NORTHPORT, Maine — If he had his way, Gov. Paul LePage said Thursday that he would impose the death penalty on anyone convicted of human trafficking.
“A pimp, in my mind, or someone who is in the business of selling heroin — I would be more than happy to pull the switch, personally,” LePage told about 200 victim advocates and law enforcement officials attending a summit on human trafficking at the Point Lookout conference center.
“If this was a dictatorship, we would have capital punishment. But since it’s not, I have to go along with slapping people on the hands,” he said.
The governor made reference to his difficult childhood, which included a time when he lived on the streets of Lewiston, but said it was nothing compared to what victims of human trafficking endure. He reiterated his call for the Maine Legislature to approve money to hire more prosecutors, judges and drug enforcement agents to deal with drugs, which he said is often tied to human trafficking.
LePage said that in many instances the women who are being sold for sex by traffickers get into drugs because of the trauma they are experiencing rather than selling themselves for sex to pay for the drug habit.
He said his office is fully behind the groups working to come up with recommendations to go after the offenders and help the victims of human trafficking.
The two-day summit started on the same day that the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, in partnership with Hornby Zeller Associates, released an executive summary of its first assessment on human trafficking in Maine.
Researchers conducted interviews and focus groups with survivors, women being trafficked, and representatives from a wide range of agencies and service organizations, as well as state leaders and law enforcement officials, according to a news release issued by the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Additionally, researchers conducted a statewide law enforcement survey on perceptions and experiences about human trafficking in Maine.
The report on human trafficking found that addiction is heavily intertwined with human trafficking and is one of the ways traffickers control their victims.
Researchers found that it is challenging to determine the prevalence of human trafficking because the victims do not want to reveal themselves and not all victims view themselves in that way. The only victims that are counted are those who obtain services or who are arrested.
Between 2007 and March 2015, a national human trafficking hotline has gotten more than 240 calls from Maine and identified 41 likely trafficking cases, according to the coalition. In the first year of a federal grant, 64 people in Cumberland and York counties have been identified and given services as trafficking victims, according to the coalition.
The group conservatively estimates based on all available sources that the annual number of sex trafficking cases in Maine is likely between 200 and 300.
The data from the assessment were to be presented at the summit Friday, with a full report to be released on Dec. 1.
According to the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the information gleaned from its research is intended to help law enforcement officials and service providers better identify trafficking, assist in identifying victims and improve support for victims.
“The needs assessment, however, is part of a larger plan,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, director of the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network, a program of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. “We look forward to partnering with the attorney general’s human trafficking work group, which includes many statewide agencies and organizations, to develop an action plan and next steps in the coming months.”
Among recommendations coming out of the assessment report:
— Increase community awareness of red flags and how to respond appropriately. Include education to the hospitality, health and beauty service sectors. Reinforce that this is an issue affecting many populations across the state rather than exclusive to urban areas and limited to foreign nationals.
— Continue to expand focus on prevention through connecting with schools. Young adults, especially those in high-risk environments, need to learn about personal relationships, self-empowerment, choice and control. Concrete information about warning signs of abuse and violence can be extended to adults, teachers and other caregivers working with children and families.
— Enhance support services available to victims 24/7. Aside from crisis and emergency response services, the complex needs of trafficking victims extend beyond the traditional workday. Many situations require carefully assembled response teams with safety and personal integrity the priority. Shelter and basic needs are always necessary.
— Consider mentorship as an interim plan of support. Given the transient nature of victims, and the frequent interaction with law enforcement, organized advocates and mentors can be trained to work alongside designated service providers to assure support at whatever stage of being in or getting out of the life.
— Designate a state lead to coordinate improved data collection. Service providers around the state would benefit from using a standardized data collection tool. Similarly, law enforcement would benefit from implementing the Uniform Crime Reporting typology. One entity should be designated to coordinate data improvement efforts, decide what to count, and help providers implement the process. The appointed lead could compile, analyze, and distribute data to all involved agencies.
— Expand state oversight and service support for labor trafficking. The lack of regulation limits the rights and safety of labor trafficking victims, as well as the state’s response. The next step should be engaging the various stakeholders within the state to explore whether labor trafficking victims could benefit from a response that mirrors the case management and multi-disciplinary approach to serving those being sex trafficked.
The governor’s summit on human trafficking with continue into Friday at Point Lookout.
To reach the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline call 888-373-7888 or text HELP to BeFree (233733). This free and confidential 24-hour service is accessible from anywhere in Maine and is a direct link to local services in Maine.