious harm to, or physical restraint against, that person or a third person;
(ii) Destroying, concealing, removing, or confiscating any passport, immigration document, or other government-issued identification document;
(iii) Abusing or threatening abuse of the law or legal process against the person or a third person;
(iv) Using a condition of a person being a debtor due to a pledge of the debtor’s personal services or the personal services of a person under the control of the debtor as a security for debt where the reasonable value of the services is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively limited and defined; or
(v) Using a condition of servitude by means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a reasonable person to believe that if the person did not enter into or continue in a condition of servitude, that person or a third person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint or would be threatened with abuse of legal process.
(c) “Sex trafficking” includes all forms of commercial sexual activity, which may include the following conduct:
(i) Sexual conduct, as defined in section 18-5610(2)(a), Idaho Code;
(ii) Sexual contact, as defined in section 18-5610(2)(b), Idaho Code;
(iii) Sexually explicit performance;
(iv) Prostitution; or
(v) Participation in the production of pornography.
(2) “Commercial sexual activity” means sexual conduct or sexual contact in exchange for anything of value, as defined in section 18-5610(2)(c), Idaho Code, illicit or legal, given to, received by, or promised to any person.
Criminal SOL: Idaho Code Ann. § 19-401
No statute of limitations for certain felonies
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there is no limitation of time within which a prosecution for the following crimes must be commenced:
[…]
(4) Sexual abuse of a child or lewd conduct with a child as set forth in sections 18-1506 and 18-1508, Idaho Code
I.C. § 19-402.
Commencement of prosecutions for felonies
A prosecution for any felony other than those specified in section 19-401, Idaho Code, must be commenced by the filing of the complaint or the finding of an indictment within five (5) years after its commission, provided however, a prosecution under sections 18-1506A and 18-1506B, Idaho Code, must be commenced within three (3) years after the date of initial disclosure by the victim to law enforcement.
Civil SOL: § 6-1704
Statute of limitations
(1) Notwithstanding any limitation contained in chapter 2, title 5, Idaho Code, an action under the provisions of this chapter must be commenced within five (5) years from the date that an aggrieved child reaches the age of eighteen (18) years or, after the child reaches the age of eighteen (18) years, within five (5) years of the time the child discovers or reasonably should have discovered the act, abuse or exploitation and its causal relationship to an injury or condition suffered by the child, whichever occurs later.
Illinois
Definition: 720 ILCS 5/10-9 (2020)
Trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, and related offenses
(c) Involuntary sexual servitude of a minor. A person commits involuntary sexual servitude of a minor when he or she knowingly recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, provide, or obtain by any means, another person under 18 years of age, knowing that the minor will engage in commercial sexual activity, a sexually-explicit performance, or the production of pornography, or causes or attempts to cause a minor to engage in one or more of those activities and:
(1) there is no overt force or threat and the minor is between the ages of 17 and 18 years;
(2) there is no overt force or threat and the minor is under the age of 17 years; or
(3) there is overt force or threat.
Sentence. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e) or (f), a violation of subsection (c)(1) is a Class 1 felony, (c)(2) is a Class X felony, and (c)(3) is a Class X felony.
(d) Trafficking in persons. A person commits trafficking in persons when he or she knowingly: (1) recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means, another person, intending or knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude; or (2) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has engaged in an act of involuntary servitude or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor. A company commits trafficking in persons when the company knowingly benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has engaged in an act of involuntary servitude or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor.
Sentence. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e) or (f), a violation of this subsection by a person is a Class 1 felony. A violation of this subsection by a company is a business offense for which a fine of up to $100,000 may be imposed.
Criminal SOL: 720 ILCS 5/3-5.
General limitations
(a) A prosecution for: […] (2) any offense involving sexual conduct or sexual penetration, as defined by Section 11-0.1 of this Code may be commenced at any time.
(b) Unless the statute describing the offense provides otherwise, or the period of limitation is extended by Section 3-6, a prosecution for any offense not designated in subsection (a) or (a-5) must be commenced within 3 years after the commission of the offense if it is a felony, or within one year and 6 months after its commission if it is a misdemeanor.
720 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/3-6. Extended limitations.
[…]
(b-5) When the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, or trafficking in persons and related offenses under Section 10-9 of this Code may be commenced within 25 years of the victim attaining the age of 18 years. […]
Civil SOL: 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2.
Childhood sexual abuse
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an action for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse must be commenced within 20 years of the date the limitation period begins to run under subsection (d) or within 20 years of the date the person abused discovers or through the use of reasonable diligence should discover both (i) that the act of childhood sexual abuse occurred and (ii) that the injury was caused by the childhood sexual abuse. The fact that the person abused discovers or through the use of reasonable diligence should discover that the act of childhood sexual abuse occurred is not, by itself, sufficient to start the discovery period under this subsection (b). Knowledge of the abuse does not constitute discovery of the injury or the causal relationship between any later-discovered injury and the abuse.
(c) If the injury is caused by 2 or more acts of childhood sexual abuse that are part of a continuing series of acts of childhood sexual abuse by the same abuser, then the discovery period under subsection (b) shall be computed from the date the person abused discovers or through the use of reasonable diligence should discover both (i) that the last act of childhood sexual abuse in the continuing series occurred and (ii) that the injury was caused by any act of childhood sexual abuse in the continuing series. The fact that the person abused discovers or through the use of reasonable diligence should discover that the last act of childhood sexual abuse in the continuing series occurred is not, by itself, sufficient to start the discovery period under subsection (b). Knowledge of the abuse does not constitute discovery of the injury or the causal relationship between any later-discovered injury and the abuse.
(d) The limitation periods under subsection (b) do not begin to run before the person abused attains the age of 18 years; and, if at the time the person abused attains the age of 18 years he or she is under other legal disability, the limitation periods under subsection (b) do not begin to run until the removal of the disability.
(d-1) The limitation periods in subsection (b) do not run during a time period when the person abused is subject to threats, intimidation, manipulation, fraudulent concealment, or fraud perpetrated by the abuser or by any person acting in the interest of the abuser.
(e) This Section applies to actions pending on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1990 as well as to actions commenced on or after that date. The changes made by this amendatory Act of 1993 shall apply only to actions commenced on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly apply to actions pending on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly as well as actions commenced on or after that date. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly apply to actions commenced on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly if the action would not have been time barred under any statute of limitations or statute of repose prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an action for damages based on childhood sexual abuse may be commenced at any time; provided, however, that the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly apply to actions commenced on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly if the action would not have been time barred under any statute of limitations or statute of repose prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.
Indiana
Definitions: IC 35-42-3.5-1.2.
Promotion of child sexual trafficking; promotion of sexual trafficking of a younger child; defenses
Sec. 1.2. (a) A person who knowingly or intentionally recruits, entices, harbors, or transports a child less than eighteen (18) years of age with the intent of causing the child to engage in:
(1) prostitution or juvenile prostitution; or
(2) a performance or incident that includes sexual conduct in violation of IC 35-42-4-4(b) or IC 35-42-4-4(c) (child exploitation);commits promotion of child sexual trafficking, a Level 3 felony.
1.2(c) A person who knowingly or intentionally recruits, entices, harbors, or transports a child less than sixteen (16) years of age with the intent of inducing or causing the child to participate in sexual conduct commits promotion of sexual trafficking of a younger child, a Level 3 felony. […]
35-42-3.5-1.3 Child sexual trafficking.
Sec. 1.3. A person who is at least eighteen (18) years of age who knowingly or intentionally sells or transfers custody of a child less than eighteen (18) years of age for the purpose of prostitution, juvenile prostitution, or participating in sexual conduct commits child sexual trafficking, a Level 2 felony.
Criminal SOL: Ind. Code Ann. § 35-41-4-2
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e), a prosecution for a Class A felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 1 felony or Level 2 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) may be commenced at any time.
(e) Except as provided in subsection (p), a prosecution for the following offenses is barred unless commenced before the date that the alleged victim of the offense reaches thirty-one (31) years of age:
(1) IC 35–42–4–3 (Child molesting).
(2) IC 35–42–4–5 (Vicarious sexual gratification).
(3) IC 35–42–4–6 (Child solicitation).
(4) IC 35–42–4–7 (Child seduction).
(5) IC 35–42–4–9 (Sexual misconduct with a minor).
(6) IC 35–46–1–3 (Incest).
IN LEGIS 31-2020 (2020), 2020 Ind. Legis. Serv. P.L. 31-2020 (S.E.A. 109) (WEST)
(p) A prosecution for an offense described in subsection (e) that would otherwise be barred under this section may be commenced not later than five (5) years after the earliest of the date on which:
(1) the state first discovers evidence sufficient to charge the offender with the offense through DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) analysis;
(2) the state first becomes aware of the existence of a recording (as defined in IC 35–31.5–2–273) that provides evidence sufficient to charge the offender with the offense; or
(3) a person confesses to the offense.
Civil SOL: 35-42-3.5-3
Civil cause of action for victim; limitation
Sec. 3. (a) If a person is convicted of an offense under sections 1 through 1.4 of this chapter, the victim of the offense:
(1) has a civil cause of action against the person convicted of the offense; and
(2) may recover the following from the person in the civil action:
(A) Actual damages.
(B) Court costs (including fees).
(C) Punitive damages, when determined to be appropriate by the court.
(D) Reasonable attorney’s fees.
(b) An action under this section must be brought not more than two (2) years after the date the person is convicted of the offense under sections 1 through 1.4 of this chapter.
Iowa
Definitions: I.C.A. § 710A.1.
As used in this chapter:
- “Commercial sexual activity” means any sex act or sexually explicit performance for which anything of value is given, promised to, or received by any person and includes, but is not limited to, prostitution, participation in the production of pornography, and performance in strip clubs.
- “Debt bondage” means the status or condition of a debtor arising from a pledge of the debtor’s personal services or a person under the control of a debtor’s personal services as a security for debt if the reasonable value of such services is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively limited and defined.
- “Forced labor or services” means labor or services that are performed or provided by another person and that are obtained or maintained through any of the following:
- Causing or threatening to cause serious physical injury to any person.
- Physically restraining or threatening to physically restrain another person.
- Abusing or threatening to abuse the law or legal process.
- Knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing any actual or purported passport or other immigration document, or any other actual or purported government identification document, of another person.
