Gränsen mellan effektivitet och medmänsklighet : En kvalitativ studie om hanteringen av ärenden där nigerianska kvinnor tvingats in i människohandel genom religiöst tvång

• Main Author: Eriksson, Victoria
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Uppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen 2020
• Subjects: Trafficking; Nigeria; Nigerian women; Voodoo; Juju; Cultural dimensions; Social Sciences; Samhällsvetenskap
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-412408

The following study seek to examine how professionals within different organizations in Sweden work to deal with cases where Nigerian women have been forced into human trafficking through juju-rituals. The aim of the study is to examine how professionals relate to women’s beliefs, what opportunities women have for overcoming this spiritual control, and what strategies professionals use to try to undermine the spiritual control. The following study seeks to answer these questions through qualitative data based on five semi-structured interviews with professionals working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), asylum agencies or as regional-coordinators. The result of the study indicate that the professionals constantly balance between efficiency and humanity in terms of trying to challenge Nigerian women’s perceived spiritual control. The professionals often perceive that there is a limit to how much the women’s beliefs can be called into dispute. Forcing Nigerian women to renounce their juju-faith is considered as a violation of women’s religious freedom.   Furthermore, the result of the study indicates that how professionals relate to Nigerian women’s fear of juju may differ depending on occupational category. The result indicates that law enforcement authorities are more likely to explain the link between human trafficking and the use of juju as brainwash, while other NGOs strive to develop a deeper understanding of Nigerian women’s fear of juju’s subsequent effects. In conclusion, the study's findings show that the professionals claim that Nigerian women have different capabilities for dealing with the situation they are in. That the professionals want the women themselves to be agents in their religious lives indicate a respect for women's right to practice their religion, even if their choices are not an effective solution to their problems.