Religious beliefs and ritual oaths in the trafficking of African women in Europe

The aim of the project is to discover, describe and generate knowledge about how religious rituals and oaths are used in trafficking and prostitution of West African girls and women in the European sex industry.

By focusing on the importance of cultural and religious norms and beliefs, the researchers in the project, led by Anne Kubai, will investigate possible underlying factors for this particular form of human trafficking that goes beyond the well-established explanations of gender and economics.

The role of religion in human trafficking is often ignored or completely misunderstood. Many of the girls and women who are recruited and then exploited for prostitution are bound by ritual oaths. Oaths are effective and powerful tools both in recruiting and in retaining women, as the prevailing notion is that anyone who breaks an oath risks himself, or someone in his immediate vicinity, suffering fatal horrors. This results in most people feeling that they have no choice but to fulfill what the traffickers, madams and pimps order them to do. Ritual oaths have therefore been given a key role in trafficking West African girls and women for prostitution in Europe.

There is also a lack of knowledge about how religious and cultural customs and practices such as vidomegon (creating good relationships with rich families by placing young girls with them) Trokosi (“slaves to the gods”) and Wahaya ("the fifth wife") can be exploited by both girls' families and traffickers for recruitment to Europe.

Another important contribution is that the study also sheds light on women as perpetrators of violence. Previous research on human trafficking and prostitution has revealed female violence against other women, although it is an important factor in this form of modern slavery.

The researchers in the project want to deepen the understanding of female violence against other women by examining the participation of the so-called madams. They play a key role in the prostitution network's prostitution activities, both in recruitment and trafficking, but also in keeping women in sexual slavery.

The study is transnational and field studies will take place in both Europe and West Africa. In Europe, the studies will focus on Sweden, Norway and Denmark, supplemented by field studies in Italy and Spain.

In West Africa, field studies will be conducted in Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Niger in collaboration with local researchers and universities. This will result in valuable insights from local juju priests and other religious "specialists" who perform the rituals before the women travel to Europe. Some of the women who have been trafficked who have returned home will also be invited to participate in the research.