“You are merely a Nigerian prostitute”: Sexual stigma and labeling of Nigerian victims of trafficking in Italy

Author: Adeyinka, Sarah; Lietaert, Ine & Derluyn, Ilse

Abstract: Considering the high number of Nigerian women in prostitution in Italy, many of whom are forced into it as victims of trafficking, this population is often confronted with negative perceptions and stigmas, and constantly experiences “sexual stigma.” Owing to the stigmatization and racial profiling that they encounter while traveling to Italy via the central Mediterranean route, they become more vulnerable to exploitation and different forms of abuse. However, little is known about the extent of the stigma, in particular, sexual stigma that these women and girls are confronted with during their migration journeys, after escaping the trafficking networks, and how they attempt to cope with these experiences. Using an intersectional approach which includes the participants’ identity as women and girls/female and Black, we analyzed the narratives of young Nigerian women and girls in Italy, as part of a longitudinal, qualitative study. Our findings show that these women and girls were and still are confronted with frequent and overt expressions of stigma and labeling, in particular sexual stigma, relating to participants’ gender, nationality, Blackness, and (perceived) migratory status. Constantly being approached to do the forced prostitution work that they escaped, they either avoid and isolate themselves from the Italian society or try to accept stigma as part of their daily realities. Demonstrating the far-reaching prevalence of (sexual) stigma in the lives of these women and girls, this will hopefully inform practitioners and policymakers about the impact and ripple effects of stigma and labeling, and the urgent need for relevant interventions.

Keywords: human trafficking, intervention, stigma, sex work, intersectionality, female attitudes, narratives, sexual attitudes, society