Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking Victims Get New Protections To Escape Abuse
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking learned Monday that they would receive significant new protections in 2014, following Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of SB 612.
The bill, authored by state Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, gives survivors of human trafficking the right to terminate residential leases in order to protect themselves against their abusers. The bill also strengthens existing protections for survivors of domestic violence who are forced to vacate a rental property for personal safety reasons.
New Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking Bill To Go Into Effect in January
"Putting all this together, we will be protecting a lot of folks who have been victimized and need to find a safer place and have to have the ability to get out," said Leno.
"It's a big step forward for survivors," added Beverly Upton of the Domestic Violence Consortium.
SB 612 takes effect January 1, 2014.
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