Out of the Shadows:  Bringing Human Trafficking Issues to the Forefront in Maine Human Trafficking is one of the most serious social issues of our time. It is estimated that globally 21 million people live as slaves today. These numbers far exceed any period of time in history, including that of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Conferences and speaking engagements have become important venues in bringing awareness to this 32 billion dollar industry however, as the industry grows, our need for awareness needs to increase as well. Out of the Shadows: bringing human trafficking issues to the forefront in Maine hopes to do just that on May 13th at 6pm at The Hive, 84 main Street, in Kennebunk.