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new dispositions and contacts to continue the journey. In this case the womenenjoy a certain autonomy for a part or for the entire duration of the journey. Theymanage autonomously their travel documents and money (generally 1,000 USD orEuros) provided to them on departure. Once arrived in Italy, the documents andremaining money are taken away and with this any illusion of autonomy.Sometimes the moving by air takes place in small groups of 3 or 4 persons. Inthis case there is generally an escort and each of the components of the groupinterprets a role corresponding to what is written on the travel documents.“There were four of us. So I was the friend of his wife, another girl was hiswife, the other two were going to do business, but we were all accompanied”(Interview Victim No.7).Such small groups, once the air journey is finished can continue the journeywith the same accompanier or divide up and follow different routes with differentaccompaniers responsible for the different parts of the journey. Along the journeythe girls often find hospitality in houses of co-nationals which are reception andsorting points.Speaking with the victims it appears that with short journeys by air, withdeparture from the airport of Lagos and destination in Western Europe, there haverecently been difficulties because of more controls. Such difficulty has in part beenovercome through different choices of the departure airports (from other Africancountries such as Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali) and/or the use ofdisembarkation at airports in Eastern Europe. Amongst these airports, Budapestseems to be particularly used.From the accounts there emerges an organisation dedicated to the traffic ofhuman beings well placed in the Eastern European territory and which the Nigeriancriminals use to bring the girls illegally into Italy to place in prostitution. From theaccounts of the women it seems that among the “white” people accompanyingthem, who operate to permit the passage between the Eastern European countriesand in particular the crossing of the Italian-Slovenian border, there are Italians.Generally, after arrival in Budapest with a direct flight from Nigeria or otherairports in nearby states there follows a stopover period, which can vary from somedays to some weeks, during which the victims are hidden in rooms, or undergroundin private houses. The reason for such stopovers probably is because of thenecessity to regroup a conspicuous number of persons to undertake the long movetowards Italy. What characterises this route is in fact the presence of large groupscomposed of immigrants of different nationalities.The journey, which starting from Budapest arrives at the Slovenian border,includes a long overland journey in covered trucks or wagons and on foot overimpervious ground, usually at night. The journey can last a few days, or evenmonths: “depending on luck”, state the victims. What is certain is that thetraffickers finish their work using every method to overcome the difficulties thatthey encounter along the way and to bring their “merchandise” to destination.As far as the other possibility, represented by overland journeys, with cars,buses or other means, the witnesses speak about long and often tragic movements