If you are a survivor of sex trafficking or human trafficking for sexual exploitation, we want you to know that you are not alone. Coming forward after being trafficked is incredibly difficult, and it takes tremendous courage to seek justice and reclaim your life.

At the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm, we understand the devastating impact that trafficking has on survivors. Led by Michelle Simpson Tuegel, a nationally recognized survivor advocate and attorney, our team is committed to seeking justice for trafficking survivors while acknowledging and addressing the profound trauma these experiences cause. We represent both adult and child survivors, and we are fully equipped to handle the unique complexities of child sex trafficking cases with the sensitivity and expertise they demand.

Our firm brings a comprehensive, survivor-centered approach to representing trafficking victims, emphasizing not just the legal aspects but also the emotional and psychological well-being of our clients. We understand that the path to justice involves much more than a court case; it’s about finding healing, regaining control, and holding accountable those who enabled your exploitation.

The Reality of Sex Trafficking

Human trafficking is a global crisis, and sexual exploitation is a major part of this. According to the International Labour Organization, 27.6 million people were victims of human trafficking in 2021, with 23 percent trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation. In 2023, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received reports of 9,619 potential human trafficking cases referencing 16,999 potential victims, with 5,572 of those situations involving sex trafficking. These numbers represent only a fraction of the true scope of the problem, as many trafficking situations go unreported.

Victims can be anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, socioeconomic background, or citizenship status. Children are particularly vulnerable, and all commercial sexual exploitation of a minor is considered human trafficking under federal law. 

Traffickers exploit vulnerabilities and use various methods to recruit, control, and exploit their victims. In today’s digital age, technology and social media has become one of their most powerful tools. Of survivors identified in federal sex trafficking cases from 2000 through 2020, at least 30% were recruited online, and by 2020, that number increased to 41%. 

Our Expertise

When hotels, motels, online platforms, or other businesses fail to implement adequate safety measures or turn a blind eye to trafficking occurring on their premises or through their services, they must be held accountable. These institutions have a duty to protect vulnerable individuals, and when they fail to do so, survivors have the right to seek justice through civil litigation.

• Our team currently represents a 13-year-old survivor who was kidnapped after leaving a youth volleyball tournament, driven to a Dallas Motel 6, and sexually assaulted. The perpetrator pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and our team is now pursuing civil action against Motel 6 to hold the company accountable for failing to protect this child from being trafficked and abused on their property. 

WFAA | Man sentenced to 15 years for child sex trafficking after teen kidnapped, assaulted at Dallas motel, attorney says

• In November 2021, Michelle represented a rape survivor in a case against Hilton Management LLC that resulted in a $44 million verdict – what is believed to be the largest sexual assault verdict against a hotel chain. A person passing by a Hilton hotel in downtown Texas called 911 to report seeing a man starting to expose himself over an incapacitated woman on the sidewalk. When police and hotel security officers arrived to find the woman vomiting and unable to speak, the man who exposed himself said, “She’s with me,” according to the complaint. Hilton staff proceeded to place the woman in a wheelchair and failed to check her identification or confirm if she had a room under her own name, which she did. Security footage shows Hilton staff ushering the unconscious woman up to the man’s room where she was sexually assaulted.

NBC Houston | Woman wins $44M in suit against Houston Hilton Hotel after alleged sexual assault, lawyers say

With extensive experience in the field, the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm is ready to help survivors hold both their traffickers and the institutions that enabled their exploitation accountable. Our fierce advocacy for survivors, backed by a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics of human trafficking, underlines our unique expertise in pursuing these claims.

We have represented sexual abuse and assault survivors and helped obtain meaningful verdicts and settlements in some of the most high-profile sexual abuse cases of the last decade, including the Larry Nassar litigation, the litigation against the University of Southern California related to Dr. George Tyndall, the litigation against the University of Michigan related to Dr. Robert Anderson, and representing hundreds of clergy abuse survivors nationwide.

We are here for you

Coming forward after being trafficked is very difficult, and it takes a lot of courage to tell your story. There are paths toward justice for you in both the criminal and civil justice systems, and we will help you every step of the way.

If you are in need of representation or simply have questions about a potential path to justice, please reach out using the contact form below. We will approach your case with sensitivity and dedication to secure the justice you deserve.