Baltimore, MD

In Baltimore, Sidney Ford works to assist women and young girls involved in prostitution and human trafficking. In addition to her work as the Victim Services Subcommittee chair of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, Ms. Ford is also the founder and director of You Are Not Alone (YANA) Place, an organization that offers support for victims of human trafficking and prostitution.

YANA Place offers alternatives to those in search of change and support for those who have been exploited. Today, the daytime drop-in shelter provides a variety of services, including food, clothing, personal items, trauma counseling and medical assistance. The program helps 40 to 60 women per week, many of whom are repeat visitors.

Through her work, Ms. Ford counsels women who have sold their own children into prostitution. She also trains law enforcement officers to look out for potential red flags of prostitution and human trafficking.

As a Victim Services Subcommittee chair and a member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, Ms. Ford identifies human trafficking cases, coordinates the provision of services, and raises public awareness of human trafficking throughout Maryland.

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