- a. “Human trafficking” means participating in a venture to recruit, harbor, transport, supply provisions, or obtain a person for any of the following purposes:
(1) Forced labor or service that results in involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
(2) Commercial sexual activity through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, except that if the trafficked person is under the age of eighteen, the commercial sexual activity need not involve force, fraud, or coercion.
- “Human trafficking” also means knowingly purchasing or attempting to purchase services involving commercial sexual activity from a victim or another person engaged in human trafficking.
- “Involuntary servitude” means a condition of servitude induced by means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that if the person did not enter into or continue in such condition, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint or the threatened abuse of legal process.
- “Labor” means work of economic or financial value.
I.C.A. § 710A.2 Human trafficking
- A person who knowingly engages in human trafficking is guilty of a class “D” felony, except that if the victim is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “C” felony.
- A person who knowingly engages in human trafficking by causing or threatening to cause serious physical injury to another person is guilty of a class “C” felony, except that if the victim is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “B” felony.
- A person who knowingly engages in human trafficking by physically restraining or threatening to physically restrain another person is guilty of a class “D” felony, except that if the victim is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “C” felony.
- A person who knowingly engages in human trafficking by soliciting services or benefiting from the services of a victim is guilty of a class “D” felony, except that if the victim is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “C” felony.
- A person who knowingly engages in human trafficking by abusing or threatening to abuse the law or legal process is guilty of a class “D” felony, except that if the victim is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “C” felony.
- A person who knowingly engages in human trafficking by knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing any actual or purported passport or other immigration document, or any other actual or purported government identification document of a victim is guilty of a class “D” felony, except that if that other person is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “C” felony.
- A person who benefits financially or by receiving anything of value from knowing participation in human trafficking is guilty of a class “D” felony, except that if the victim is under the age of eighteen, the person is guilty of a class “C” felony.
- A person’s ignorance of the age of the victim or a belief that the victim was older is not a defense to a violation of this section.
Criminal SOL: I.C.A. § 802.2D.
Human trafficking
An information or indictment for human trafficking in violation of section 710A.2, committed on or with a person who is under the age of eighteen years shall be found within ten years after the person upon whom the offense is committed attains eighteen years of age, or if the person against whom the information or indictment is sought is identified through the use of a DNA profile, an information or indictment shall be found within three years from the date the person is identified by the person’s DNA profile, whichever is later.
Civil SOL: I.C.A. § 614.8A.
Damages for child sexual abuse–time limitation
An action for damages for injury suffered as a result of sexual abuse which occurred when the injured person was a child, but not discovered until after the injured person is of the age of majority, shall be brought within four years from the time of discovery by the injured party of both the injury and the causal relationship between the injury and the sexual abuse.
Kansas
Definitions: KS Stat § 21-5426 (2018).
Human trafficking; aggravated human trafficking.
21-5426. Human trafficking; aggravated human trafficking. (a) Human trafficking is:
[…]
(b) Aggravated human trafficking is:
(1) Human trafficking, as defined in subsection (a), involving the commission or attempted commission of kidnapping, as defined in K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5408(a), and amendments thereto;
(2) human trafficking, as defined in subsection (a), committed in whole or in part for the purpose of the sexual gratification of the defendant or another;
[…]
(4) recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining, by any means, a child knowing that the child, with or without force, fraud, threat or coercion, will be used to engage in: (A) Forced labor; (B) involuntary servitude; or (C) sexual gratification of the defendant or another involving the exchange of anything of value; or
(5) hiring a child by giving, or offering or agreeing to give, anything of value to any person, to engage in manual or other bodily contact stimulation of the genitals of any person with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desires of the offender or another, sexual intercourse, sodomy or any unlawful sexual act, and the offender recklessly disregards the age of the child.
(c) (1) Human trafficking is a severity level 2, person felony.
(2) Aggravated human trafficking is a severity level 1, person felony, except as provided in subsection (c)(3).
(3) Aggravated human trafficking or attempt, conspiracy or criminal solicitation to commit aggravated human trafficking is an off-grid person felony, when the offender is 18 years of age or older and the victim is less than 14 years of age.
Criminal SOL: KS ST 21-5107.
Time limitations for commencement of prosecution
[…]
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e), a prosecution for a sexually violent crime as defined in K.S.A. 22-3717, and amendments thereto:
(1) When the victim is 18 years of age or older shall be commenced within 10 years or one year from the date on which the identity of the suspect is conclusively established by DNA testing, whichever is later; or
(2) when the victim is under 18 years of age shall be commenced within 10 years of the date the victim turns 18 years of age or one year from the date on which the identity of the suspect is conclusively established by DNA testing, whichever is later.
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 22-3717
(5) As used in this subsection, “sexually violent crime” means:
[…]
(K) aggravated human trafficking, as defined in K.S.A. 21-3447, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5426(b), and amendments thereto, if committed in whole or in part for the purpose of the sexual gratification of the defendant or another;
[…]
Civil SOL: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-523
Limitations on actions for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse.
(a) No action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced more than three years after the date the person attains 18 years of age or more than three years from the date the person discovers or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or illness was caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever occurs later.
Kentucky
Definitions: KY ST 529.100
[Amended by KY LEGIS 75 (2020), 2020 Kentucky Laws Ch. 75 (HB 2)]
(1) A person is guilty of human trafficking when the person intentionally subjects one (1) or more persons to engage in:
(a) Forced labor or services; or
(b) Commercial sexual activity through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, except that if the person is under the age of eighteen (18), the commercial sexual activity need not involve force, fraud, or coercion.
(2) (a) Human trafficking is a Class C felony unless it involves serious physical injury to a trafficked person, in which case it is a Class B felony.
(b) If the victim of human trafficking is under eighteen (18) years of age, the penalty for the offense shall be one (1) level higher than the level otherwise specified in this section.
Criminal SOL: Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 500.050
Time limitations.
(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided, the prosecution of a felony is not subject to a period of limitation and may be commenced at any time.
[…]
(4) For purposes of this section, an offense is committed either when every element occurs, or if a legislative purpose to prohibit a continuing course of conduct plainly appears, at the time when the course of conduct or the defendant’s complicity therein is terminated.
Civil SOL: Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.249
Action relating to childhood sexual abuse or childhood sexual assault
(1) As used in this section:
(a) “Childhood sexual assault” means an act or series of acts against a person less than eighteen (18) years old and which meets the criteria defining a felony in KRS 510.040, 510.050, 510.060, 510.070, 510.080, 510.090, 510.110, 529.100 where the offense involves commercial sexual activity, 529.110 where the offense involves commercial sexual activity, 530.020, 530.064, 531.310, or 531.320. No prior criminal prosecution or conviction of the civil defendant for the act or series of acts shall be required to bring a civil action for redress of childhood sexual assault;
[…]
(2) A civil action for recovery of damages for injury or illness suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse or childhood sexual assault shall be brought before whichever of the following periods last expires:
(a) Within ten (10) years of the commission of the act or the last of a series of acts by the same perpetrator;
(b) Within ten (10) years of the date the victim knew, or should have known, of the act;
(c) Within ten (10) years after the victim attains the age of eighteen (18) years; or
(d) Within ten (10) years of the conviction of a civil defendant for an offense included in the definition of childhood sexual abuse or childhood sexual assault.
Louisiana
Definitions: La. Stat. Ann. § 14:46.3.
Trafficking of children for sexual purposes
- It shall be unlawful:
(1) For any person to knowingly recruit, harbor, transport, provide, sell, purchase, receive, isolate, entice, obtain, or maintain the use of a person under the age of eighteen years for the purpose of engaging in commercial sexual activity.
(2) For any person to knowingly benefit from activity prohibited by the provisions of this Section.
(3) For any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody of a person under the age of eighteen years to knowingly permit or consent to such minor entering into any activity prohibited by the provisions of this Section.
(4) For any person to knowingly facilitate any of the activities prohibited by the provisions of this Section by any means, including but not limited to helping, aiding, abetting, or conspiring, regardless of whether a thing of value has been promised to or received by the person.
(5) For any person to knowingly advertise any of the activities prohibited by this Section.
(6) For any person to knowingly sell or offer to sell travel services that include or facilitate any of the activities prohibited by this Section.
[…]
Criminal SOL LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 571.1.
Time limitation for certain sex offenses
Except as provided by Article 572 of this Chapter, the time within which to institute prosecution of the following sex offenses, regardless of whether the crime involves force, serious physical injury, death, or is punishable by imprisonment at hard labor shall be thirty years: […] human trafficking (R.S. 14:46.2(B)(2) or (3)), trafficking of children for sexual purposes (R.S. 14:46.3), […] This thirty-year period begins to run when the victim attains the age of eighteen.
Civil SOL LSA-R.S. 9: § 2800.9.
Action against a person for abuse of a minor
- An action against a person for sexual abuse of a minor, or for physical abuse of a minor resulting in permanent impairment or permanent physical injury or scarring, is subject to a liberative prescriptive period of ten years. This prescription commences to run from the day the minor attains majority, and this prescription shall be suspended for all purposes until the minor reaches the age of majority. Abuse has the same meaning as provided in Louisiana Children’s Code Article 603. This prescriptive period shall be subject to any exception of peremption provided by law.
Maine
Definitions: Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 852.
Aggravated sex trafficking
- A person is guilty of aggravated sex trafficking if the person knowingly:
- Promotes prostitution by compelling a person to enter into, engage in or remain in prostitution;
- Promotes prostitution of a person less than 18 years old; or
- Promotes prostitution of a person who suffers from a mental disability that is reasonably apparent or known to the actor and that in fact renders the other person substantially incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct involved.
- Aggravated sex trafficking is a Class B crime.
Criminal SOL: Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 8
Statute of limitations
- It is a defense that prosecution was commenced after the expiration of the applicable period of limitations provided in this section, except that the following prosecutions may be commenced at any time:
[…]
- If the victim had not attained the age of 16 years at the time of the crime, a prosecution for incest; unlawful sexual contact; sexual abuse of a minor; or rape or gross sexual assault, formerly denominated as gross sexual misconduct.
- Except as provided in subsection 1 or 2-A, a prosecution for a Class A, Class B or Class C crime must be commenced within 6 years after it is committed and a prosecution for a Class D or Class E crime must be commenced within 3 years after it is committed.
2-A. A prosecution for a Class A, Class B or Class C crime involving unlawful sexual contact or gross sexual assault must be commenced within 20 years after it is committed.
