A Historic Victory for Georgia: Beginning July 1, Buying Sex Becomes a Felony

For more than a decade, Street Grace has led the fight to end the demand that fuels human trafficking. We have always known one truth: as long as there are buyers, traffickers will continue to exploit the vulnerable for profit. That is why we have relentlessly championed stronger laws to hold sex buyers accountable.

Several years ago, Georgia took an important step by making the second offense for attempting to purchase sex a felony. While that was meaningful progress, it left too many offenders facing only misdemeanor consequences. Combined with limited law enforcement resources dedicated to demand-focused operations, the law simply did not go far enough to deter those driving the commercial sex trade.

That changes now.

Thanks to the leadership of Senator Brian Strickland and the passage of SB 547, Georgia reaches a historic milestone. Beginning July 1, 2026, every attempt to purchase sex in Georgia will be a felony.

This landmark law sends an unmistakable message: those who seek to exploit vulnerable individuals will face serious criminal consequences.

The timing could not be more critical as the 2026 FIFA World Cup ramps up attendance with knock-out rounds and semi-finals being played in Atlanta after this law goes into effect. Georgia law enforcement is now equipped with one of the nation's strongest tools to combat sex trafficking before it occurs.

Increasing penalties does more than punish offenders—it prevents exploitation. Strong felony penalties create a powerful deterrent for would-be buyers while providing law enforcement with greater incentive and authority to conduct proactive operations.