An investigation into the experiences of female victims of trafficking in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to tell the stories of female victims of human trafficking from Ethiopia. It discusses the causes of trafficking and how it affects the social and emotional well-being of women. The study is conducted using a constructivist framework and involves in-depth interviews with five returnees whose experiences as victims are explored. The goal is to provide insight into the challenges faced by the wider population. Emergent themes in the stories are discussed in line with relevant literature. The study shows lack of job opportunities, limited income, and false promises made by brokers as the major factors drawing women into human trafficking. The findings also show that even after return, the victims experience further difficulties as a result of post-traumatic psychological factors. Looking at the significance of the research outcomes, the gleaned information could be of value for organizations working on migration and countering human trafficking.

KEYWORDS:

• Female
• human trafficking
• migration
• migrant workers
• psychosocial and victims of trafficking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. When the returnees arrange labour migrants in 2002/2003, the amount of money of each returnee owned was 10,000 Birr (1000 USD in 2010). But with increasing inflation rate in Ethiopia since then, labour migrants to the Gulf region and Lebanon currently need probably threefold of this sum.

2. Case 2, one of the research participants interviewed, explaining the challenges she faced on the working and living condition, during the interview, May 2010, Addis Ababa.

3. Case 1, one of the research participants interviewed explaining about the physical abuse she has faced from her employer, during the interview, May 2010, Addis Ababa.

4. Case 5, one of the participants, explaining how the food and sleep deprivation affected severely her health, in the interview, May 2010, Addis Ababa.

5. Case 3, one of the participants, explaining the sexual harassment by her employer, during the interview May 2010, Addis Ababa.

6. Case 4, one of the participants explaining how she was not fully conscious and occupying a space that would have been a seat for 3 people in the air craft.

7. Case 1 explaining that she faced things beyond her expectation in her work place.

8. Case 5 that explained about her food deprivations in her work place.

9. According to Jemal (2010, Personal communication, Ministry of Florien Affairs (MFA)), it is confirmed that repatriation assistance of stranded migrants in the Middle East is usually facilitated by the Ethiopian Consular Mission in the host countries through discussion with the relevant bodies in the destination countries, such as labour office, police and courts. Due to budget constraints, the Consular Mission usually organizes fundraising from the Ethiopian community in the destination to cover the travel cost of the stranded migrants. In cases where migrants are alleged to have run away from their employers and end up in detention centres, the migrants are usually assisted to return home after the Consular Office has checked the necessary requirements. If the stranded migrants have no travel documents, the Mission usually checks their citizenship status by contacting their families in Ethiopia.