Pathway to Prevention Dissemination Meeting

slide1. Pathway to Prevention Dissemination Meeting Research Findings on Recruiters of Sex Trafficking in
Oredo LGA, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria September 29, 2020<br>
slide2. Powered by: 02 Powered by:<br>
slide3. 03 Our Agenda Our Agenda Welcome<br>
slide4. Goals for the Dissemination Meeting Goals for Meeting 01 02 Generate 03 04 Generate your input on:
Best practices
Recommendations on areas of further research
Further sources of
evidence regarding
policy recommendations<br>
slide5. Project Objectives Recap of
Pathway to Prevention 05 Project Objectives (i) empower and slave-proof local communities by deterring the recruitment of potential victims for sex trafficking by Enablers (recruiters); (ii) inform prevention strategies and programs through
effective community informed interventions; and (iii) contribute to the growing evidence base of data driven research that will inform policies and programs which support and scale replication of interventions
that target Enablers and empower local communities against them.<br>
slide6. Project Objectives Recap of
Pathway to Prevention 06 Project Objectives Our hypothesis was that as critical, initiating actors, Enablers serve as the link between the potential victim and the trafficker. We hypothesized that breaking their link to potential victims could potentially lead to an overall reduction of trafficking from Edo State.<br>
slide7. Research Methodology Research Methodology 01 02 Cross-Section 03 07 Collected data from a cross-section of Oredo LGA (60%-40% Urban-Rural) Oredo Based Micro-Level<br>
slide8. Research Methodology Primary Sources:

•Micro-level Research to extract Qualitative & Quantitative Data
•Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
•Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
•Distribution of 3,600 Questionnaires (QTN)

Secondary Sources:

•Scholarly publications – articles, journals, monographs, occasional papers
•Other publications – media, official, organisational reports, etc. 08 Research Methodology<br>
slide9. Summary of Findings Demographics Perceptions Awareness Summary
of Findings Awareness and understanding of sex trafficking in Oredo LGA & Understanding Demographics and Profile of Enablers (Recruiters) in Oredo LGA & Profile Perceptions of interventions
in Oredo LGA 09<br>
slide10. i. Awareness of
Sex Trafficking Awareness of Sex Trafficking •Awareness is high and trafficking is common

•99.3% were aware; 92.3% understood trafficking was a crime and 60.1% indicated they
were aware of the penalties

•Television/radio, friends/colleagues/word of mouth, news, social media, and school
were ranked the top 5 ways respondents learned of trafficking

•Nearly 1 in 4 respondents (23.3%) know of someone who has been sex trafficked

•However 43.2% would not know who to inform if they believed there was sex trafficking occurring

•Push Factors

•Poverty, Ignorance, family pressure, status symbol, general insecurity and poor infrastructure 10<br>
slide11. i. Awareness of
Sex Trafficking •Many were aware of the players in the trafficking networks

•Use of guides: provide orientation (of routes and anticipated expenses);
currency exchange; how to avoid armed robbers

•In Nigeria - ‘burgers,’ ‘trolleys,’ ‘connection man’

•In Mali - ‘gid,’ ‘tuwarette,’ ‘bet’

•In destination country- ‘madams,’‘oga,’ ‘boss’ or ‘sponsorer’ Awareness of Sex Trafficking 11<br>
slide12. 12 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Older than potential victims; 44.6% indicated that recruiters were 36-45 years old demographics •73.7% of recruiters were women<br>
slide13. 13 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Recruiters are someone they know or are from the local community

•63.5% indicated it was someone they knew, 5.2% travel agent, 3.6% employment agent

•Only 25% indicated that recruiters were strangers tactics<br>
slide14. 14 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Two Main Categories of Enablers

•Digital Enabler: recruit on various online
platforms (i.e., Facebook/WhatsApp)

•Physical Enabler: in-person recruiter types<br>
slide15. 15 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Two Kinds of Physical Recruiters:

•Helper recruiter - unpaid and may be unaware of
trafficking implications

•Professional recruiter - paid recruiter types<br>
slide16. 16 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Five Categories of Professional Recruiters:

