AUGUSTA — On Thursday, April 21, Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed into law a bill from Senator Bill Diamond, D-Windham. LD 1943, “An Act To Expand the Address Confidentiality Program to Victims of Certain Human Trafficking Crimes,” helps survivors of human trafficking and childhood kidnapping stay safe from their abusers by shielding their addresses in public databases.
“The Address Confidentiality Program can give survivors the freedom and
confidence to live their lives without fear that their abuser will find their
address and harm them again,” said Diamond. “Just as survivors of domestic
violence, stalking and sexual assault benefit from this program, survivors of
human trafficking and childhood abduction need all the tools and support we can
offer them to stay safe. While we should always be looking to prevent abuse
however we can, it’s also important we support survivors of abuse so that they
can live full and happy lives. I hope that this new law will help expand
awareness about this little-known program to everyone who is eligible and could
benefit by participating.”
State Senator
Bill Diamond
As amended, LD 1943 expands the state’s Address Confidentiality Program (ACP)
to survivors of human trafficking and childhood kidnapping. Survivors of
domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking are currently eligible for the
ACP, which is administered by Maine’s Secretary of State.
The program helps survivors shield their addresses
in public databases so that they are not found and further targeted by their
abusers by providing participants with a designated address. The Secretary of
State’s office also acts as a confidential mail forwarding service for
participants. About 250 Mainers currently participate in the program.
“ACP allows both state and local agencies and the courts to contribute to the
safety of domestic violence, sexual assault, [and] stalking survivors. If this
bill passes, those who have experienced human trafficking and minor victims of
kidnapping will be covered under law. This will deny abusers the opportunity to
use public records as a means to locate them,” said
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in testimony supporting the bill.
“Very similar to victims of domestic violence, a power and control dynamic
exists between those who were trafficked and the traffickers. Numerous
survivors have told me that due to their traumatic experiences, they continue
to see the faces of the perpetrators within their communities and daily life,
even if the perpetrators are in prison. Many have had their traffickers track
them down and contact them years later. This legislation is an important part
in the healing process for survivors and can provide them protections from
future contacts, because the confidentiality becomes an additional mechanism
for safety and security,” wrote
Cumberland County District Attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck in testimony supporting LD 1943, on behalf of the Maine
Prosecutors Association and the Office of the Attorney General.
Diamond sponsored the bill at the request of the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children (NCMEC). That organization was founded by John and Revé
Walsh after the 1981 kidnapping and murder of their six-year-old son Adam,
NCMEC’s mission is to help find missing children, reduce child sexual
exploitation and prevent child victimization.
Mainers can learn more about the Address Confidentiality Program, including how
to apply, by visiting https://www.maine.gov/sos/acp/.
As an emergency measure, LD 1943 went into effect immediately upon being signed
into law. <
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