SMART

When the Minnesota Legislature passed the Safe Harbor Law in 2011, Minnesota youth who engaged in prostitution were viewed – for the first time – as victims and survivors, not criminals. The law requires that those youth be treated with dignity and respect, directed to supportive services, and provided with shelter and housing that meet their needs, all while recognizing their right to make their own choices. Sexual exploitation of youth in Minnesota is commonly overlooked, misidentified as something else, and undocumented.

The Legislature also provided funding to assist teams in the development and implementation of local Safe Harbor protocols, ensuring that every community could truly become a “No Wrong Door community” for sexually exploited youth of all gender identities. No Wrong Door is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and multi-state agency approach. It ensures communities across Minnesota have the knowledge, skills and resources to effectively identify sexually exploited and at-risk youth. Youth are provided with victim-centered, trauma-informed services, and safe housing. Safe Harbor protocol development encourages systems partners to collaborate within the No Wrong Door statewide services model to ensure that the multidisciplinary response to sex trafficking and sexual exploitation is victim-centered, trauma-informed, culturally-responsive, and sustainable.

Goodhue County Safe Harbor Protocol Team has completed protocol specific to Goodhue County. The Safe Harbor Protocol will serve as a guide for service providers responding to trafficked and sexually exploited youth. The protocol will ensure a victim- centered and consistent response to victims of sex trafficking and exploitation.