Nigerian
women are being trafficked to Italy under the pretence that they will be
working as nannies or in factories – but often end up working the
streets as prostitutes.
Their
plight has been highlighted by Paris-based photographer Elena Perlino,
originally from Italy, who began to notice the presence of young African
women working on the streets during her commutes from Turin.
She
said: 'I decided to start from this surreal vision to tell a story. I
have been working on the topic for several years, focusing mainly on the
Italian connection.'
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| Police control find a Nigerian woman working as a prostitute in the outskirt of Turin
|
Perlino
reveals that many Nigerian women come to Italy hoping to make enough
money from honest work as nannies or factory workers to support their
families back home, but are tricked by traffickers into working in the
sex trade.
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| A Nigerian called Faith having a blood test at the Amedeo di Savoia Hospital in Turin |
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| Nigerian woman Fatima shows the scars on her body due to vicious
fighting with collegues working as prostitutes in the outskirts of
Acerra |
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| Nigerian women in a Catholic shelter for victims of trafficking |
Eighty per cent of women trafficked to Italy come from Benin City, Edo State, in south Nigeria.
The photographer explained: ‘My work attempts to show a complex phenomenon that crosses Italy from North to South.
‘This
involves many cities including Turin, Milan, Genoa, Rome, Naples and
Palermo and thousands of Nigerian and Italian people.’
The
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime declared Nigeria among the top
eight countries with the highest human trafficking rates in the world.
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| A Nigerian in Italy waits for a client in the countryside during the winter season |
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| A Nigerian in Italy waits for a client in the countryside during the winter season |
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| A Nigerian woman in a temporary detention centre |
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| Italian police review the documents of a Nigerian woman working as a prostitute
|
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| A Nigerian woman, working as a prostitute in the countryside, is taken
to a police station because she was found without a passport |
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| This photograph shows a Nigerian woman waiting for a client in the summer season |
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| A Nigerian woman commuting between Turin and Milan on the 4am train
|
Traffickers
demand on average more than 50,000 euros (US $60,000) for travel
expenses and accommodation, with the women having to work as prostitutes
until their debts are paid off.
Eighty per cent of women trafficked to Italy come from Benin City, Edo State, in south Nigeria.
The photographer explained: ‘My work attempts to show a complex phenomenon that crosses Italy from North to South.
‘This
involves many cities including Turin, Milan, Genoa, Rome, Naples and
Palermo and thousands of Nigerian and Italian people.’
The
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime declared Nigeria among the top
eight countries with the highest human trafficking rates in the world.
Culled from UK Daily Mail
