From Nigeria to Italy: Women trafficked into sex work recount their stories "I had no way out, I needed to pay him... I resembled a detainee"

A Nigerian lady , Victoria, who was told she was going to Italy to study and work afterwards tells her story of how was forced into prostitution and how she sufferered in the hands of her traffickers

''They promised me an education. They promised me if I came with them I could go to school and get a good job" 18-year-old Victoria tells ITV her story from a small cafe house in Turin, a shelter for rescued Nigerian prostitutes.

The promise was the slick patter of a modern slave master, who saw Victoria in her native Lagos back in Nigeria, and realised she was rich pickings. Her trafficker, whom she trusted, said he could get her to Italy.

With little to live for in Nigeria, Victoria found the money to pay and with her head full of teenage dreams of a better life, she went for it. She is one of thousands of Nigerian women who take the gamble every year - the numbers have shot up in the past two years as the traffickers hide their victims in the endless flow of migrants heading to Europe.

Victoria's 2,500 mile journey became an epic of exploitation and abuse. By the time they'd got her to Libya, Victoria had been beaten and forced into prostitution: making money for her trafficker to pay off her now endless debt to him. Her eyes widen as she tells ITV presenter she had no choice. Her dismay is heartbreaking.

"I had no choice, I had no choice! I had to pay him... I was like a prisoner", she said.

But thankfully the shelter we're chatting in is a place of safety. Just a few weeks ago she arrived in Italy by boat via the now well worn route of thousands of Nigerian women. Before the traffickers awaiting her in Italy could pluck her from the crowd, she was spotted by a charity run by Princess Inyang Okokon, who was herself trafficked from Italy to Nigeria, via London, nearly 20 years ago.

Her husband Alberto is happy to admit he was once one of her paying clients.

But when he met Princess, his eyes were opened to the phenomenon of modern slavery: she was trapped in a life of prostitution in Italy, her documents kept by her female trafficker - and with massive debts to pay. He helped her get out. For Princess, Victoria's story is her story.

Comments

"From unremarkable evaluations to utilizing individuals with Master degrees' - Floyd Mayweather offers his declaration

Resigned super rich boxer, Floyd Mayweather, took to online networking to share his declaration on how he changed his life, despite the fact that he dropped out of school. He composed: "It's funny...when I was in secondary school, my evaluations were constantly unremarkable. My emphasis wasn't on getting the most elevated GPA in class. I was centered around getting my mom off of medications and my dad out of jail. This is my declaration! I wouldn't be appraised one of the top, most persuasive performers on the planet in the event that I never let you know the street I needed to make a trip for me to get to where I am. Presently, I glance around and the greater part of my representatives have Masters degrees and 4.0 GPA's. It's one thing to be book keen at the same time, it's something else to have the insight and knowledge to encircle yourself with a group of savvy and driven individuals to support your

Chimamanda Adichie stunning at Paris Fashion Week 2016, and sitting front row

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is pictured on the front row alongside fashion power players to see Dior's creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri debut her Spring-Summer 2017 female-empowered designs which is inspired by the acclaimed Nigerian writer. She donned a long-sleeved frock splashed with a monochromatic graphic pattern and accessorised with a pair of green and magenta shoes. The models glided down the runway to the sound of Ms Adichie's famous 2013 TEDx Talk "We Should All Be Feminists", all sporting T-shirts with the rousing statement. More photos...

Representative Udom Emmanuel's unparalled energy for training in Akwa Ibom State

The education sector in Akwa Ibom State has seen monumental strides owing to the free, compulsory and qualitative education scheme where the cost of education in Primary and Secondary school is free. Governor Udom Emmanuel is committed to achieving a globally competitive workforce, in a world that is increasingly being shaped by technology. There are 1401 public primary, secondary and technical schools,895 private nursery,primary and secondary schools and four tertiary institutions which are supervised by the Governor's special assistants to ensure compliance with the curriculum, education policies and world best practices. In the same vein the government have set up Ict laboratories in some of our public and private schools ,point of factly,the Education Sector has witnessed great improvement under the leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel. The free and compulsory education programme gives every child of school age resident in Akwa Ibom, regardless of state of origin, a...

jar-dora

Search This Blog