Originally published A ‘Survivor-Centered Prosecutor’ Helps Transform Justice System on by https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/human-trafficking/a-survivor-centered-prosecutor-helps-transform-justice-system-as-champion-for-sex-trafficking-survivors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-survivor-centered-prosecutor-helps-transform-justice-system-as-champion-for-sex-trafficking-survivors at Homeland Security
Assistant Criminal District Attorney Lindy Borchardt, of Tarrant County, Texas, sets the gold standard for what we champion at Our Rescue: to be the light in the darkness in the fight against human trafficking.
Lindy, who serves on Our Rescue’s Board of Directors, doesn’t just enforce the law. She transforms it. Lindy shared how this approach as a ‘victim-centered’ prosecutor shifted the outcome in one recent pivotal case.
She stood before the jury for opening arguments in a complex drug and child exploitation and sex trafficking case. Much of her plan hinged on a teenage survivor, Rebekah, whose bravery could determine the outcome. Yet, Lindy wasn’t sure if Rebekah would show up that day, knowing the realities stacked against her:
- Survivors often are treated as criminals rather than victims.
- Law enforcement and prosecutors need more support and training to identify trafficking victims and exploited children.
- Outdated legal practices can often punish survivors with criminal charges.
- Proving key elements like “force, fraud, or coercion” requires survivors and vulnerable children to relive trauma.
- Many survivors fear their traffickers or face trauma bonds and experience severe psychological duress.
It doesn’t have to be this way. As I’ve witnessed during my journey at Our Rescue, and anti-human trafficking efforts throughout my career, combating trafficking requires innovation and collaboration. A few shining examples of initiatives moving the needle:
- Multidisciplinary Teamwork: Law enforcement collaborates with victim advocates, even placing them alongside officers on the streets.
- RISE Court Program: This initiative helps women with prostitution histories overcome sexual violence, addiction and reclaim their futures.
- Vacatur Laws: States are increasingly adopting these policies to clear survivors’ records of crimes tied to trafficking.
- The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2025 is a game changer, giving survivors a chance to clear their records of convictions tied directly to their exploitation.
No one should carry a criminal record for the crimes they were forced to commit. In Lindy’s case with the teenage victim, against all odds, Rebekah did show up in court alongside her victim advocate. Just 10 minutes after Rebekah’s testimony, justice came in the form of a 99-year sentence. The sentence represented so much more, providing hope for other survivors while showcasing the power of trauma-informed care.
It goes beyond Texas. The American Bar Association has called these reforms essential, urging attorneys to do pro bono work to help clear criminal records related to trafficking. The Department of Justice emphasizes the importance of victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive approaches in trafficking cases. It’s why this work matters and continues to empower Lindy as a victim-centered prosecutor.
“It’s my responsibility to protect them,” Lindy tells us.
She highlights a truth that goes beyond the courtroom and into our communities. Protecting survivors requires a collective, trauma-informed approach from all of us. That’s our responsibility at Our Rescue. From supporting law enforcement with tools and training to championing survivor advocacy programs, we’re committed to breaking the cycle of exploitation.
Lindy, in her way with words, summed it up perfectly: “A measure of our society is how we protect our most vulnerable.”
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Originally published A ‘Survivor-Centered Prosecutor’ Helps Transform Justice System on by https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/human-trafficking/a-survivor-centered-prosecutor-helps-transform-justice-system-as-champion-for-sex-trafficking-survivors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-survivor-centered-prosecutor-helps-transform-justice-system-as-champion-for-sex-trafficking-survivors at Homeland Security
Originally published Homeland Security