Civil SOL: Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752-C.
Sexual acts towards minors
- No limitation. Actions based upon sexual acts toward minors may be commenced at any time.
Maryland
Definition: Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 11-302
Sex trafficking
(a)(1) A person may not knowingly:
(i) take or cause another to be taken to any place for prostitution;
(ii) place, cause to be placed, or harbor another in any place for prostitution;
(iii) persuade, induce, entice, or encourage another to be taken to or placed in any place for prostitution;
(iv) receive consideration to procure for or place in a house of prostitution or elsewhere another with the intent of causing the other to engage in prostitution or assignation;
(v) engage in a device, scheme, or continuing course of conduct intended to cause another to believe that if the other did not take part in a sexually explicit performance, the other or a third person would suffer physical restraint or serious physical harm; or
(vi) destroy, conceal, remove, confiscate, or possess an actual or purported passport, immigration document, or government identification document of another while otherwise violating or attempting to violate this subsection.
(2) A parent, guardian, or person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of another may not consent to the taking or detention of the other for prostitution.
Minor status of victim; use of force, threat, coercion, or fraud
(b)(1) A person may not violate subsection (a) of this section involving a victim who is a minor.
(2) A person may not violate subsection (a) of this section with the use of or intent to use force, threat, coercion, or fraud.
Penalty
[…]
(2) A person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of the felony of sex trafficking and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 25 years or a fine not exceeding $15,000 or both.
Criminal statute of limitations: Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106
(b) Notwithstanding § 9-103(a)(3) of the Correctional Services Article or any other provision of the Code, if a statute provides that a misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary or that a person is subject to this subsection:
(1) The State may institute a prosecution for the misdemeanor at any time
Note: In the absence of a specific statutory limitations period for a particular offense, the state may institute prosecution for a felony at any time.
Civil SOL: Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-117
Sexual abuse of minor
(b) An action for damages arising out of an alleged incident or incidents of sexual abuse that occurred while the victim was a minor shall be filed:
(1) At any time before the victim reaches the age of majority; or
(2) Subject to subsections (c) and (d) of this section, within the later of:
(i) 20 years after the date that the victim reaches the age of majority; or
(ii) 3 years after the date that the defendant is convicted of a crime relating to the alleged incident or incidents under:
- § 3-602 of the Criminal Law Article; or
- The laws of another state or the United States that would be a crime under § 3-602 of the Criminal Law Article.
Massachuesetts
Definition: Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 265, § 50
Human Trafficking – Sexual Servitude
(a) Whoever knowingly: (i) subjects, or attempts to subject, or recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide or obtain by any means, another person to engage in commercial sexual activity, a sexually-explicit performance or the production of unlawful pornography in violation of chapter 272, or causes a person to engage in commercial sexual activity, a sexually-explicit performance or the production of unlawful pornography in violation of said chapter 272; or (ii) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, as a result of a violation of clause (i), shall be guilty of the crime of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 5 years but not more than 20 years and by a fine of not more than $25,000. Such sentence shall not be reduced to less than 5 years, or suspended, nor shall any person convicted under this section be eligible for probation, parole, work release or furlough or receive any deduction from his sentence for good conduct until he shall have served 5 years of such sentence. No prosecution commenced under this section shall be continued without a finding or placed on file.
(b) Whoever commits the crime of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude upon a person under 18 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or for any term of years, but not less than 5 years. No person convicted under this subsection shall be eligible for probation, parole, work release or furlough or receive any deduction from his sentence for good conduct until he shall have served 5 years of such sentence.
Criminal statute of limitations: Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 277, § 63
An indictment or complaint for an offense set forth in section 13B, 13B ½, 13B ¾, 13F, 13L, 22A, 22B, 22C, 23, 23A, 23B, 24B or subsection (b) of section 50 of chapter 265, for conspiracy to commit any of these offenses, as an accessory thereto, or any 1 or more of them may be found and filed at any time after the date of the commission of such offense; but any indictment or complaint found and filed more than 27 years after the date of commission of such offense shall be supported by independent evidence that corroborates the victim’s allegation.
Notwithstanding the first paragraph, if a victim of a crime set forth in section 13B, 13F, 13H, 22, 22A, 23, 24B, 26A or 50 of chapter 265, or section 1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 26, 28, 29A, 29B, 33, 34, 35 or 35A of chapter 272 is under the age of 16 at the time the crime is committed, the period of limitation for prosecution shall not commence until the victim has reached the age of 16 or the violation is reported to a law enforcement agency, whichever occurs earlier.
Civil SOL: Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 260, § 4C
Sexual abuse of minors
Actions of tort alleging the defendant sexually abused a minor shall be commenced within 35 years of the acts alleged to have caused an injury or condition or within 7 years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was caused by said act, whichever period expires later; provided, however, that the time limit for commencement of an action under this section is tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen years of age.
Michigan
Definition: Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 750.462e
Forced Labor or Services – Minor
A person shall not do any of the following, regardless of whether the person knows the age of the minor:
(a) Recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means a minor for commercial sexual activity.
(b) Recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means a minor for forced labor or services.
Criminal statute of limitations: Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 767.24
(1) An indictment for any of the following crimes may be found and filed at any time:
(c) A violation of chapter LXVIIA of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.462a to 750.462h, that is punishable by imprisonment for life.
(2) An indictment for a violation or attempted violation of section 13, 462b, 462c, 462d, or 462e of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.13, 750.462b, 750.462c, 750.462d, and 750.462e, may be found and filed within 25 years after the offense is committed. This subsection shall be known as “Theresa Flores’s Law”.
Civil SOL: Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.5805
Injuries to persons or property
(6) The period of limitations is 10 years for an action to recover damages sustained because of criminal sexual conduct. For purposes of this subsection, it is not necessary that a criminal prosecution or other proceeding have been brought as a result of the conduct or, if a criminal prosecution or other proceeding was brought, that the prosecution or proceeding resulted in a conviction or adjudication.
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.5851b (West). Minor victims of criminal sexual conduct.
(1) Notwithstanding sections 5805 and 5851,1 an individual who, while a minor, is the victim of criminal sexual conduct may commence an action to recover damages sustained because of the criminal sexual conduct at any time before whichever of the following is later:
(a) The individual reaches the age of 28 years.
(b) Three years after the date the individual discovers, or through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered, both the individual’s injury and the causal relationship between the injury and the criminal sexual conduct.
Minnesota
Definition: Minn. Stat. Ann. § 609.322
Sex Trafficking
Subdivision 1. Solicitation, inducement, and promotion of prostitution; sex trafficking in the first degree.
(a) Whoever, while acting other than as a prostitute or patron, intentionally does any of the following may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 20 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $50,000, or both:
(1) solicits or induces an individual under the age of 18 years to practice prostitution;
(2) promotes the prostitution of an individual under the age of 18 years;
(3) receives profit, knowing or having reason to know that it is derived from the prostitution, or the promotion of the prostitution, of an individual under the age of 18 years; or
(4) engages in the sex trafficking of an individual under the age of 18 years.
Criminal statute of limitations: Minn. Stat. Ann. § 628.26
(e) Indictments or complaints for violation of sections 609.322 and 609.342 to 609.345, if the victim was under the age of 18 years at the time the offense was committed, shall be found or made and filed in the proper court within the later of nine years after the commission of the offense or three years after the offense was reported to law enforcement authorities.
(f) Notwithstanding the limitations in paragraph (e), indictments or complaints for violation of sections 609.322 and 609.342 to 609.344 may be found or made and filed in the proper court at any time after commission of the offense, if physical evidence is collected and preserved that is capable of being tested for its DNA characteristics. If this evidence is not collected and preserved and the victim was 18 years old or older at the time of the offense, the prosecution must be commenced within nine years after the commission of the offense.
Civil SOL: Minn. Stat. Ann. § 541.073
Actions for damages due to sexual abuse; special provisions.
Subd. 2. Limitations period. (a) An action for damages based on sexual abuse: (1) must be commenced within six years of the alleged sexual abuse in the case of alleged sexual abuse of an individual 18 years or older; (2) may be commenced at any time in the case of alleged sexual abuse of an individual under the age of 18, except as provided for in subdivision 4; and (3) must be commenced before the plaintiff is 24 years of age in a claim against a natural person alleged to have sexually abused a minor when that natural person was under 14 years of age.
Mississippi
Definition: Miss. Code. Ann. § 97-3-54.1
Human trafficking; offenses
(1)(a) A person who coerces, recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains by any means, or attempts to coerce, recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide or obtain by any means, another person, intending or knowing that the person will be subjected to forced labor or services, or who benefits, whether financially or by receiving anything of value from participating in an enterprise that he knows or reasonably should have known has engaged in such acts, shall be guilty of the crime of human-trafficking.
(c) A person who knowingly subjects, or attempts to subject, or who recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide or obtain by any means, a minor, knowing that the minor will engage in commercial sexual activity, sexually explicit performance, or the production of sexually oriented material, or causes or attempts to cause a minor to engage in commercial sexual activity, sexually explicit performance, or the production of sexually oriented material, shall be guilty of procuring sexual servitude of a minor and shall be punished by commitment to the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than twenty (20) years nor more than life in prison, or by a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) nor more than Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00), or both.
Criminal statute of limitations: Miss. Code. Ann. § 99-1-5
The passage of time shall never bar prosecution against any person for the offenses of murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated domestic violence, kidnapping, arson, burglary, forgery, counterfeiting, robbery, larceny, rape, embezzlement, obtaining money or property under false pretenses or by fraud, felonious abuse or battery of a child as described in Section 97-5-39, touching or handling a child for lustful purposes as described in Section 97-5-23, sexual battery of a child as described in Section 97-3-95(1)(c), (d) or (2), exploitation of children as described in Section 97-5-33, promoting prostitution under Section 97-2951(2) when the person involved is a minor, or for any human trafficking offense described in Section 97-3-54.1(1)(a), (1)(b) or (1)(c), Section 97-354.2, or Section 93-3-54.3
Civil SOL: Miss. Code. Ann. § 15-1-49
Actions without prescribed period of limitation; actions involving latent injury or disease.
(1) All actions for which no other period of limitation is prescribed shall be commenced within three (3) years next after the cause of such action accrued, and not after.
