What Ohio’s 2025 Shared Hope Report Card Really Tells Us 

These updates reflect the lived experience of survivors and the insights of frontline providers. They also set a much higher standard for all states—including Ohio. 

A lower grade today does not mean states are doing less. It means expectations have become more survivor-centered, and the bar for child protection has risen. 

What Ohio’s 2025 Grade Really Means 

Ohio received an F, joining 31 other states. This score is based exclusively on existing state statutes. It does not capture the daily work unfolding across communities, agencies, and coalitions like ours.  Shared Hope’s evaluation highlights several areas where Ohio’s laws fall short under the updated model: 

1. Not all exploited children are recognized as victims 

— Children exploited directly by buyers—without a third-party trafficker—are not clearly protected under Ohio law. 

2. Minors can still be charged with prostitution-related offenses 

— While diversion programs exist, youth must comply with court-ordered conditions that can feel punitive and retraumatizing. 

3. No protections for crimes linked to victimization 

— Children may still be charged with offenses—status offenses, misdemeanors, and even felonies—that often stem from coercion and survival strategies. 

4. Mandatory minimums still apply to minors 

— Judges cannot depart from mandatory minimum sentences even when a child’s exploitation directly contributes to the offense. 

5. Record clearing and resentencing options are limited 

— Many survivors continue to face long-term consequences for convictions connected to their exploitation. 

6. Specialized services are often tied to system involvement 

— In many communities, youth cannot access trafficking-specific services unless they enter child welfare or juvenile justice systems. Families deserve voluntary, community-rooted pathways instead. 

These gaps show that Ohio’s legal framework lags behind what children need for protection, healing, and safety. 

Where Ohio Is Making Meaningful Progress 

Despite these challenges, Ohio has made significant strides that reflect statewide commitment and momentum.  Ohio has: 

• • Maintained funding Ohio maintained a dedicated state budget line item for anti-trafficking services, and this year that funding supported organizations within Greater Cleveland’s Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking— including Asian Services in Action, Bellefaire JCB, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, Freedom a la Cart, Gracehaven, Harriet Tubman Movement, MetroHealth, and RAHAB Ministries— to expand their programming for survivors. 
  • Improved access to crime victims’ compensation for minors. 
  • Strengthened trauma-informed practices in child-serving systems. 
  • Seen local innovation across schools, healthcare, social services, and regional task forces. 

These bright spots matter. They demonstrate that Ohio is not standing still—communities are building solutions every day. 

How the Findings Connect to Prevention 

The most powerful lesson from the Report Card is its reinforcement of a truth we see across the state: prevention must begin long before exploitation occurs. 

When a child can be charged with offenses tied to their own victimization, the system is responding far too late. And when services are available only through formal system involvement, families can feel punished for seeking help. 

Upstream prevention requires strengthening the conditions that allow children to thrive: 

• • Stable housing 
  • Strong school connections 
  • Accessible behavioral health care 
  • Trusted relationships with caring adults 
  • Safe and affirming community spaces 

These protective factors reduce vulnerability long before a trafficker enters a child’s life.  The Shared Hope findings underscore why prevention is not optional—it is foundational. 

Opportunities to Move Ohio Forward 

Ohio has clear opportunities to modernize its legal framework and better protect children. Key changes include:   

• • Mandate child trafficking prevention education in schools.
  • Require child welfare agencies to screen system-involved youth for trafficking risk.
  • Prohibit the criminalization of minors for prostitution-related offenses.
  • Mandate ongoing trafficking-specific, victim-centered training for law enforcement and prosecutors
  • Require that all sex trafficking victims have access to a victim advocate.

These reforms would not only strengthen legal protections—they would help build a more prevention-oriented, healing-centered system across Ohio.

Moving Forward Together 

Ohio has much to be proud of, and much work is still ahead. The Shared Hope Report Card helps us see both.

Across the state, dedicated partners are supporting survivors, educating communities, strengthening safety nets, and advocating for smarter policy. Their expertise, commitment, and lived experience shape better solutions every day.