here - Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo
here - Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo
here - Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo
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In this variegated framework, the deception/self-deception dynamic is carriedout through the active role of the family and passes through the activation ofloyalty of belonging of the victim (even using, as we will see, a magic-religiouspact).The opportunity offered to girls with precarious economic situations and/orwith great aspirations, is a strong grip on them as it is seen as the only possibility toleave Nigeria and to have an easy life for her and the family. Belief in what hasbeen promised without much study of the truth of the proposal because deep downno one wants to give up their own dreams, above all if it is your family that ispushing you.According to many operators, among the reasons that push the family “topretend not to see” or even to knowingly send the girls on the street of traffickingand prostitution, as well as being at the base of the autonomous determination ofsome girls and women, a role which is not secondary, is represented by the strongpermeability of the Nigerian culture to values of riches and well-being promised bythe West 19 . On the other hand one should consider that Nigerian prostitution in Italyhas as a result in Nigeria, the sudden and evident enriching of some family groupswho before were in situations of poverty. Examples of success and terms ofparagon are used to show to the girls that need to be convinced to undertake thejourney. Such activity is seen as the quickest and most effective means to changethe social status of the entire family group.“Because t<strong>here</strong> they have this way of thinking «If she went, and returned toNigeria so rich, you are more beautiful than she is…». And if you reply «ButMummy t<strong>here</strong> are those that die in Italy». And the mother «But that is not yourdestiny my daughter, now I am going to those who make wodoo to see how thisstory of the journey is». The mother goes and is told «Everything will go alright,she will return very rich». She comes back and says to you «go, I am behind you»”(Interview Victim No.8).In this case the deception or self-deception is in denying the dangers and thefailures and referring only to examples of success.And these examples are also the reference for the girls who seek to find a wayto depart on their own or accept the proposal of some acquaintance without t<strong>here</strong>being an active role of the family or even against the will of the parents. In fact,t<strong>here</strong> is no lack of cases w<strong>here</strong> the family and the parents are against the departure,aware of the dangers which the girl will face. It is difficult to evaluate the strengthof the contrasting situation, but what emerges from the evidence is that t<strong>here</strong> areseveral cases of flight without the consent of the parents.19A police operator remembers what a woman said “this girl had a good cultural preparation, a diplomaor degree and expressed herself very well in English; she also had a normal social position in Nigeria, Ican’t say wealthy, but she was comfortable she came <strong>here</strong> to find a better economic situation (…) so shetold me what the problems were in Nigeria which pushed all these girls to come to prostitute themselves:they were from the South, in this part of the South of Nigeria bordering the sea t<strong>here</strong> are oil wells of Agipand other oil companies t<strong>here</strong> was some economic availability and t<strong>here</strong>fore the Italians and Europeanswho worked t<strong>here</strong> to have sexual intercourse “had to go to” the prostitutes and t<strong>here</strong>fore it was they whomade the network understand that prostitution could pay”.