Miss. Code. Ann. § 15-1-59 (West). Person under disability of infancy or unsoundness of mind
If any person entitled to bring any of the personal actions mentioned shall, at the time at which the cause of action accrued, be under the disability of infancy or unsoundness of mind, he may bring the actions within the times in this chapter respectively limited, after his disability shall be removed as provided by law. However, the saving in favor of persons under disability of unsoundness of mind shall never extend longer than twenty-one (21) years.
Missouri
Definition: Mo. Ann. Stat. § 566.209
Trafficking for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation
1. A person commits the crime of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation if a person knowingly recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, advertises the availability of or obtains by any means, including but not limited to through the use of force, abduction, coercion, fraud, deception, blackmail, or causing or threatening to cause financial harm, another person for the use or employment of such person in a commercial sex act, sexual conduct, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010, without his or her consent, or benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in such activities.
2. The offense of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is a felony.
Definition: Mo. Ann. Stat. §566.210
Trafficking of Child Under 12
1. A person commits the offense of sexual trafficking of a child in the first degree if he or she knowingly:
(1) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, including but not limited to through the use of force, abduction, coercion, fraud, deception, blackmail, or causing or threatening to cause financial harm, a person under the age of twelve to participate in a commercial sex act, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010, or benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in such activities;
(2) Causes a person under the age of twelve to engage in a commercial sex act, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010; or
(3) Advertises the availability of a person under the age of twelve to participate in a commercial sex act, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010.
3. The offense of sexual trafficking of a child in the first degree is a felony.
Definition: Mo. Ann. Stat. §566.211
Trafficking of Person Under 18
1. A person commits the offense of sexual trafficking of a child in the second degree if he or she knowingly:
(1) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, including but not limited to through the use of force, abduction, coercion, fraud, deception, blackmail, or causing or threatening to cause financial harm, a person under the age of eighteen to participate in a commercial sex act, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010, or benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in such activities;
(2) Causes a person under the age of eighteen to engage in a commercial sex act, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010; or
(3) Advertises the availability of a person under the age of eighteen to participate in a commercial sex act, a sexual performance, or the production of explicit sexual material as defined in section 573.010.
3. The offense sexual trafficking of a child in the second degree is a felony.
Criminal SOL: Mont. Code Ann. § 45-1-205
General time limitations
(c) A prosecution for an offense under 45-5-502, 45-5-503, 45-5-504, 45-5-507, 45-5-508, 45-5-602, 45-5-603, 45-5-625, 45-5-627, 45-5-704, or 45-5-705 may be commenced at any time if the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time that the offense occurred.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (7)(b) or as otherwise provided by law, prosecutions for other offenses are subject to the following periods of limitation:
(a) A prosecution for a felony must be commenced within 5 years after it is committed.
Civil SOL: Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-216
Tort actions–childhood sexual abuse
(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), an action based on intentional conduct brought by a person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse against the individual who committed the acts must be commenced:
(a) before the victim of the act of childhood sexual abuse that is alleged to have caused the injury reaches 27 years of age; or
(b) not later than 3 years after the plaintiff discovers or reasonably should have discovered that the injury was caused by the act of childhood sexual abuse.
Montana
Definition: Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-702
Trafficking of Persons
(1) A person commits the offense of trafficking of persons if the person purposely or knowingly:
(a) recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains, or entices another person intending or knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude or sexual servitude; or
(b) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has subjected another person to involuntary servitude or sexual servitude.
Criminal SOL: Mont. Code Ann. § 45-1-205
General time limitations
(c) A prosecution for an offense under 45-5-502, 45-5-503, 45-5-504, 45-5-507, 45-5-508, 45-5-602, 45-5-603, 45-5-625, 45-5-627, 45-5-704, or 45-5-705 may be commenced at any time if the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time that the offense occurred.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (7)(b) or as otherwise provided by law, prosecutions for other offenses are subject to the following periods of limitation:
(a) A prosecution for a felony must be commenced within 5 years after it is committed.
Civil SOL: Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-216
Tort actions–childhood sexual abuse
(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), an action based on intentional conduct brought by a person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse against the individual who committed the acts must be commenced:
(a) before the victim of the act of childhood sexual abuse that is alleged to have caused the injury reaches 27 years of age; or
(b) not later than 3 years after the plaintiff discovers or reasonably should have discovered that the injury was caused by the act of childhood sexual abuse.
Nebraska
Definition: Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 28-831
Human Trafficking
(1) Any person who engages in labor trafficking of a minor or sex trafficking of a minor is guilty of a Class IB felony.
(2) Any person who engages in labor trafficking or sex trafficking is guilty of a Class II felony.
(3) Any person, other than a trafficking victim, who knowingly benefits from or participates in a venture which has, as part of the venture, an act that is in violation of this section is guilty of a Class IIA felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 29-110
(10) There shall not be any time limitations for prosecution or punishment for treason, murder, arson, forgery, sexual assault in the first or second degree under section 28–319 or 28–320, sexual assault of a child in the second or third degree under section 28–320.01, incest under section 28– 703, or sexual assault of a child in the first degree under section 28–319.01, labor trafficking of a minor or sex trafficking of a minor under subsection (1) of section 28–831, or an offense under section 28–1463.03; nor shall there be any time limitations for prosecution or punishment for sexual assault in the third degree under section 28–320 when the victim is under sixteen years of age at the time of the offense.
Civil SOL: Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 25-228
Action by victim of sexual assault of a child; when
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
(a) There shall not be any time limitation for an action against the individual or individuals directly causing an injury or injuries suffered by a plaintiff when the plaintiff was a victim of a violation of section 28-319.01 or 28-320.01 if such violation occurred (i) on or after August 24, 2017, or (ii) prior to August 24, 2017, if such action was not previously time barred; and
(b) An action against any person or entity other than the individual directly causing an injury or injuries suffered by a plaintiff when the plaintiff was a victim of a violation of section 28-319.01 or 28-320.01 may only be brought within twelve years after the plaintiff’s twenty-first birthday.
Nevada
Definition: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 200.467
Trafficking for Financial Gain
1. A person shall not transport, procure transportation for or assist in the transportation of or procurement of transportation for another person into the State of Nevada who the person knows or has reason to know does not have the legal right to enter or remain in the United States in exchange for money or other financial gain.
2. A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of trafficking in persons and, unless a greater penalty is provided pursuant to NRS 200.464 or 200.468, shall be punished for a category B felony.
Definition: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §200.468
Trafficking in Persons for Illegal Purposes
1. A person shall not transport, procure transportation for or assist in the transportation of or procurement of transportation for another person into the State of Nevada whom the person knows or has reason to know does not have the legal right to enter or remain in the United States with the intent to:
(a) Subject the person to involuntary servitude or any other act prohibited pursuant to NRS 200.463, 200.4631 or 200.465;
(b) Violate any state or federal labor law, including, without limitation, 8 U.S.C. § 1324a; or
(c) Commit any other crime which is punishable by not less than 1 year imprisonment in the state prison.
2. A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of trafficking in persons for illegal purposes and shall be punished for a category B felony.
Definition: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §200.4685
Trafficking in Children
1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person shall not:
(a) Recruit, transport, transfer, harbor, provide, obtain, maintain or solicit a child in furtherance of a transaction, or advertise or facilitate a transaction, pursuant to which a parent of the child or a person with custody of the child places the child in the physical custody of another person who is not a relative of the child, for the purpose of permanently avoiding or divesting himself or herself of responsibility for the child.
(b) Sell, transfer or arrange for the sale or transfer of a child to another person for money or anything of value or receive a child in exchange for money or anything of value.
3. A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of trafficking in children and shall be punished for a category C felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 171.085
1. Theft, robbery, burglary, forgery, arson, sex trafficking, a violation of NRS 90.570, a violation punishable pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 of NRS 598.0999 or a violation of NRS 205.377 must be found, or an information or complaint filed, within 4 years after the commission of the offense.
Criminal statute of limitations: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §171.083
1. If, at any time during the period of limitation prescribed in NRS 171.085 and 171.095, a victim of a sexual assault, a person authorized to act on behalf of a victim of a sexual assault, or a victim of sex trafficking or a person authorized to act on behalf of a victim of sex trafficking, files with a law enforcement officer a written report concerning the sexual assault or sex trafficking, the period of limitation prescribed in NRS 171.085 and 171.095 is removed and there is no limitation of the time within which a prosecution for the sexual assault or sex trafficking must be commenced.
Civil SOL: Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11.215 +
Actions for damages for injury arising from sexual abuse of minor; exception for actions involving injury arising from appearance of minor in pornography
- Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 and NRS 217.007, an action to recover damages for an injury to a person arising from the sexual abuse of the plaintiff which occurred when the plaintiff was less than 18 years of age must be commenced within 20 years after the plaintiff:
(a) Reaches 18 years of age; or
(b) Discovers or reasonably should have discovered that his or her injury was caused by the sexual abuse,
whichever occurs later.
New Hampshire
Definition: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 633:7
Trafficking in Persons
I. (a) It is a class A felony to knowingly compel a person against his or her will to perform a service or labor, including a commercial sex act or a sexually-explicit performance, for the benefit of another, where the compulsion is accomplished by any of the following means…
II. A person shall be guilty of a class A felony if such person maintains or makes available an individual under 18 years of age for the purpose of engaging the individual in a commercial sex act or sexually-explicit performance for the benefit of another.
Criminal statute of limitations: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 625:8
I. Except as otherwise provided in this section, prosecutions are subject to the following periods of limitations: o (a) For a class A felony, 6 years;
III. (i) For any offense under RSA 633:7, within 20 years, except where the victim was under 18 years of age when the alleged offense occurred, in which case within 20 years of the victim’s eighteenth birthday.
Civil SOL:N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4-g
Actions Based on Sexual Assault and Related Offenses.
A person, alleging to have been subjected to any offense under RSA 632-A or an offense under RSA 639:2, who was under 18 years of age when the alleged offense occurred, may commence a personal action based on the incident within the later of:
- Twelve years of the person’s eighteenth birthday; or
- Three years of the time the plaintiff discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered, the injury and its causal relationship to the act or omission complained of.
New Jersey
Definition: N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:13-8
Human trafficking
Human trafficking. a. A person commits the crime of human trafficking if he:
(1) knowingly holds, recruits, lures, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains, by any means, another, to engage in sexual activity as defined in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:34-1 or to provide labor or services […]
(3) knowingly holds, recruits, lures, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains, by any means, a child under 18 years of age, to engage in sexual activity as defined in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:34-1, whether or not the actor mistakenly believed that the child was 18 years of age or older, even if that mistaken belief was reasonable.
