Meet Our Founder
Catherine Ann Wilson
Abused repeatedly from first grade on for nearly 20 years of her life, Catherine Ann Wilson spent most of her years from age 12-17 living on the street. By age 15, starving and desperate, she was lured into sex trafficking — taken in and held against her will by a local pimp.
After her escape at 17, she spent the next 20 years tenaciously seeking various forms of therapy to recover from this trauma. Slowly, persistently, she made her way up the ranks to become a national sales manager, earning a six-figure income based 100% on commission. At age 40, she purchased her dream lake house in Maine.
Founding Stop Trafficking US
After finding freedom from her own suffering, she realized that the sexual abuse and sex trafficking that had claimed her life as a defenseless child were unbelievably still happening today, destroying the lives of thousands of children.
Catherine founded Stop Trafficking ME in 2015, now known as Stop Trafficking US, to stop adults from sexually exploiting children. The organization helps prevent child abuse and sex trafficking by educating the public on these topics through free trainings and resources.
Today, Catherine serves on committees as an expert in child sexual abuse, trafficking, and prevention. She is the survivor representative for the White House Human Trafficking Roundtable.
Raising Awareness to Audiences Around the Country
Catherine is bringing the taboo topic of child abuse and sex trafficking out of the dark by having difficult conversations in places that matter.
Catherine Has Spoken At
- The White House & Maine’s Capital
- Military & Law Enforcement Trainings
- High Schools & Universities
- Faith-Based Organizations
- Corporations
- Parent Groups
Catherine Is Featured On
- Strive to Thrive Podcast
- Voices of Hope Podcast
- WMTW News 8 Interview
- WCSH 6 Interview
- And much more!
Special Achievements & Awards
September 2023 Catherine receives the Last Girl Award – presented in NYC, honoring grassroots activists fighting child sex trafficking. Catherine is honored for her work with Stop Trafficking US.
October 2022 Undeletable – 2-Day Free Conference by Stop Trafficking Us, to discuss the cyber threat environment and how we must adapt and focus on the dangers of sexting, cyberbullying, and other predatory behaviors using technology.
May 2022 Catherine receives the New England Patriots Myra Kraft Volunteerism award at Gillette Stadium.
February 2022 Maine Trauma Prevention Conference for teachers, social workers, counselors, child advocates, and law enforcement.
March 2021 2021 Collaborative Child Abuse Prevention Training – statewide event cross-disciplinary training on how to recognize and address child maltreatment in connection with child sexual abuse.
March 2020 Catherine speakers on human trafficking at Bedford Women’s Club with Michael Posanka – Department of Homeland Security of New Hampshire.
January 2020 Catherine was invited to the White House to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sex Trafficking Bill.
October 2019 Catherine was named one of Maine’s Outstanding Women and was invited by the White House to participate as a survivor representative in its Human Trafficking Roundtable.
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