Mississippi Earning a 'D' in Shared Hope International’s 2025 'Just Like Me' Report Card

Leading Nation in Protecting Survivors from Unjust Criminalization

MS, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Despite Mississippi Earning a “D” in Shared Hope International’s 2025 “Just Like Me” Report Card, Leading Nation in Protecting Survivors from Unjust Criminalization

Shared Hope International (SHI), a national leader in combating child and youth sex trafficking, today announced Mississippi’s results in the 2025

Just Like Me Report Cards. Mississippi earned a score of 66, a grade of “D”, and ranked in Tier 2 among all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Despite this overall grade, Mississippi stands out as a top national performer on one of the framework’s most critical policy areas: protection from unjust criminalization.

The Just Like Me Report Cards, released nationally by Shared Hope on October 14th, introduce a new survivor-informed 10-point legislative agenda that focuses on the most challenging and transformative legislative reforms needed to end the unjust criminalization of trafficking survivors and strengthen state-level protections.

Mississippi’s Progress
Mississippi continues to demonstrate significant leadership in legislative efforts to protect trafficking survivors. The state achieved a top national score for Issue #2 (Protection from Unjust Criminalization)—a major benchmark within Shared Hope’s new Just Like Me framework.

2025 Just Like Me Report Card Highlights for Mississippi:
-Mississippi law ensures any commercially exploited child legally meets the definition of child sex trafficking.
-Mississippi law prohibits the criminalization of children for prostitution offenses, as well as other offenses related to their victimization.
-Mississippi also allow trafficking victims to vacate certain criminal convictions related to their exploitation.
-The Mississippi state legislature appropriated $3m during the 2025 legislative session to support the coordination of and access to community-based, specialized services for child and youth survivors of sex trafficking.

Shared Hope’s analysis commends Mississippi’s advancements in survivor protection laws while identifying opportunities to enact laws that strengthen long-term service systems and ensure consistent access to trauma-informed care across the state.

A Framework for Long-Term Reform
The Just Like Me framework replaces Shared Hope’s previous 40-point grading system with a focused 10-point Legislative Agenda designed to spotlight the toughest and most impactful policy reforms. Each policy goal is survivor-informed and grounded in over 15 years of legal analysis, policy research, and advocacy.

In January 2026, Shared Hope will release a companion resource—the Just Like Me Policymaker’s Guide—providing an in-depth analysis of more than 30 additional policy areas vital to comprehensive state responses to child and youth sex trafficking. This policy guide will be a critical supplement to the technical assistance Shared Hope provides to lawmakers and advocates seeking to improve their state’s legislative framework for supporting trafficked children and youth.

About Shared Hope International
Founded in Vancouver, WA, Shared Hope International is a global leader in the fight against sex trafficking. Through prevention programs, survivor restoration services, and justice advocacy, Shared Hope works to end sex trafficking and support survivors on their journey to healing and rebuilding their lives.

Media Contact:
John Lang
Director of Marketing and Development
Shared Hope International
john@sharedhope.org | 757-617-9561

For more information about Shared Hope Report Cards, visit https://reportcards.sharedhope.org/

John Lang
Shared Hope Internatonal
+1 757-617-9561
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