- An offense under this section constitutes a crime of the first degree.
Criminal statute of Limitations: N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:1-6
b. Except as otherwise provided in this section, prosecutions for other offenses are subject to the following periods of limitations:
(1) A prosecution for a crime must be commenced within five years after it is committed;
(4) A prosecution for an offense set forth in N.J.S.2C:14-3 or N.J.S.2C:24-4, when the victim at the time of the offense is below the age of 18 years, must be commenced within five years of the victim’s attaining the age of 18 or within two years of the discovery of the offense by the victim, whichever is later…
Civil SOL: N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-2a
Statute of limitations on crimes of a sexual nature committed against a minor occurring after December 1, 2019
- (1) Every action at law for an injury resulting from the commission of sexual assault, any other crime of a sexual nature, a prohibited sexual act as defined in section 2 of P.L.1992, c. 7 (C.2A:30B-2), or sexual abuse as defined in section 1 of P.L.1992, c. 109 (C.2A:61B-1) against a minor under the age of 18 that occurred prior to, on or after the effective date of P.L.2019, c. 120 (C.2A:14-2a et al.)1 shall be commenced within 37 years after the minor reaches the age of majority, or within seven years from the date of reasonable discovery of the injury and its causal relationship to the act, whichever date is later.
New Mexico
Definition: N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-52-1
Human Trafficking
A. Human trafficking consists of a person knowingly:
(1) recruiting, soliciting, enticing, transporting or obtaining by any means another person with the intent or knowledge that force, fraud or coercion will be used to subject the person to labor, services or commercial sexual activity;
(2) recruiting, soliciting, enticing, transporting or obtaining by any means a person under the age of eighteen years with the intent or knowledge that the person will be caused to engage in commercial sexual activity; or
(3) benefiting, financially or by receiving anything of value, from the labor, services or commercial sexual activity of another person with the knowledge that force, fraud or coercion was used to obtain the labor, services or commercial sexual activity.
C. Whoever commits human trafficking is guilty of a third degree felony; except if the victim is under the age of:
(1) sixteen, the person is guilty of a second degree felony; or
(2) thirteen, the person is guilty of a first degree felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-1-8
A person shall not be prosecuted, tried or punished in any court of this state unless the indictment is found or information or complaint is filed within the time as provided:
A. for a second degree felony, within six years from the time the crime was committed;
B. for a third or fourth degree felony, within five years from the time the crime was committed;
I. for a capital felony or a first degree violent felony, no limitation period shall exist and prosecution for these crimes may commence at any time after the occurrence of the crime.
Civil SOL: N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-30
Action for damages due to childhood sexual abuse; limitation on actions
- An action for damages based on personal injury caused by childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced by a person before the latest of the following dates:
(1) the first instant of the person’s twenty-fourth birthday; or
(2) three years from the date that a person first disclosed the person’s childhood sexual abuse to a licensed medical or mental health care provider in the context of receiving health care from the provider.
New York
Definition: N.Y. Penal Law § 230.34
Sex Trafficking
A person is guilty of sex trafficking if he or she intentionally advances or profits from prostitution by:
1. unlawfully providing to a person who is patronized, with intent to impair said person’s judgment: (a) a narcotic drug or a narcotic preparation; (b) concentrated cannabis as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision four of section thirty-three hundred two of the public health law; (c) methadone; or (d) gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) or flunitrazepan, also known as Rohypnol;
2. making material false statements, misstatements, or omissions to induce or maintain the person being patronized to engage in or continue to engage in prostitution activity;
3. withholding, destroying, or confiscating any actual or purported passport, immigration document, or any other actual or purported government identification document of another person with intent to impair said person’s freedom of movement; provided, however, that this subdivision shall not apply to an attempt to correct a social security administration record or immigration agency record in accordance with any local, state, or federal agency requirement, where such attempt is not made for the purpose of any express or implied threat;
4. requiring that prostitution be performed to retire, repay, or service a real or purported debt;
5. using force or engaging in any scheme, plan or pattern to compel or induce the person being patronized to engage in or continue to engage in prostitution activity by means of instilling a fear in the person being patronized that, if the demand is not complied with, the actor or another will do one or more of the following…
Sex trafficking is a class B felony.
Definition: N.Y. Crim. Proc. Laws §230.34-A
Sex Trafficking of a Child
1. A person is guilty of sex trafficking of a child when he or she, being twenty-one years old or more, intentionally advances or profits from prostitution of another person and such person is a child less than eighteen years old.
Sex trafficking of a child is a class B felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 30.10
b) A prosecution for any other felony must be commenced within five years after the commission thereof;
Civil SOL: N.Y. C.P.L.R. 213-c
Action by victim of conduct constituting certain sexual offenses
Notwithstanding any other limitation set forth in this article, except as provided in subdivision (b) of section two hundred eight of this article, all civil claims or causes of action brought by any person for physical, psychological or other injury or condition suffered by such person as a result of conduct which would constitute rape in the first degree as defined in section 130.35 of the penal law, or rape in the second degree as defined in subdivision two of section 130.30 of the penal law, or rape in the third degree as defined in subdivision one or three of section 130.25 of the penal law, or criminal sexual act in the first degree as defined in section 130.50 of the penal law, or criminal sexual act in the second degree as defined in subdivision two of section 130.45 of the penal law, or criminal sexual act in the third degree as defined in subdivision one or three of section 130.40 of the penal law, or incest in the first degree as defined in section 255.27 of the penal law, or incest in the second degree as defined in section 255.26 of the penal law (where the crime committed is rape in the second degree as defined in subdivision two of section 130.30 of the penal law or criminal sexual act in the second degree as defined in subdivision two of section 130.45), or aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree as defined in section 130.70 of the penal law, or course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree as defined in section 130.75 of the penal law may be brought against any party whose intentional or negligent acts or omissions are alleged to have resulted in the commission of the said conduct, within twenty years. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that a criminal charge be brought or a criminal conviction be obtained as a condition of bringing a civil cause of action or receiving a civil judgment pursuant to this section or be construed to require that any of the rules governing a criminal proceeding be applicable to any such civil action.
North Carolina
Definition: N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 14-43.11
Human Trafficking
(a) A person commits the offense of human trafficking when that person (i) knowingly or in reckless disregard of the consequences of the action recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means another person with the intent that the other person be held in involuntary servitude or sexual servitude or (ii) willfully or in reckless disregard of the consequences of the action causes a minor to be held in involuntary servitude or sexual servitude.
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class C felony if the victim of the offense is an adult. A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class B2 felony if the victim of the offense is a minor.
Criminal SOL:
In North Carolina, there is no statute of limitations barring the prosecution of a felony. State v. Johnson, 275 N.C. 264, 167 S.E.2d 274 (1969).
Civil SOL: 14-43.18
Civil cause of action; damages and attorneys’ fees; limitation.
[2019 North Carolina Senate Bill No. 200, North Carolina 2019 General Assembly – 2019 Regular Session, 2019 North Carolina Senate Bill No. 200, North Carolina 2019 General Assembly – 2019 Regular Session]
(a) Cause of Action. – An individual who is a victim may bring a civil action against a person who violates this Article or a person who knowingly benefits financially or by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture which that person knew or should have known violates this Article.
[…]
(e) Statute of Limitations. – No action may be maintained under subsection (a) of this section unless it is commenced no later than either of the following:
(1) 10 years after the cause of action arose.
(2) 10 years after the victim reaches 18 years of age if the victim was a minor at the time of the alleged offense.
North Dakota
Definition: N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 12.1-41-02
Trafficking an Individual
1. A person commits the offense of trafficking an individual if the person knowingly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains, or entices an individual in furtherance of:
a. Forced labor in violation of section 12.1-41-03; or o b. Sexual servitude in violation of section 12.1-41-04.
2. Trafficking an individual who is an adult is a class A felony.
3. Trafficking an individual who is a minor is a class AA felony
Criminal statute of limitations: N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 29-04-02.1
Except as otherwise provided by law, a prosecution for a violation of subdivision a of subsection 1 of section 12.1-20-03 or for the crime of human trafficking must be commenced in the proper court within seven years after the commission of the offense.
Civil SOL: N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 12.1-41-15
Civil action
- A victim may bring a civil action against a person that commits an offense against the victim under section 12.1-41-02, 12.1-41-03, or 12.1-41-04 for compensatory damages, exemplary or punitive damages, injunctive relief, and any other appropriate relief.
- If a victim prevails in an action under this section, the court shall award the victim reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
- An action under this section must be commenced not later than ten years after the later of the date on which the victim:
- No longer was subject to human trafficking; or
- Attained eighteen years of age.
Ohio
Definition: Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2905.32
Trafficking in Persons
(A) No person shall knowingly recruit, lure, entice, isolate, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain, or knowingly attempt to recruit, lure, entice, isolate, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain, another person if any of the following applies:
(1) The offender knows that the other person will be subjected to involuntary servitude or be compelled to engage in sexual activity for hire, engage in a performance that is obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity oriented, or be a model or participant in the production of material that is obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity oriented.
(2) The other person is less than sixteen years of age or is a person with a developmental disability whom the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe is a person with a developmental disability, and either the offender knows that the other person will be subjected to involuntary servitude or the offender’s knowing recruitment, luring, enticement, isolation, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, or maintenance of the other person or knowing attempt to recruit, lure, entice, isolate, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain the other person is for any of the following purposes: 1. (a) To engage in sexual activity for hire; 2. (b) To engage in a performance for hire that is obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity oriented; 3. (c) To be a model or participant for hire in the production of material that is obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity oriented.
(E) Whoever violates this section is guilty of trafficking in persons, a felony of the first degree.
