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of a different culture is very important. The problem is often seen to be the vivacityof the Nigerian women, together with the tendency to recreate the conditions of anexclusive sharing with the girls of their own nationality.The questions linked to a certain “cultural dissonance” 84 - for obvious reasonsless marked in the victims from East Europe - emerge when it is necessary to fixand to respect some regulations, either in the community life, or in the experienceof the start of work. In the testimony collected, the Nigerian girls clearlyunderstand the hierarchical relationships, but they have difficulties in respectingsome agreed rules, such as tidiness and punctuality. The work of the operatorsoften is concentrated on these preliminary elements which can be fundamental inthe moment of starting work. In some cases, the Nigerian girls seem to find it moredifficult than others to respect the implicit pact which is present in the workrelationship.“The big work to be done in the phase of tutoring for insertion in work is toexplain the rules of work well. Things which we usually consider normal are notnormal; for example: to arrive on time, or to advise when you don’t go to workbecause you are ill, the fact that the employer is an employer and not an owner. Itis necessary to communicate the regulations well” (Associazione On the Road -Martinsicuro).Even if the market offers always more opportunities to work in the field ofdomestic and personal help (domestic, carer, baby sitter), some associations havementioned a lack of success in starting the Nigerian girls in this type of work.“The Nigerian women are not suited for domestic work, objectively, because oftheir culture. They want to work in a factory or autonomous work” (CentroFernandez - Castelvolturno).Factory work seems to be, overall, very much appreciated by the Nigerian girlsinserted in projects ex Art. 18. Amongst the explanations emerging: the low levelof schooling of many girls, the subjective perception of a “sure” job, the gooddisposition towards practical work. Frequent destinations are also hotel structuresand commercial activities, tailoring, shoe making.AutonomyAutonomy of life of the victim is the objective which the organisationsinterviewed follow with different means and timing. Some consider that it is anobjective to pursue as soon as the psychological, formal (permission to stay) andeconomic (possession of work) conditions permit. Others seem instead to preferlonger paths, in which the victim is free to choose and adopt, at least for some time,or to abandon, the life of community sharing offered by the organisation (generallyclearly of religious vocation).In the first case they try to stimulate the woman to seek, for example, anautonomous lodging, and work “on the market”, considered necessary for a free84An operator interviewed has however, underlined the fact that the Nigerian women are more sincereand spontaneous, while more frequently the women of Eastern Europe have ambiguous attitudes in theirdaily relations.