Source: UMB News | January 23, 2023 Susan G. Esserman, JD, founder and director of the SAFE (Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors — was recognized Jan. 20 by U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin in his “Local Heroes Video Series.” Esserman, a former deputy U.S. trade representative with the rank of […]
Source: U.S. Senator Ben Cardin | December 15, 2022 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today announced introduction of the Continued Presence Improvement Act (S. 5261) to make common-sense improvements to the Continued Presence Program (CP), a temporary immigration status provided to individuals identified […]
Source: WTOP | December 3, 2022 Maryland’s second busiest trauma center is receiving federal funding to help identify and aid victims of sex and labor trafficking. The University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center hospital (UM Capital) in Prince George’s County will get nearly $800,000 from the Department of Justice to go toward screening, […]
College Park, MD | November 30, 2022 The Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awarded the University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, in partnership with the University of Maryland Capital Region Health (UM Capital), a $799,878 grant to establish a comprehensive human trafficking […]
The SAFE Center filed comments urging the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to adapt and deploy existing international trade mechanisms and develop new strategies and tools to combat forced labor on a more systemic basis. Those who exploit and benefit from forced labor create unfair trade conditions, devastate workers, undercut legitimate business, and mislead […]
The SAFE Center partnered with Spectrum Foods and Poultry, a University of Maryland, College Park alumni-owned company, to host a food drive benefiting SAFE Center clients. The food drive was the capstone project of participants in the SAFE Center’s seven-week Survivor Ambassador Internship program, which is a survivor leadership program developed and run by the […]
SAFE Center Research and Program Coordinator Sophie Aron was named Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Human Trafficking Prevention Committee last month, after 3 years of working closely with the committee. Ms. Aron joined the SAFE Center in 2019 after earning her Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. […]
Source: The Washington Post | March 31, 2022 If an adult pays to sexually abuse a child, that child is a victim. The adult is the criminal. But under the law, that’s not always true: In 23 states, it is still possible to prosecute a child for prostitution. Maryland may become the next state […]
Source: UMB News | February 2, 2022 While many advances have been made in the last two decades since landmark measures were put into place to combat human trafficking, a lot of work remains to be done and federal and international representation must continue to be involved. That was the overriding theme of […]
This January, during Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the SAFE Center developed and hosted a high-level, virtual two-panel program featuring leaders from across the U.S. government, international organizations, and the survivor community. These experts delivered insights into recent developments in U.S. anti-trafficking policies and programs, and updates on important international issues in the anti-trafficking field. The University […]