Criminal statute of limitations: Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2901.13
(3) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B) to (J) of this section, a prosecution of any of the following offenses shall be barred unless it is commenced within twenty years after the offense is committed:
(a) A violation of section 2903.03, 2903.04, 2905.01, 2905.32, 2907.04, 2907.05, 2907.21, 2909.02, 2909.22, 2909.23, 2909.24, 2909.26, 2909.27, 2909.28, 2909.29, 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, or 2917.02 of the Revised Code, a violation of section 2903.11 or 2903.12 of the Revised Code if the victim is a peace officer, a violation of section 2903.13 of the Revised Code that is a felony, or a violation of former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code…
Civil SOL: Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.111
Limitation of action for assault or battery; when action accrues when identity of defendant unknown
(C) An action for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse based on childhood sexual abuse, or an action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting any claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, shall be brought within twelve years after the cause of action accrues. For purposes of this section, a cause of action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse, or a cause of action for a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, accrues upon the date on which the victim reaches the age of majority. If the defendant in an action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse that occurs on or after August 3, 2006, has fraudulently concealed from the plaintiff facts that form the basis of the claim, the running of the limitations period with regard to that claim is tolled until the time when the plaintiff discovers or in the exercise of due diligence should have discovered those facts.
Oklahoma
Definition: Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 748
Human Trafficking for Forced Labor or for Sexual Exploitation
6. “Human trafficking for commercial sex” means:
a. recruiting, enticing, harboring, maintaining, transporting, providing or obtaining, by any means, another person through deception, force, fraud, threat or coercion for purposes of engaging the person in a commercial sex act
b. recruiting, enticing, harboring, maintaining, transporting, providing, purchasing or obtaining, by any means, a minor for purposes of engaging the minor in a commercial sex act, or
c. benefiting, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participating in a venture that has engaged in an act of trafficking for commercial sex;…
C. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony.
Definition: Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, §866
Trafficking in Children
A. 1. The crime of trafficking in children is defined to consist of any of the following acts or any part thereof:
a. the acceptance, solicitation, offer, payment or transfer of any compensation, in money, property or other thing of value, at any time, by any person in connection with the acquisition or transfer of the legal or physical custody or adoption of a minor child, except as ordered by the court or except as otherwise provided by Section 7505-3.2 of Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes…
2. a. Except as otherwise provided by this section, the violation of any of the subparagraphs in paragraph 1 of this subsection shall constitute a felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 152
C. 1. Prosecutions for sexual crimes against children, specifically rape or forcible sodomy, sodomy, lewd or indecent proposals or acts against children, involving minors in pornography pursuant to Section 886, 888, 1111, 1111.1, 1113, 1114, 1021.2, 1021.3, 1040.12a or 1123 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, child abuse pursuant to Section 843.5 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and child trafficking pursuant to Section 866 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall be commenced by the forty-fifth birthday of the alleged victim. Prosecutions for such crimes committed against victims eighteen (18) years of age or older shall be commenced within twelve (12) years after the discovery of the crime.
Civil SOL: Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 95
Limitation of other actions
- An action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse incidents or exploitation as defined by Section 1-1-105 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes or incest against the actual perpetrator shall be commenced by the forty-fifth birthday of the alleged victim.
Oregon
Definition: Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 163.266
Trafficking in Persons
(1) A person commits the crime of trafficking in persons if the person knowingly recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide or obtain by any means, another person and:
(a) The person knows that the other person will be subjected to involuntary servitude as described in ORS 163.263 or 163.264;
(b) The person knows or recklessly disregards the fact that force, fraud or coercion will be used to cause the other person to engage in a commercial sex act; or
(c) The person knows or recklessly disregards the fact that the other person is under 18 years of age and will be used in a commercial sex act.
(4) Violation of subsection (1)(a) or (2) of this section is a Class B felony.
(5) Violation of subsection (1)(b) or (c) of this section is a Class A felony.
Criminal statute of limitations: Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 131.125
(2) A prosecution for any of the following felonies may be commenced within 12 years after the commission of the crime or, if the victim at the time of the crime was under 18 years of age, anytime before the victim attains 30 years of age
(8) Except as provided in subsection (9) of this section or as otherwise expressly provided by law, prosecutions for other offenses must be commenced within the following periods of limitations after their commission: (a) For any other felony, three years.
Civil SOL: Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 12.117
Child abuse
(1) Notwithstanding ORS 12.110, 12.115 or 12.160, an action based on conduct that constitutes child abuse or conduct knowingly allowing, permitting or encouraging child abuse that occurs while the person is under 18 years of age must be commenced before the person attains 40 years of age, or if the person has not discovered the causal connection between the injury and the child abuse, nor in the exercise of reasonable care should have discovered the causal connection between the injury and the child abuse, not more than five years from the date the person discovers or in the exercise of reasonable care should have discovered the causal connection between the child abuse and the injury, whichever period is longer.
Pennsylvania
Definition: 18 Pa. Stat. and Cons. Stat. Ann. § 3011
Trafficking in Individuals
(a) Offense defined.–A person commits a felony of the second degree if the person:
(1) recruits, entices, solicits, harbors, transports, provides, obtains or maintains an individual if the person knows or recklessly disregards that the individual will be subject to involuntary servitude; or
(2) knowingly benefits financially or receives anything of value from any act that facilitates any activity described in paragraph (1).
(b) Trafficking in minors.–A person commits a felony of the first degree if the person engages in any activity listed in subsection (a) that results in a minor’s being subjected to sexual servitude.
Criminal SOL: 42 Pa. Stat. and Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5552
(c) Exceptions.–If the period prescribed in subsection (a), (b) or (b.1) has expired, a prosecution may nevertheless be commenced for:
[…]
(3) Any sexual offense committed against a minor who is less than 18 years of age any time up to the later of the period of limitation provided by law after the minor has reached 18 years of age or the date the minor reaches 55 years of age. As used in this paragraph, the term “sexual offense” means a crime under the following provisions of Title 18 or a conspiracy or solicitation to commit an offense under any of the following provisions of Title 18 if the offense results from the conspiracy or solicitation:
Section 3126 (relating to indecent assault).
Section 3127 (relating to indecent exposure).
Section 4304 (relating to endangering welfare of children).
Section 6301 (relating to corruption of minors).
Section 6312(b) (relating to sexual abuse of children).
Section 6320 (relating to sexual exploitation of children).
(3.1) Any sexual offense committed against an individual who is 23 years of age or younger any time up to the later of the period of limitation provided by law after the individual has reached 24 years of age or 20 years after the date of the offense. As used in this paragraph, the term “sexual offense” means a crime under the following provisions of Title 18 or a conspiracy or solicitation to commit an offense under any of the following provisions of Title 18 if the offense results from the conspiracy or solicitation:
Section 3011(a) (relating to trafficking in individuals) as it relates to sexual servitude.
Section 3012 (relating to involuntary servitude) as it relates to sexual servitude.
Civil SOL: 42 Pa. Stat. and Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5533
Infancy, insanity, or imprisonment
(2)(i) If an individual entitled to bring a civil action arising from sexual abuse is under 18 years of age at the time the cause of action accrues, the individual shall have a period of 37 years after attaining 18 years of age in which to commence an action for damages regardless of whether the individual files a criminal complaint regarding the sexual abuse.
(i.1) If an individual entitled to bring a civil action arising from sexual abuse is at least 18 and less than 24 years of age at the time the cause of action occurs, the individual shall have until attaining 30 years of age to commence an action for damages regardless of whether the individual files a criminal complaint regarding the sexual abuse.
Rhode Island
Definition: 11 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 11-67.1-3
Trafficking an Individual
(a) A person commits the offense of trafficking an individual if the person knowingly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains, or entices an individual in furtherance of:
(1) Forced labor in violation of § 11-67.1-4; or
(2) Sexual servitude in violation of § 11-67.1-5.
Criminal statute of limitations: 11 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 11-67.1-12
A prosecution for an offense under this chapter must be commenced not later than ten (10) years after commission of the offense.
Civil SOL: 9 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 9-1-51
Limitation on actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child
(a)(1) All claims or causes of action brought against a perpetrator defendant by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of sexual abuse shall be commenced within the later to expire of:
(i) Thirty-five (35) years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition; or
(ii) Seven (7) years from the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act.
Provided, however, that the time limit or commencement of such an action under this section shall be tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. For the purposes of this section, “sexual abuse” shall have the same meaning as in subsection (e) of this section.
South Carolina
Definition: S.C. Code Ann. § 16-3-2020
Trafficking in Persons; Minor Victims
(A) A person is guilty of trafficking in persons if he:
(1) recruits, entices, solicits, isolates, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains, or so attempts, a victim, knowing that the victim will be subjected to, or for the purposes of, sex trafficking, forced labor or services, involuntary servitude or debt bondage through any means or who benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture which has engaged in an act described in this subsection, is guilty of trafficking in persons;
(2) aids, abets, or conspires with another person to violate the criminal provisions of this section; or
(3) knowingly gives, agrees to give, or offers to give anything of value so that any person may engage in commercial sexual activity with another person when he knows that the other person is a victim of trafficking in persons.
(B) A person convicted of a violation of subsection (A) is guilty of a felony.
(C) If the victim of an offense contained in this section is under the age of eighteen, the person convicted under this section is guilty of a felony
Criminal Statute of limitations
No statute of limitations for any criminal prosecution in SC.
Civil SOL: S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-555
Statute of limitations for action based on sexual abuse or incest.
(A) An action to recover damages for injury to a person arising out of an act of sexual abuse or incest must be commenced within six years after the person becomes twenty-one years of age or within three years from the time of discovery by the person of the injury and the causal relationship between the injury and the sexual abuse or incest, whichever occurs later.
South Dakota
Definition: S.D. Codified Laws § 22-49-1
Human trafficking prohibited
Amended: SD LEGIS 89 (2020), 2020 South Dakota Laws Ch. 89 (HB 1047)
No person may recruit, harbor, transport, provide, receive, purchase, or obtain, by any means, another person knowing that force, fraud, or coercion will be used to cause the person to engage in prostitution, forced labor, or involuntary servitude. No person may benefit financially or by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture that has engaged in acts set forth in this section. Any violation of this section constitutes the crime of human trafficking. If the victim is under eighteen years of age, the crime of human trafficking need not involve force, fraud, or coercion.
For purposes of this section and § 22–49–3, the term, coercion, may include:
(1) The use of a plan, statement, or pattern of behavior, with the intent of causing a person to believe that failure to perform an act will result in the use of physical force or violence against the person or will result in the person’s restraint, isolation, confinement, or abduction;
(2) Inducing a person to provide commercial sexual activity as payment toward or in satisfaction of a real or purported debt; and
(3) The use of a person’s physical or mental impairment, if that impairment has a substantial adverse effect on the person’s cognitive or volitional function.
