SGBV

Terrorist organizations openly advocate slavery as a tactic of war. Da’esh has targeted minority groups for forced labour and sexual exploitation. It has established slave markets where women and children are sold with a price tag attached. Men, women and children fleeing conflict are extremely vulnerable to numerous forms of modern slavery, including sexual exploitation, forced labour and even organ trafficking.

In 2016, just over 11,000 Nigerian women arrived in Italy from Libya. That is as an eightfold increase from the numbers arriving in 2014. The International Organization for Migration believes that 80 per cent are trafficking victims destined for brothels across Europe. I have visited Edo state, the main region where traffickers source their victims. This trafficking is especially brutal in nature. Women who insist they will not work as prostitutes are tied up in a position called “the crocodile”. Their hands are tied to their feet and they are left for days without food or water. Some are left to die as an example to others. The Government of the United Kingdom recently announced at least £5 million aimed at work in partnership with Nigeria to help tackle this trafficking at the source.