The Grass is Greener on the Other Side of the World : A Case Study on the Causes Behind the Human Trafficking of Nigerian Women in Italy

Trafficking of Nigerian women in Italy have been ongoing since the 80’s. However, the number of Nigerian women being trafficked in Italy is increasing. This study examines why Nigerian women are migrating to Italy despite being aware of the risk of being endangered to human trafficking. Six experience workers from different organizations who help the victims/survivors of Nigerian human trafficking were interviewed. The transcription from the interviews served as a primary data in this study. New economics of Migration of labor migration theory, Migration network theory and human trafficking were used in the analysis of the primary materials. This study shows that Ignorance, poverty, family pressure, social ties, Gender-based violence, and unemployment are the factors that motivates Nigerian women to migrate to Italy. This study contributes to the limited studies conducted on the trafficking of Nigerian women to Italy.