•Purray Boys - young men married to traffickers, based in
Libya or Europe who travel regularly to recruit in Benin

•‘Burgers’ or ‘Connection Man’ - specialize in Libya -
Morocco route

•Voodoo/Juju Priests and Pastors

•Scouters - local recruiters who conduct on the ground
assessments of potential victims before connecting them
to traffickers

•Former trafficking victims types<br>
slide17. 17 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters 72% overwhelmingly believed that Recruiters’ reason for recruiting was “need for money” (as opposed to coercion, social pressure, etc.). motivations<br>
slide18. 18 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters 46% estimated that recruiters are paid between N200,000 - N400,000 per victim, although payments ranged from N50,000 - N4 million payments<br>
slide19. 19 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Recruiters generally inspire with financial aspirations
and rarely with threats
•61.7% promises of fortune/better life
•26.0% reference large amounts of money
•7.1% reassurance of safety
•2.9% mentioned known connection/
community person
•1.6% use threats
•0.8% social shaming if reported tactics<br>
slide20. 20 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Conducting ‘due diligence’ and ‘background checks’
•Demanding secrecy
•Building trust & legitimacy
•Offering ‘free help’
•Offering ‘guidance’
•Offering ‘customized packages’
•Highlighting potential victim’s appearance
•Formalizing agreement with contract forms or oaths schemes<br>
slide21. 21 ii. Profile of Recruiters Profile of Recruiters •Poorest and most vulnerable
•Illiterate and psychologically weak/naive
•Mothers, in an effort to recruit their daughters target victims<br>
slide22. ii. Profile of Recruiters •Complex immigration regulations and fees that
prohibit safe migration

•Community complicity and tolerance

•Endemic recruiting locations

•Online recruiting (ease of) 22 Profile of Recruiters conditions that
allow recruiting to proliferate<br>
slide23. iii. Perceptions of
Interventions •85.6% unaware of "effective programs"
that prevent sex trafficking in Edo

•Edo State:

•43.9% believed there were no persons or entities in Edo State specialized in the fight against sex trafficking and the protection of survivors, 19.4% indicated they did not know

•52.9% indicated they did not know if Edo State had a comprehensive state policy or action plan to combat sex trafficking 23 Perceptions of Interventions<br>
slide24. iii. Perceptions of
Interventions Perceptions of Interventions When asked how effective government efforts were at addressing sex trafficking in the community: 24<br>
slide25. When asked what programs would be most effective in their communities, the top 5 responses were: iii. Perceptions of Interventions Education/increase awareness of job opportunities Education/awareness of potential dangers and risks of being trafficked Perceptions of Interventions Job Opps. 4. Prosecutions 5. Training Opps. More prosecutions of recruiters/informing the public of prosecutions Education/increase awareness of training opportunities More effective law enforcement /increase arrests 25 2. Awareness 3. Effective Police<br>
slide26. When asked who/which groups would they target to prevent sex trafficking: iii. Perceptions of Interventions Perceptions of Interventions 2,420 1,416 669 Parents Religious Orgs Youth Programs Social Clubs Schools 26 2,291 1,521 604 Associations Market-owners Other 187 569<br>
slide27. Conclusions pathway to prevention project Conclusions 27<br>
slide28. Lack of Education Conclusions Conclusions Awareness
is High Conversant on Terminology and Routes and recruiting is pervasive High awareness does not equal high education on the subject or where to get support and also on recruiter mechanisms 28<br>
slide29. Conclusions Conclusions Breaking the link is crucial and possible Breaking the link between recruiters and potential victims in Oredo LGA is both crucial and possible 29 Enablers are entrenched & critical initiators who operate with the same modus operandi Comparison "Poverty" Community members compare their economic conditions to those of their counterparts abroad For Us, By Us Community has invaluable insight to the mechanisms and strategies to prevent trafficking<br>
slide30. Recommendations pathway to prevention project Recommendations 30<br>
slide31. Recommendations pathway to prevention project Recommendations 31 The recommendations below incorporate the community's input and outline broader strategies for the anti-trafficking movement as well as specific recommendations for areas of additional research. •Invest in gathering local community input •Interventions must be community-informed. •Influence the influencers. •The absence of coordination between stakeholders is a gap
exploited by traffickers that should be closed. •Innovate with technology the way Enablers have.<br>
slide32. Recommendations pathway to prevention project Recommendations 32 •Reporting traffickers is a challenge – make it easier. •Abandon the alarmist (“don’t travel!’) messaging that fails to offer
viable and sustainable economic opportunities in Edo. Address the gender disparities that render women vulnerable. •Legislation alone cannot mitigate vulnerability to trafficking. Addressing vulnerability does. •Stakeholders must address the mindset that deems prostitution a viable alternative to poverty.<br>
slide33. Recommendations pathway to prevention project Recommendations 33 •Some of the same preventative measures targeting potential victims
may also be effective on Helper Enablers. •Innovative, alternative forms of employment should be explored. •Increase trainings for all stakeholders, particularly houses of worship and law enforcement •Establish a formal witness protection program to increase successful prosecutions. •Create a toll free anonymous reporting Helpline that simultaneously links potential victims to CSOs
that have free or subsidized economic employment opportunities or trainings.<br>
slide34. Pilot pathway to prevention project Pilot 34 Each One, Reach One Pilot We are launching the 'Each One, Reach One' pilot that will be conducted on September 29, 2020.
The pilot will bring together both survivors and potentially vulnerable young women
(and family members) in Oredo LGA who will be paired together, with the survivor
becoming an ambassador and "my sister's keeper."

