Changing women status and the phenomena of trafficking and international prostitution among the Benins of Southern Nigeria

Clementina Osezua, Obafemi Awolowo University

The paper examined the changing status of Benin women occasioned by the endemic nature of the phenomenon of trafficking for the purpose of international prostitution in the region. It engaged ethnographic methods of data collection. Findings revealed women enjoyed a higher socio-economic status in their families of procreation especially when they are direct recipients of the proceeds from international prostitution. Again, most mothers of “successfully” trafficked victims wielded greater influence in family of procreation than was the case in traditional Benin family structure as well prior the era of trafficking in the study area. The paper concluded that many uneducated women still perceive trafficking and international as empowering initiatives to protect women from the oppressive culture which hindered their access to critical economic resources, but privileged the male gender.