The experiences of and challenges faced by Nigerian women trafficked for forced labor : implications for faith-based organizations and policy makers

Abstract

The study is an attempt to identify and narrate the challenges faced by and experiences of Nigerian women in transit and destination countries. Although progress has been made in examining different aspects of Nigerians' vulnerability to trafficking in Europe, the literature has yet to focus on the experiences and challenges as they concern only women in Nigeria, transit countries and, more precisely, Italy. In this study, we aim to answer the following questions: (1) What are the socioeconomic characteristics of potential female Nigerian migrants? (2) What are the challenges faced by and experiences of female Nigerian migrants in transit countries like Libya, Mali, and Niger? (3) What are the challenges faced by and experiences of Nigerian female migrants in Europe, particularly in Italy? (4) Is there any platform that can bring together the efforts of faith-based and governmental organizations in this regard? This qualitative study was conducted in Nigeria using a phenomenological approach. The data were collected through key-informant interviews with 18 women who were selected using a purposive sampling method and the data analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Among the findings is that potential Nigerian female migrants are the breadwinners of most Nigerian families, and the pressure on them exposes them to being trafficked. Nigerian female migrants reported physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. The implications of the findings for government at the local, state, and federal levels are discussed.