Nigerian women say "No fast-track back to abuse"

dublin | racism & migration related issues | news report

Monday July 11, 2005 14:42

by Dave - RAR

Protestors tell their stories to Indymedia

Dozens of Nigerian women from four local hostels are currently living in fear of deportation - despite their harrowing accounts of abuse. They have called a 1pm protest on Thursday 14th July at Dáil Éireann to highlight their situation.

Below, two of the women explain a little of their stories and the threats they face if returned by Justice Minister McDowell’s fast-tracking policy.

Residents Against Racism is working closely with the women and lending its full support to the protest. Spokesperson Rosanna Flynn commented: “The oppression of Nigerian women is no ‘cock and bull story’. It’s time McDowell started listening and stopped sending women and children back to persecution.”

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My name is *****. I am a native of Modakeke in Osun state. My experience with my in-laws since 2002 was traumatic and agonising.

I was cajoled into bringing my late daughter for circumcision. I could not oppose as a woman my voice was not to be heard and my opinion was insignificant. I have given birth to five children – three boys and two girls. I lost my first daughter ***** when she was five years in 2002 to excessive bleeding.

I fled from Nigeria because my wicked in-laws demanded that I bring my only remaining daughter for the same circumcision that killed her sister. We cannot be safe if we are forced back.

I cannot afford to lose my daughter – I am existing because of my children.

My name is *****. I am a victim of sexual slavery. I am a hairdresser by profession, a single mother of one who was abandoned by my son’s father.

In an attempt to escape poverty I turned to a neighbour who offered to help me, saying that her daughter was in Italy and running a hair boutique and that she would arrange for me to find work in her salon.

Documents were prepared for me and the lady said that rather than pay her I could work in kind for the money to pay her back over a few years.

When I got to Italy, the story changed. Her daughter told me that I was going to be sleeping with men, that she had a brothel not a salon. She demanded that I pay her 55,000 Euros as a fee by working as a prostitute.

I was beaten and molested before - thank God - one of the male clients I was supposed to sleep with helped me escape by running away from Italy.

I cannot hope to clear the debts I was tricked into if I am forced back to Nigeria and they have promised to kill my mother if I return without the money.

This is my story.