Many of the stories have common threads.
A young woman is lured into “the life” — a life of sexual exploitation in which she becomes a prostitute and her pimp collects all the proceeds, a life of substance abuse and addiction, a life in which a pimp calls the shots and allows her no control, a life she can’t escape.
If she manages to break free, she has nothing once she’s on her own — no money, no home, no support network, no official work history. What she does have are extraordinary challenges to overcome — an addiction to battle, a criminal record and unresolved legal issues, the stigma of having been a prostitute.
That’s a common profile shared by victims of human trafficking, an illicit trade that the United Nations estimates is worth $32 billion every year — likely the second most profitable international crime in monetary terms — and victimized 22,000 people across the globe in 2006.
Human trafficking has long occurred in Maine but mostly under the radar. Now, a first-of-its kind assessment offers the public a picture of how and to what extent human trafficking touches Maine.
It’s difficult to quantify, but the Maine Human Trafficking Needs Assessment estimates the state sees 200-300 cases of sex trafficking annually. That figure is based on police reports, interviews with victims and law enforcement officers, and common statistics adjusted to account for the reality that human trafficking is seldom reported to police. The South Portland firm Hornby Zeller Associates conducted the assessment for the nonprofit Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
Based on surveys throughout much of the state, researchers found nearly 40 percent of law enforcement officers had encountered a trafficking case within the past year. Fewer than half reported that their agencies were prepared to address trafficking.
What should Maine do?
As those who work in law enforcement become more familiar with human trafficking, advocates for victims have said police are more likely to look out for signs of trafficking — but the response varies from agency to agency, officer to officer. When police come upon prostitution, there’s often more than meets the eye. A woman working as a prostitute as part of a human trafficking ring is a victim who requires help to escape rather than a criminal charge.
Next year, the Maine Criminal Justice Academy will require that all full-time officers participate in a one-time, two-hour human trafficking training. Efforts such as these should help to spread awareness so more officers know to look for signs of trafficking and know how to respond.
Once they’ve escaped a trafficking ring, victims need help to get on their feet. The help they need touches a number of areas that policymakers in Augusta have debated at length in recent years.
Without access to housing, it’s nearly impossible for someone in a tenuous position to get back on her feet. But Maine has long resisted adopting Housing First policies statewide to address homelessness. Investing in programs that allow the chronically homeless to secure housing and the full complement of services they require to get on their feet has paid off for Utah. That state saves $8,000 per year in reduced medical, shelter and criminal justice expenses for every homeless person set up with a place to live.
Housing is one basic need for trafficking victims as they try to establish a life for themselves. So is health care, but Maine has rejected the Medicaid expansion the federal government has offered to states under the Affordable Care Act. Many trafficking victims fall into the demographic that would qualify for expanded Medicaid — low-income adults without dependent children or low-income parents. Many have numerous unaddressed health issues once they’ve escaped a trafficking ring.
One of those is addiction. As lawmakers in Augusta debate the right approach to combating the state’s addiction epidemic, many trafficking victims need treatment to overcome their addictions. That’s another policy area where the right choice by state policymakers can help sex trafficking victims.
Fortunately, more in Maine are aware of the presence of human trafficking in the state. Increased awareness should translate into the right policy choices to break the complex cycle that entraps trafficking victims.
