Socio Economic Factors Influencing Young Women’s Vulnerability To Trafficking Among Residents Of Benin City, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The existence of Nigerian trafficking syndicates in places such as Botswana, Malawi, Italy, and Spain is evidence that the phenomenon of trafficking in young women is not only transnational but has become a global scourge and in Nigeria, it has become a major social problem. Unfortunately, there exists little awareness of the ramifications and dynamism of this phenomenon in Nigeria due to the dearth of empirical date. This study set out to ascertain the socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing young women's vulnerability to trafficking in Nigeria, using Benin City as a case study. Considering the fact that trafficking in young women cross cuts various issues such as sex, money, migration and labour, the study set out to ascertain the impact of family size, the effect of education and the consequences of peer influence on the trafficking of young women, It also sought to determine the impact of unemployment, the effects of mother's education and the implications of trafficking on the reproductive health of those trafficked but deported. In addition to providing insight into the commodification of young women as well as generate data for advocacy and empowerment initiatives.

The study employed an eclectic methodological approach comprising four key methods of investigation- cross sectional survey method, Individual h-depth interviews (IDs), key informant interviews (KIIS) and focus group discussions (FGDs) to interrogate the phenomenon. The theoretical thrust of the study was eclectic. Five theories were reviewed spanning sociology, gender, migration and criminology. Family theory, world systems theory, gender theory, wealth-flow theory, the push-pull theory, the theory of differential association, and the theory of Anomie were fully explored to explain the phenomenon. In the survey, a total of 1760 respondents were sampled in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The 1160 respondents were sub-divided into three groups. The first group consists of 915 young women (aged 15-25 years) who fall into the vulnerable group. They were randomly sampled from the three local government areas in Benin City, Nigeria while the second group consists of 235 trafficked but deported young women whether rehabilitated or undergoing rehabilitation) purposively selected from two rehabilitation centers in BeninCity, Nigeria.