Criminal statute of limitations S.D. Codified Laws § 23A-42-2
In all other prosecutions for a public offense and all proceedings of a quasi-criminal or penal nature, including the forfeiture of existing rights, the proceedings shall be commenced within seven years after the commission of the offense or crime which is the basis of the prosecution or proceedings
Civil SOL: S.D. Codified Laws § 26-10-25
Time for commencing civil action for damages resulting from childhood sexual abuse
Any civil action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced within three years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition, or three years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act, whichever period expires later. However, no person who has reached the age of forty years may recover damages from any person or entity other than the person who perpetrated the actual act of sexual abuse.
Tennessee
Definition: Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-308
Trafficking Persons for Forced Labor or Services
(a) A person commits the offense of trafficking persons for forced labor or services who knowingly:
(1) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means, another person, intending or knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude; or
(2) Benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has engaged in an act described in § 39-13-307.
(c) Trafficking for forced labor or services is a Class C felony.
Definition: Tenn. Code Ann. §39-13-309
Trafficking for Commercial Sex Act
(a) A person commits the offense of trafficking a person for a commercial sex act who:
(1) Knowingly subjects, attempts to subject, benefits from or attempts to benefit from another person’s provision of a commercial sex act; or
(2) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, purchases, or obtains by any other means, another person for the purpose of providing a commercial sex act..
(c) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class B felony, except where the victim of the offense is a child under fifteen (15) years of age, or where the offense occurs on the grounds or facilities or within one thousand feet (1,000′) of a public or private school, secondary school, preschool, child care agency, public library, recreational center, or public park, a violation of subsection (a) is a Class A felony
Criminal statute of limitations: Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-2-101
Felonies
(b) Prosecution for a felony offense shall begin within:
(1) Fifteen (15) years for a Class A felony;
(2) Eight (8) years for a Class B felony;
(3) Four (4) years for a Class C or Class D felony; and
[…]
(k)(1) A person may be prosecuted, tried and punished for any offense committed against a child on or after July 1, 2013, that constitutes a criminal offense under § 39-13-309 or § 39-13-529, no later than fifteen (15) years from the date the child becomes eighteen (18) years of age.
(q)(1) Notwithstanding subsections (b), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), or (m), prosecution for the following offenses, when committed against a minor under eighteen (18) years of age shall commence as provided by this subsection (q):
(A) Trafficking for a commercial sex act, as prohibited by § 39-13-309;
[…]
(2) A person may be prosecuted, tried, and punished for an offense listed in subdivision (q)(1) at any time after the commission of an offense if:
(A) The victim was under thirteen (13) years of age at the time of the offense; or
(B)(i) The victim was at least thirteen (13) years of age but no more than seventeen (17) years of age at the time of the offense; and
(ii) The victim reported the offense to another person prior to the victim attaining twenty-three (23) years of age.
(3)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (q)(3)(B), a person may be prosecuted, tried, and punished for an offense listed in subdivision (q)(1) at any time after the commission of an offense if:
(i) The victim was at least thirteen (13) years of age but no more than seventeen (17) years of age at the time of the offense; and
(ii) The victim did not meet the reporting requirements of subdivision (q)(2)(B)(ii).
(B) In order to commence prosecution for an offense listed in subdivision (q)(1) under the circumstances described in subdivision (q)(3)(A), at a date that is more than twenty-five (25) years from the date the victim becomes eighteen (18) years of age, the prosecution is required to offer admissible and credible evidence corroborating the allegations or similar acts by the defendant.
(4) This subsection (q) applies to offenses:
(A) Committed on or after July 1, 2019; or
(B) Committed prior to July 1, 2019, unless prosecution for the offense is barred because the applicable time limitation set out in this section for prosecution of the offense expired prior to July 1, 2019.
Civil SOL: Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-116
Child sexual abuse
(b) Notwithstanding § 28-3-104, a civil action for an injury or illness based on child sexual abuse that occurred when the injured person was a minor must be brought:
(1) For child sexual abuse that occurred before July 1, 2019, but was not discovered at the time of the abuse, within three (3) years from the time of discovery of the abuse by the injured person; or
(2) For child sexual abuse that occurred on or after July 1, 2019, within the later of:
(A) Fifteen (15) years from the date the person becomes eighteen (18) years of age; or
(B) If the injury or illness was not discovered at the time of the abuse, within three (3) years from the time of discovery of the abuse by the injured person.
Texas
Definition: Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 20A.02
Trafficking of Persons
(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly:
(1) traffics another person with the intent that the trafficked person engage in forced labor or services;
(2) receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (1), including by receiving labor or services the person knows are forced labor or services;
(3) traffics another person and, through force, fraud, or coercion, causes the trafficked person to engage in conduct prohibited by:
(A) Section 43.02 (Prostitution);
(B) Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);
(B-1) Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of Prostitution);
(C) Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution);
(C-1) Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online Promotion of Prostitution); or
(D) Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);
(4) receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (3) or engages in sexual conduct with a person trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (3);
(5) traffics a child with the intent that the trafficked child engage in forced labor or services;
(6) receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (5), including by receiving labor or services the person knows are forced labor or services;
(7) traffics a child and by any means causes the trafficked child to engage in, or become the victim of, conduct prohibited by:
(A) Section 21.02 (Continuous Sexual Abuse of Young Child or Children);
(B) Section 21.11 (Indecency with a Child);
(C) Section 22.011 (Sexual Assault);
(D) Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault);
(E) Section 43.02 (Prostitution);
(F) Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);
(F-1) Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of Prostitution);
(G) Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution);
(G-1) Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online Promotion of Prostitution);
(H) Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);
(I) Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a Child);
(J) Section 43.251 (Employment Harmful to Children); or
(K) Section 43.26 (Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography); or
(8) receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (7) or engages in sexual conduct with a child trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (7).
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, an offense under this section is a felony of the second degree. An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree if:
(1) the applicable conduct constitutes an offense under Subsection (a)(5), (6), (7), or (8), regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the child at the time of the offense;
(2) the commission of the offense results in the death of the person who is trafficked; or
(3) the commission of the offense results in the death of an unborn child of the person who is trafficked.
(c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or under both sections
Criminal SOL: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 12.01
Felonies
Except as provided in Article 12.03, felony indictments may be presented within these limits, and not afterward:
(1) no limitation:
[…]
(G) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), Penal Code;
(H) continuous trafficking of persons under Section 20A.03, Penal Code; or
(I) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(2), Penal Code;
(2) ten years from the date of the commission of the offense:
[…]
(G) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(1), (2), (3), or (4), Penal Code; or
(H) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(1), Penal Code;
(5) if the investigation of the offense shows that the victim is younger than 17 years of age at the time the offense is committed, 20 years from the 18th birthday of the victim of one of the following offenses:
(A) sexual performance by a child under Section 43.25, Penal Code;
(B) aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04(a)(4), Penal Code, if the defendant committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; or
(6) ten years from the 18th birthday of the victim of the offense:
(A) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(5) or (6), Penal Code;
(B) injury to a child under Section 22.04, Penal Code; or
(8) three years from the date of the commission of the offense: all other felonies.
Civil SOL: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 16.0045
Limitations Period for Claims Arising from Certain Offenses
(a) A person must bring suit for personal injury not later than 30 years after the day the cause of action accrues if the injury arises as a result of conduct that violates:
(4) Section 20A.02(a)(7)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (H) or Section 20A.02(a)(8), Penal Code, involving an activity described by Section 20A.02(a)(7)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (H) or sexual conduct with a child trafficked in the manner described by Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal Code (certain sexual trafficking of a child)
Utah
Definition: Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-308.5
Human trafficking of a child–Penalties
(2) An actor commits human trafficking of a child if the actor recruits, harbors, transports, obtains, patronizes, or solicits a child for sexual exploitation or forced labor.
(3)(a) Human trafficking of a child for forced labor includes labor in industrial facilities, sweatshops, households, agricultural enterprises, or any other workplace.
(b) Human trafficking of a child for sexual exploitation includes all forms of commercial sexual activity with a child, including sexually explicit performance, prostitution, participation in the production of pornography, performance in a strip club, and exotic dancing or display.
(4) Human trafficking of a child in violation of this section is a first degree felony.
Criminal SOL: Utah Code Ann. § 76-1-301
Offenses for which prosecution may be commenced at any time
(2) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, prosecution for the following offenses may be commenced at any time:
[…]
(g) child kidnapping;
(n) sexual abuse of a child;
(o) aggravated sexual abuse of a child;
(p) aggravated sexual assault;
(r) aggravated human trafficking or aggravated human smuggling in violation of Section 76-5-310;
(s) aggravated exploitation of prostitution involving a child, under Section 76-10-1306; or
(t) human trafficking of a child, under Section 76-5-308.5.
Civil SOL: Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-308
Legislative findings–Civil actions for sexual abuse of a child–Window for revival of time barred claims
(3)(a) A victim may file a civil action against a perpetrator for intentional or negligent sexual abuse suffered as a child at any time.
(b) A victim may file a civil action against a non-perpetrator for intentional or negligent sexual abuse suffered as a child:
(i) within four years after the individual attains the age of 18 years; or
(ii) if a victim discovers sexual abuse only after attaining the age of 18 years, that individual may bring a civil action for such sexual abuse within four years after discovery of the sexual abuse, whichever period expires later.
Vermont
Definition: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, § 2652
Human Trafficking
(a) No person shall knowingly:
(1) recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means a person under the age of 18 for the purpose of having the person engage in a commercial sex act;
(2) recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain a person through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of having the person engage in a commercial sex act;
(3) compel a person through force, fraud, or coercion to engage in a commercial sex act;
(4) benefit financially or by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture, knowing that force, fraud, or coercion was or will be used to compel any person to engage in a commercial sex act as part of the venture;
(5) subject a person to labor servitude;
(6) recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain a person for the purpose of subjecting the person to labor servitude; or
(7) benefit financially or by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture, knowing that a person will be subject to labor servitude as part of the venture.
Definition: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, § 2653
Aggravated Human Trafficking
(a) A person commits the crime of aggravated human trafficking if the person commits human trafficking in violation of section 2652 of this title under any of the following circumstances:
(1) the offense involves a victim of human trafficking who is a child under the age of 18…
Criminal statute of limitation: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, § 4501
(a) Prosecutions for aggravated sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual assault, human trafficking, aggravated human trafficking, murder, arson causing death, and kidnapping may be commenced at any time after the commission of the offense.
