Anti-Trafficking Services

Preble Street expands services for victims/survivors of labor trafficking and exploitation across Maine

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

Path to Healing

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

The Impact of Social Work

“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

Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year: Mark Swann leads Preble Street on a statewide mission of fighting poverty

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

Human Trafficking Awareness Month

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

Welcome to the Preble Street Healing Center

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

Survivor Rapid Rehousing Project Grant

For survivors of human trafficking, a key part of the journey to healing is safe and stable housing. Thanks to a $297K grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Preble Street Anti-Trafficking Services (ATS) will be able to provide this critical resource to even more survivors. The grant funds the new statewide Survivor Rapid Rehousing … Read more

Anti-trafficking service awarded $500,000

The Department of Justice awarded $100 million to help victims and combat human trafficking across the country. Preble Street’s Anti-Trafficking Services will get $500,000 over a three-year period. Those services have already helped 200 people in Maine since it began in 2013, according to Preble Street. In the last year, staff saw a 20% increase … Read more

Initiative focuses on those in grip of trafficking, hidden in plain sight

Preble Street is striving to raise awareness of sexual and labor exploitation and help survivors reclaim their lives. Myriad obstacles stand in the way of well-being and independence for the people Preble Street serves. But for few are the barriers as brutal as for the survivors of human trafficking with whom Preble Street Anti-Trafficking Services works. … Read more

Preble Street Helps Identify Crime of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is not a new crime, but it has recently prompted heightened attention and action among social services, legal services, law enforcement, and the general public. Human trafficking victims/survivors are forced or coerced — through sexual, physical, psychological violence, and/or torture — to perform a variety of labor including sex work, domestic services, childcare, … Read more