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family situation - it is presumed can accept the risks of journey to a far away place,if faced with the possibility of a high income.Identical reasons can apply to the family: although knowing that the daughterfaces a long journey, and aware of the risks - in certain cases even that thepossibility to work is connected to prostitution - the mirage of an easy future suchas that which one can admire looking at the houses of the families where thewomen went a few years earlier to Italy, makes it possible to overcome anyobstacle.The “hooking” completed, a female figure appears on the scene (the so-calledNigerian madam) who will be fundamental in the contacts with the madam inItaly 18 and who often plays an active part in convincing and re-assuring withregards to the journey.Sometimes this madam - who always remains in Nigeria - also assumes the roleof sponsor, financially guaranteeing the journey towards Europe: in this secondcase we are faced with a subject who has acquired a certain amount of importanceand considerable prestige in the eyes of the community, and who has importanteconomic resources.1.2 Deception and awarenessA very controversial point is whether the woman before departure is aware ofthe work activity waiting for her in Italy.To attempt to give an answer it is necessary to take a step backwards and tofollow the story of the birth of the phenomenon until today. From the accounts ofthe victims it seems that the first cases of women who left Nigeria to come toprostitute themselves in Italy, date back to the end of the 80s and beginning of the90s. At that time it was mature women, often widows or separated with children.The image of such women appeared much stigmatised and the informationtransmitted (to be interpreted either in a metaphoric or real manner) seems to havebeen intended to frighten the young girls, who fled from the idea of being forced tohave unorthodox sexual behaviour according to their culture.“At one time the women were older, already married, divorced, with olderchildren who came here to Italy. That mature woman when she returned to thecountry everyone said that she made love with a dog (…). Many people believedthis, the young were afraid that here you make love with dogs, so the young did notcome (…) because in my country the reason is that if someone makes love with adog, they have to die. You cannot live if you make love with dogs. (…) Theneveryone knew that you cannot make love with a dog, here you make love withpeople, so since 1994, 1995 the younger girls arrived ” (Interview Victim No.9).Over the years, at the same time as the arrival of the younger girls, attracted byalluring work offers and the dream of a life in Europe, the information spread in18On point, see chapters IV and V.