Trafficking victims could get tuition support under bill

A bill to provide financial assistance to victims of human trafficking who are enrolled in state colleges and universities is awaiting a committee hearing after being introduced in February. 

House Bill 307 would provide a tuition waiver to victims who are enrolled at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University or Delaware Technical Community College. The bill was introduced and assigned to the Delaware House of Representatives’ Education Committee on Feb. 29. 

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to get some form of labor or commercial sex act. Millions of people are trafficked around the world every year, including in the First State. 

The National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified 212 human trafficking cases with 507 victims in Delaware since 2007. In 2021, the Delaware hotline used to report suspected incidents received 93 calls, with 43 of them coming from victims or survivors of human trafficking themselves.

In May 2023, a Lewes couple was federally indicted for trafficking 13 people for sex and labor. The pair allegedly compelled victims to engage in commercial sex acts and obtained labor and services from them under the threat of suffering serious harm if they didn’t comply. 

The acts stretched from 2014 to 2020, per the indictment. 

Language barriers, fear of their traffickers and fear of law enforcement often keep victims from looking for help, leading to human trafficking being described as a “hidden crime.” 

The bill would cover tuition, meal plans, fees and on-campus housing for up to five years for full-time students residing in Delaware. Eligible students must have applied for and accepted all forms of financial aid, except loans. 

The Department of Justice would work with colleges and universities in approving tuition waiver applications by certifying that students qualify as human trafficking victims. The DOJ would designate a staff person to serve as a point of contact for schools seeking certification of a student’s eligibility. 

Similarly, schools would designate a staff person to help students applying for the tuition waiver and to work with the DOJ. The bill’s primary sponsor is Rep. Kim Williams (D-Stanton), chair of the education committee.