Socio Economic Factors Influencing Young Women's Vulnerability to Trafficking among Residents of Benin City, Nigeria

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 data. 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 in-depth interviews (IDIs), 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 1160 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 Benin City, Nigeria. The third group comprising 10 key-informants (Officials of NGOS, Parents/relations, and Government officials and a community leader) was interviewed using the key In-depth interviews; eight of the deported traffickees were interviewed. Four Focus- Group Discussions were held with parents of vulnerable as well as trafficked but deported respondents. Univariate and bivariate levels of analysis were used to analyze the data. Content analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative data. The findings showed that the fundamental factor in trafficking in young women in Benin City, Nigeria, is large family size, which works in concert with a multiplicity of other factors like educational inequality, mothers’ educational attainment, inferior status/commodification of young women and underemployment to exacerbate the phenomenon of trafficking in young women. The findings equally revealed that those trafficked but deported were vulnerable to some STIs and HIV/AIDS. The study concluded that within the Benin social milieu that young women have become commodities to be traded by their families. It recommends compulsory education for the girl child up to the university level and the financial empowerment for women. Finally, to stem the tide of trafficking in women will involve a synergy of the National agency against traffic in persons and related matters (NAPTIP) , the security agencies, the academia and destination countries.