The University of Maryland SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors provides comprehensive survivor-centered and trauma-informed services that empower sex and labor trafficking survivors to heal and reclaim their lives.
Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary:
A Decade of Serving and Empowering Survivors
Empowering Survivors to Reclaim their Lives
A Rights-Based Approach to Supporting Survivors
A Rights-Based Approach to Supporting Survivors
The SAFE Center takes a rights-based approach to supporting clients, which places justice for survivors at the center of our work and respects survivors’ agency to determine what justice means to them. Our team creates opportunities for survivor leadership and leads strategic policy, research, and advocacy initiatives.
A Comprehensive Approach to Combating Human Trafficking
Services for Survivors
The SAFE Center provides bilingual (Spanish/English) case management, legal immigration, mental health, and economic empowerment services to survivors of sex and labor trafficking.
Policy Advocacy
Informed by our direct engagement with survivors, the SAFE Center works at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for policies that expand rights and services for survivors and seek to prevent trafficking.
Prevention
The SAFE Center takes a systemic approach to prevention by working with students, caregivers, educators, healthcare providers, and other professionals to facilitate the identification of survivors and reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking.
Outreach
The SAFE Center joins tabling and community events, as well as expert panels, to connect with individuals who may be vulnerable to trafficking or who may work with vulnerable populations, enhancing our on-the-ground knowledge of the risks faced in our communities.
Training
The SAFE Center leads trainings on human trafficking trends, the root causes of trafficking, and services available for survivors to raise awareness among social workers, lawyers, worker rights groups, corporate partners, students, and other community members.
- Services
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Services for Survivors
The SAFE Center provides bilingual (Spanish/English) case management, legal immigration, mental health, and economic empowerment services to survivors of sex and labor trafficking.
- Policy Advocacy
-
Policy Advocacy
Informed by our direct engagement with survivors, the SAFE Center works at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for policies that expand rights and services for survivors and seek to prevent trafficking.
- Prevention
-
Prevention
The SAFE Center takes a systemic approach to prevention by working with students, caregivers, educators, healthcare providers, and other professionals to facilitate the identification of survivors and reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking.
- Outreach
-
Outreach
The SAFE Center joins tabling and community events, as well as expert panels, to connect with individuals who may be vulnerable to trafficking or who may work with vulnerable populations, enhancing our on-the-ground knowledge of the risks faced in our communities.
- Training
-
Training
The SAFE Center leads trainings on human trafficking trends, the root causes of trafficking, and services available for survivors to raise awareness among social workers, lawyers, worker rights groups, corporate partners, students, and other community members.
Services for Survivors
The SAFE Center provides bilingual (Spanish/English) case management, legal immigration, mental health, and economic empowerment services to survivors of sex and labor trafficking.
Policy Advocacy
Informed by our direct engagement with survivors, the SAFE Center works at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for policies that expand rights and services for survivors and seek to prevent trafficking.
Prevention
The SAFE Center takes a systemic approach to prevention by working with students, caregivers, educators, healthcare providers, and other professionals to facilitate the identification of survivors and reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking.
Outreach
The SAFE Center joins tabling and community events, as well as expert panels, to connect with individuals who may be vulnerable to trafficking or who may work with vulnerable populations, enhancing our on-the-ground knowledge of the risks faced in our communities.
Training
The SAFE Center leads trainings on human trafficking trends, the root causes of trafficking, and services available for survivors to raise awareness among social workers, lawyers, worker rights groups, corporate partners, students, and other community members.
- Services for Survivors
-
Services for Survivors
The SAFE Center provides bilingual (Spanish/English) case management, legal immigration, mental health, and economic empowerment services to survivors of sex and labor trafficking.
- Policy Advocacy
-
Policy Advocacy
Informed by our direct engagement with survivors, the SAFE Center works at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for policies that expand rights and services for survivors and seek to prevent trafficking.
- Prevention
-
Prevention
The SAFE Center takes a systemic approach to prevention by working with students, caregivers, educators, healthcare providers, and other professionals to facilitate the identification of survivors and reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking.
- Outreach
-
Outreach
The SAFE Center joins tabling and community events, as well as expert panels, to connect with individuals who may be vulnerable to trafficking or who may work with vulnerable populations, enhancing our on-the-ground knowledge of the risks faced in our communities.
- Training
-
Training
The SAFE Center leads trainings on human trafficking trends, the root causes of trafficking, and services available for survivors to raise awareness among social workers, lawyers, worker rights groups, corporate partners, students, and other community members.
The Latest News
July 30, 2026 Source: Marriott International The SAFE Center’s Chief Operations Officer and Chief of Staff, Heidi Alvarez, participated in “Human Trafficking in the Hospitality Industry: Turning Awareness into Action,” a panel discussion at Marriott International’s global headquarters that brought together leaders from across the hospitality industry to explore efforts to prevent vulnerability to
SAFE Center August 25, 2026
At the beginning of May, 65 girls joined the SAFE Center for an engaging leadership retreat experience focused on confidence, awareness, and personal growth. By building awareness, strengthening self-worth, and educating participants on recognizing unsafe situations, the retreat helps reduce vulnerability to exploitation and human trafficking. Tanejah Jones, the lead event facilitator and the
May 7, 2026
Labor and sex trafficking ‘serious issue’ in Maryland: SAFE Center CEO warns Susan Esserman fights for victims of human trafficking By Ruben Castaneda Published: February 16, 2026 Source: The Baltimore Sun Since its founding in 2016, the University of Maryland SAFE Center has helped more than 600 survivors of sex and labor
March 14, 2026
