Preble Street’s Healing Center, located at 55 Portland Street, Portland, ME, is the only dedicated space in Maine for trafficking survivors. Preble Street has provided more than 500 people with anti-trafficking-related services, since ATS began over a decade ago. Human trafficking happens everywhere, including right here in Maine. Children and adults of all genders, ages, … Read more
Human Trafficking Awareness & Prevention Month January is Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention month, a time to refocus our efforts to educate people about what trafficking looks like and who it impacts. Hailey Virusso, Director of Anti-Trafficking Services, shared in the Portland Press Herald this month, “While there is no singular picture or face of human … Read more
Human trafficking is not a new crime, but there has been heightened attention on this global issue in the media recently. Along with supporting survivors on their path toward recovery, healing, and justice, education about human trafficking and what it looks like can help prevent and end this tragedy. Worldwide, children and adults of all … Read more
By: Daniella Cameron (she/her), MSW, Deputy Director at Preble Street and Hanni Stoklosa (she/her), MD, MPH, Co-Founder of HEAL Trafficking and an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Human trafficking is happening in every state in New England. From the most rural towns of Maine and Vermont to the center of Boston, children and adults of all genders … Read more
Throughout Maine, children and adults of all genders, ages, and races are forced to perform many different types of work, including farm labor, domestic service, commercial sex work, and restaurant and hospitality service, through threats, physical and sexual violence, and psychological coercion. Since 2013, working with survivors across the state, Preble Street Anti-Trafficking Services (ATS) … Read more
Over the last year, 111 survivors of human trafficking in Maine have worked with Preble Street Anti-Trafficking Services (ATS) to reclaim their lives on their own terms. Many of these individuals have received support at the Preble Street Healing Center, which marks its one-year anniversary in September. The Healing Center opened to expand the work … Read more
“In my time working here, I’ve been able to provide people with many things. I’ve given people vouchers, I’ve helped people move into apartments, I’ve helped somebody repair their vehicle. I’ve provided all of these material things. But time and time again, when people talk to me about what was most important to them, it’s been … Read more
We are thrilled to share that Preble Street Executive Director, Mark Swann, has been named a Nonprofit Business Leader of the year by MaineBiz! In his 30 years as our leader, he has helped the agency grow from two employees working in Portland to nearly 300 employees and 1000 volunteers working all over the state … Read more
Throughout Maine, children and adults of all genders, ages, and races are forced by sexual, physical, and psychological coercion or violence to do all kinds of work, including farm labor, domestic service, sex work, and restaurant and hospitality service. This is human trafficking, a crime of exploitation that can and does impact every community. In Maine, sex … Read more
The Preble Street Healing Center — set to open this summer — will offer comprehensive services and activities to support survivors of human trafficking in finding safety, freedom, and the opportunity to reclaim their lives. It may be surprising to learn that human trafficking is happening in Maine. Victims are children and adults of all genders who are … Read more