Both groups will receive training on the profile of an Enabler,
their tactics as well as when and how to report. Survivors will also be invited to
share from their lived experience to ensure that the potential victims are clear
as to the reality of sex trafficking abroad.

Following the training, the pairs will be tracked for six months to ensure
that the survivor is continuing to mentor the potential victim (and informing her and
her family members of available resources) to ensure that she is slavery proof.<br>
slide35. Additional Research Needed pathway to prevention project Additional Research
Needed 35<br>
slide36. Additional Research Needed pathway to prevention project Additional Research Needed 36 •The dynamics of recruiting for sex trafficking from Edo State, as it relates to geographical/territorial specificities, as well as its intersectionality with other forms of trafficking, including forced labour.

•Addressing the mindset of many in the community in Edo that has
embraced prostitution as a viable alternative to poverty.

•Comparison of Enabler profile and recruiting tactics of Enablers in other
endemic Edo State LGAs to determine whether similarities exist.

•Comparison of recruiting prevalence in Oredo LGA to recruiting in other parts of Edo State where
trafficking is not endemic (such as Edo North) to determine what community postures/
responses to trafficking and/or cultures prevent the proliferation of trafficking
in those areas and whether or not same can be adopted in Oredo LGA.

•Expanding research on the subject of recruiters (and trafficking in general) outside of Oredo LGA
in an effort to compare recruiting tactics, modus operandi, the demographics of
recruiters as well as the success rate of recruiting.<br>
slide37. Additional Research Needed pathway to prevention project Additional Research Needed 37 The impact of various approaches to tackling recruiting (i.e., via primary education, policies, programs on the ground, awareness in rural areas, town hall meetings
which gather local stakeholders, involvement of survivor leaders, etc.),
particularly with reference to children

•The costs of preventing recruiting vs. victim rehabilitation

The incidence of online recruiting vs. in-person recruiting

•The impact of the March 2018 proclamation of the Oba of Benin on recruiting

•The impact of COVID-19 on recruiting from Edo State<br>
slide38. Q&A
Input & Feedback pathway to prevention project Q&A/Input & Feedback 38<br>
slide39. Upcoming
Events pathway to prevention project Upcoming Events 39 Awareness Pilot Further Dissemination of Report<br>
slide40. Thank you! pathway to prevention project www.pathfindersji.org
@pathfindersji www.cleen.org
@cleenfoundation Thank you! 40<br>