here - Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo

The Nigerian community and the extended family are the main resources forthe girls that leave the prostitution game alone. To them the girls make referencefirst, with an unusual capacity in other ethnic groups to move rapidly and alone, tofind new hospitality, help, and work. Beside practical and logistical support, theextended family plays an important role of moral sanction regarding the choice ofthe girl in this phase, in the sense that the consent of the family is often a necessarycondition for the choice of future life.There are then situations in which the end of the exploitation does not comefrom the payment of the debt, but coincides with the escape of the girl. Those whochoose to flee normally have the support of a friend or parent resident in Italy who,after a long period and many difficulties, is fortunately contacted secretly; oftenthis person participates in the escape, providing practical support and offeringhospitality.“I called my sister who is in Italy, who said to me «it is four months that I don’tknow where you are». She asked where I was, I said Turin, she said she was inUdine, which is far from Turin. I said I don’t want to go on the street any more (…)my sister called her husband who came by car. I told the other girl (who was withme): come with me, no one will know we have escaped, they will think the policetook us, but she was frightened (…) so I escaped ” (Interview Victim No.12).Often it is a friend/client the person who pushes the woman to escape,providing psychological and material support which she needs to take this step.“M. was never with me, he is a friend, an old man, and one who has alwaysgiven me the courage to escape, but I never had it, he always said «Escape! I willtake you to the police, I will make you tell everything» but that courage was notthere…he helped me very much (…). That day I said to M. that I wanted to escapeand wanted to go to my cousin (…) only one girl who was my best friend knew. Sheshould come with me, then at the last moment she did not have the couragebecause her mother was frightened to fight with these persons ” (Interview No.7).It is important to underline the fact that support from the family and, evenmore, being able to understand or accept the refusal of the girl, is fundamental inthe case that she decides to not pay the debt and escape. The retaliation on theoriginal family nucleus is in fact immediate and the parents of the woman must beable to put up with it to allow the girl to feel free.“Listening to my mother with courage I said «Thank God». I was frightenedthat they would go to do harm, then I understood that my mother would not allowit; my brother would not allow them to do anything (…) they went with theintention to blackmail. My mother said «My daughter, I cannot find her, you giveme back my daughter and I will give you money, if I don’t see my daughter forgetit». He knew that my brother could make them pay; my brother said «You hadcourage to take my sister to Italy to become a prostitute, I will kidnap yourchildren, I will make you pay sorely» (…). So when he understood my familywasn’t joking, when he returned (to Italy) he went to my cousin and went to begher that if she heard from me to call the house to say I was alright” (InterviewVictim No.7).