<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"State officials met Monday to discuss human trafficking in Maine since laws were enacted two years ago.Click here for videoAuburn Police Chief Phil Crowell spoke at the Maine State Advisory Committee meeting held at Lewiston City Hall, asking for more resources for an aftercare system for victims.\"I think everyone is looking at this issue with a very different lens and through that lens, we're being able to identify what trafficking is and able to put a stop to it,\" said Crowell.He said human trafficking is a long term process and putting victims in jail for a short stint is a disservice because it doesn't help them break out of the cycle.\"There are no happy hookers. It is not enough to prosecute those putting these victims in these situations. We need to help the victims get sober, get well and get out,\" Megan Elam, assistant district attorney of Cumberland County said.Elam said there has been a new legislative label in the past two years that has made people more aware of sex trafficking, but it does not mean sex trafficking is a new problem in the state. She said awareness is growing, which is key. She said sex trafficking is happening in big and small cities, urban and rural in the state.District 127 Rep. Amy Volk said people need to be aware of suspicious activity and contact law enforcement if they see anything of concern like random cars with out of state plates constantly visiting a certain house.She believes sex trafficking is becoming a bigger problem because of increased drug trafficking.But, she said until it was a law, many officials didn't realize it was a problem.\"In speaking to law enforcement that they can look back on cases that they investigated in the past and now the light bulb goes off of, 'Oh wow, that person was being trafficked against their will,'\" said Volk.Volk said sex trafficking can happen anywhere and once people accept that, there will be more awareness and more help for victims."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.wmtw.com/article/law-enforcement-more-resources-needed-to-fight-human-trafficking/2002810>