Trafficking Women from Nigeria to Europe

by

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION2

BACKGROUND3

DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS5

VICTIM6

THE NIGERIAN SETTING6

DESTINATION ITALY28

THE EMIGRATION PACT29

TREND AND FORMS OF TRAFFICKING IN WEST AFRICA31

HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES EXPERIENCED BY TRAFFICKED VICTIMS33

VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING35

TRENDS IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING36

CAUSES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING37

CORRUPTION AND THE ABUSE OF INFLUENCE38

HIGH PROFITS AND LOW RISK39

RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS40

BEING BORN IN TO SLAVERY41

USE OF FORCE41

FRAUD42

COERCION43

SEVERE FORMS OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS43

SEX TRAFFICKING44

ACTIVITIES OF WOCON IN THE PROTECTION OF TRAFFICKED VICTIMS45

CHALLENGES- PROTECTION OF VICTIMS AND LAW AND POLICY REFORM46

PREVENTION OF TRAFFICKING IN HUMANS48

PUBLIC AWARENESS AND INFORMATION49

PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING49

LACK OF EFFECTIVE BORDER PATROL50

LACK OF LEGAL FRAMEWORK50

SUCCESSES51

ROUTES AND STRATEGIES52

A SELF-REPRODUCING ORGANIZATION54

CONCLUSION54

REFERENCES56

Introduction

The Western European prostitution market has become increasingly globalized during the past 15 years. The processes by which Eastern European, Southeast Asian, Latin American, and Sub-Saharan African women end up as sex workers in Western Europe are highly varied.

The largest group of prostitutes from Sub-Saharan Africa comes from Nigeria, and they are usually recruited through a specific type of trafficking network. The term "trafficking in persons" is restricted to instances where people are deceived, threatened, or coerced into situations of exploitation, including prostitution. This contrasts with "human smuggling," in which a migrant purchases services to circumvent immigration restrictions, but is not necessarily a victim of deception or exploitation.

In West Africa, there is widespread trafficking in women and children within the region as well as to overseas locations.

Nigeria has signed and ratified the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, often referred to as the Palermo Protocol. Domestic legislation and legal practice in the area of trafficking remain erratic, however.

Among the other countries in the region, Ghana has been commended for successful anti-trafficking initiatives, while Equatorial Guinea — despite its oil wealth and ample resources — has failed to address the problem and is a hub for trafficking in women and children.

Background

The phenomenon of human trafficking or modern-day slavery has received increased media coverage globally; this is because millions of people around the world suffer in silence under slave-like conditions of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation from which they cannot free themselves. Human trafficking not only continues but appears to be on the rise worldwide primarily because most countries are involved in human trafficking to some extent, either as a place of recruitment, transit or the destination for trafficked individuals.

This essay addresses the phenomenon of human trafficking as a form of victimisation and will define key concepts, identify and discuss victims of human trafficking and its trends. The discussion will further look in to the causes of vulnerability to trafficking, reasons for trafficking, how people get be trafficked and the responses or courses of action to reduce human trafficking. A case study of recent trafficking issue will also be provided to show the reality of the problem and lastly the conclusion will sum ...