Every January we observe Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Many would be surprised to learn that human trafficking is evidenced in every county in Maine, and is most prevalent in Southern Maine and right here in Penobscot County.
St. Joe’s SAFE Nurses participate locally in START (Sexual Trafficking Action Response Team), working in partnership with organizations like Partners for Peace and Rape Response Services to develop action plans to fight human trafficking and to help people who have been trafficked access a network of resources they may need.
Our friends at Partners for Peace shared these two recent articles that outline the problem and some possible solutions. The Bangor Daily News profiled a typical Maine trafficking case in “5 things you need to know about sex trafficking in Maine,” while the Kennebec Journal’s editorial “Sex trafficking worst-case result of flawed system” calls out the need for a comprehensive set of supports for victims.
If you or someone you know needs more information please contact our hotline, (800) 863-9909 or the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network hotline at (888) 373-7888.
