Human Trafficking Victim Becomes First to Have Record Erased
“Your mind is distorted. You have no hope,” she said. “You’re so degraded that you feel like you mean nothing, that your life is worthless, that you don’t want to live, you know? You feel like you actually deserve to die.”
Under a law signed by Gov. John Kasich last summer, trafficking victims now have a chance at a literal clean slate.
“The law now provides that those records will be destroyed. That means physically destroyed paper. That means erased from any databases or hard drives,” said Judge Paul Herbert.
Friday, Herbert said he was convinced Julie Hatfield met the criteria:
“…That during all these years you were under the control of forces that compelled you to engage in activities that you otherwise would not have. You don’t have any record prior to that, and you don’t have any record in the five years since that time. So therefore I want to let you know that I’m going to expunge each and every one of your prior convictions. Congratulations.”
Hatfield walked out of the courthouse a truly free woman, with message to those trapped like she once was.
“You don’t have to live that way. There really is hope. There’s people that care for you. You don’t have to live in that shame or guilt anymore.”
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