Civil SOL: No civil SOL, See Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 522 (West). Actions based on childhood sexual abuse
Virginia
Definition: Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-355
Human Trafficking
Any person who:
(1) For purposes of prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse, takes any person into, or persuades, encourages or causes any person to enter, a bawdy place, or takes or causes such person to be taken to any place against his or her will for such purposes; or
(2) Takes or detains a person against his or her will with the intent to compel such person, by force, threats, persuasions, menace or duress, to marry him or her or to marry any other person, or to be defiled; or
(3) Being parent, guardian, legal custodian or one standing in loco parentis of a person, consents to such person being taken or detained by any person for the purpose of prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse; or
(4) For purposes of prostitution, takes any minor into, or persuades, encourages, or causes any minor to enter, a bawdy place, or takes or causes such person to be taken to any place for such purposes; is guilty of pandering.
A violation of subdivision (1), (2), or (3) is punishable as a Class 4 felony. A violation of subdivision (4) is punishable as a Class 3 felony.
Definition: Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-357.1
Commercial Sex Trafficking
A. Any person who, with the intent to receive money or other valuable thing or to assist another in receiving money or other valuable thing from the earnings of a person from prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse in violation of subsection A of § 18.2-346, solicits, invites, recruits, encourages, or otherwise causes or attempts to cause a person to violate subsection A of § 18.2-346 is guilty of a Class 5 felony. C. Any adult who violates subsection A with a person under the age of 18 is guilty of a Class 3 felony.
Criminal SOL: no SOL for felonies, see Anderson v. Commonwealth, 634 S.E.2d 372, 375 (Va. Ct. App. 2006)
Civil SOL: Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243
- Every action for injury to the person, whatever the theory of recovery, resulting from sexual abuse occurring during the infancy or incapacity of the person as set forth in subdivision 6 of § 8.01-249 shall be brought within 20 years after the cause of action accrues.
Washington
Definition: Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9A.40.100
Trafficking
(1) A person is guilty of trafficking in the first degree when:(a) Such person:
(i) Recruits, harbors, transports, transfers, provides, obtains, buys, purchases, or receives by any means another person knowing, or in reckless disregard of the fact, (A) that force, fraud, or coercion as defined in RCW 9A.36.070 will be used to cause the person to engage in:
(I) Forced labor;
(II) Involuntary servitude;
(III) A sexually explicit act; or
(IV) A commercial sex act, or (B) that the person has not attained the age of eighteen years and is caused to engage in a sexually explicit act or a commercial sex act; or
(ii) Benefits financially or by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture that has engaged in acts set forth in (a)(i) of this subsection; and
(b) The acts or venture set forth in (a) of this subsection:
(i) Involve committing or attempting to commit kidnapping;
(ii) Involve a finding of sexual motivation under RCW 9.94A.835;
(iii) Involve the illegal harvesting or sale of human organs; or
(iv) Result in a death.
(2) Trafficking in the first degree is a class A felony.
(3) (a) A person is guilty of trafficking in the second degree when such person:
(i) Recruits, harbors, transports, transfers, provides, obtains, buys, purchases, or receives by any means another person knowing, or in reckless disregard of the fact, that force, fraud, or coercion as defined in RCW 9A.36.070 will be used to cause the person to engage in forced labor, involuntary servitude, a sexually explicit act, or a commercial sex act, or that the person has not attained the age of eighteen years and is caused to engage in a sexually explicit act or a commercial sex act; or § (ii) Benefits financially or by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture that has engaged in acts set forth in (a)(i) of this subsection. § (b) Trafficking in the second degree is a class A felony. • Criminal Statute of limitations: Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9A.04.080 (West) • (b) Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, the following offenses shall not be prosecuted more than ten years after their commission: § (vi) Trafficking under RCW 9A.40.100. • Civil Statute of limitations: Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.16.340 (West) • (1) All claims or causes of action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced within the later of the following periods: (a) Within three years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition; (b) Within three years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by said act; or (c) Within three years of the time the victim discovered that the act caused the injury for which the claim is brought: PROVIDED, That the time limit for commencement of an action under this section is tolled for a child until the child reaches the age of eighteen years.
West Virginia
Definition: Va. Code Ann. § 61-14-1
(6) “Human trafficking”, “trafficking”, or “traffics” means knowingly recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, receiving, providing, obtaining, isolating, maintaining or enticing an individual to engage in debt bondage, forced labor or sexual servitude.
Va. Code Ann. § 61-14-2
(b) Any person who knowingly and willfully traffics a minor is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than five nor more than twenty years, fined not more than $300,000, or both imprisoned and fined.
Criminal SOL: No SOL for felonies related to child sex abuse. State v. King, 140 W. Va. 362, 367 (W. Va. 1954) (Noting “the felony charged in the indictment is subject to no limitation.”).
Civil SOL: Va. Code Ann. § 55-2-15
Special and general savings as to persons under disability
[Amended by: WV LEGIS H.B. 4559 (2020), 2020 West Virginia Laws H.B. 4559 (West’s No. 218)]
(a) A personal action for damages resulting from sexual assault or sexual abuse of a person who was an infant at the time of the act or acts alleged, shall be brought against the perpetrator of the sexual assault or abuse within four years after reaching the age of majority or within four years after discovery of the sexual assault or sexual abuse, whichever is longer. A personal action for damages resulting from sexual assault or sexual abuse of a person who was an infant at the time of the act or acts alleged shall be brought against a person or entity which aided, abetted, or concealed the sexual assault or sexual abuse within 18 years after reaching the age of majority.
Wisconsin
Definition: Wis. Stat. Ann. § 948.051
Trafficking of a child
(1) Whoever knowingly recruits, entices, provides, obtains, harbors, transports, patronizes, or solicits or knowingly attempts to recruit, entice, provide, obtain, harbor, transport, patronize, or solicit any child for the purpose of commercial sex acts, as defined in s. 940.302(1)(a), is guilty of a Class C felony.
(2) Whoever benefits in any manner from a violation of sub. (1) is guilty of a Class C felony if the person knows that the benefits come from an act described in sub. (1).
(3) Any person who incurs an injury or death as a result of a violation of sub. (1) or (2) may bring a civil action against the person who committed the violation. In addition to actual damages, the court may award punitive damages to the injured party, not to exceed treble the amount of actual damages incurred, and reasonable attorney fees.
Criminal SOL: Wis. Stat. Ann. § 939.74
Time limitations on prosecutions
(c) A prosecution for violation of s. 948.02(2), 948.025(1)(e), 948.03(2)(a) or (5)(a)1., 2., or 3., 948.05, 948.051, 948.06, 948.07(1), (2), (3), or (4), 948.075, 948.08, 948.081, 948.085, or 948.095 shall be commenced before the victim reaches the age of 45 years or be barred, except as provided in sub. (2d).
Civil SOL: Wis. Stat. Ann. § 893.587
Sexual assault of a child; limitation
An action to recover damages for injury caused by an act that would constitute a violation of s. 948.02, 948.025, 948.06, 948.085, or 948.095 or would create a cause of action under s. 895.442 shall be commenced before the injured party reaches the age of 35 years or be barred.
Wyoming
Definition: WY Stat § 6-2-706
Human trafficking in the first degree; penalty.
(a) A person is guilty of human trafficking in the first degree when the person intentionally or knowingly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains or entices an individual for the purpose of:
(i) Forced labor or servitude in violation of W.S. 6-2-704;
(ii) Sexual servitude in violation of W.S. 6-2-705; or
(iii) Sexual servitude of a minor in violation of W.S. 6-2-706.
(b) Human trafficking in the first degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than five (5) nor more than fifty (50) years unless the victim is a minor in which case it is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than twenty-five (25) nor more than fifty (50) years and a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), or both.
WY Stat § 6-2-703.
Human trafficking in the second degree; penalty.
(a) A person is guilty of human trafficking in the second degree when the person recklessly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains or entices an individual for the purpose of:
(i) Forced labor or servitude in violation of W.S. 6-2-704;
(ii) Sexual servitude in violation of W.S. 6-2-705;
(iii) Sexual servitude of a minor in violation of W.S. 6-2-706.
(b) Human trafficking in the second degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than two (2) nor more than twenty (20) years and a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), or both.
WY Stat § 6-2-706.
Sexual servitude of a minor.
(a) A person is guilty of sexual servitude of a minor when the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly offers, obtains, procures or provides an individual less than eighteen (18) years of age to engage in commercial sexual services.
(b) Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly compelling the sexual servitude of a minor is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years and a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or both.
(c) It is not a defense in a prosecution under this section that the individual consented to engage in commercial sexual services or that the defendant reasonably believed the individual was at least eighteen (18) years of age.
Criminal SOL: No SOL for prosecution of a criminal offense. See Story v. State, 721 P.2d 1020, 1026 (Wyo. 1986).
Civil SOL: Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a civil action based upon sexual assault as defined by W.S. 6-2-301(a)(v) against a minor may be brought within the later of:
(i) Eight (8) years after the minor’s eighteenth birthday; or
(ii) Three (3) years after the discovery.
Washington D.C.
Definition: D.C. Code Ann. § 22-1834
Sex trafficking of children.
(a) It is unlawful for an individual or a business knowingly to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain by any means a person who will be caused as a result to engage in a commercial sex act knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that the person has not attained the age of 18 years.
(b) In a prosecution under subsection (a) of this section in which the defendant had a reasonable opportunity to observe the person recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, or maintained, the government need not prove that the defendant knew that the person had not attained the age of 18 years.
Criminal SOL: D.C. Code Ann. § 23-113
Limitations on actions for criminal violations
(3) A prosecution for the following crimes and any offense that is properly joinable with any of the following crimes is barred if not commenced within ten (10) years after it is committed:
[…]
(J) Trafficking in labor or commercial sex and sex trafficking of children as prohibited by [D.C. Official Code §§ 22-1833 and 22-1834], respectively;
(K) abducting or enticing child from his or her home for purposes of prostitution, or harboring such child (§ 22-2704) …
Civil SOL: D.C. Code Ann. § 12-301
Limitation of time for bringing actions.
Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, actions for the following purposes may not be brought after the expiration of the period specified below from the time the right to maintain the action accrues:
[…]
(11) for the recovery of damages arising out of sexual abuse that occurred while the victim was less than 35 years of age–the date the victim attains the age of 40 years, or 5 years from when the victim knew, or reasonably should have known, of any act constituting sexual abuse, whichever is later …