The Nigerian women are found all over Sweden: in the middle of Stockholm's nightlife, in Gävle, Sundsvall and in many other locations around Sweden. No one knows how many they are.
They have been tricked here by madams, known as the female pimps. All Nigerian women who sell sex in Sweden are victims of human trafficking, according to Simon Häggström, who leads the Swedish police's work on human trafficking.
Cut with rituals- The Madams are often quite difficult to catch, many times they are not even in Sweden. For example, they can control the business from Italy or Germany, but because of this voodoon, this psychological control, the prostitutes will never escape, says Simon Häggström.
He is referring to juju, which can be likened to a West African form of voodoo, used to lace women. By means of ancient rituals with sacrifices of blood, spirits and living animals together with various intimate belongings of the women, they are threatened by illness, madness or even death if they do not pay their debt to the madam. The belief is extremely deep rooted and ot very real.
"A hell trip"Here in Sweden, the prostitutes women from Nigeria are ranked lowest, according to Simon Häggström. They are forced to walk on the street, unlike, for example, the Romanian women who sell sex in apartments. And they definitely earn the least.
- They are in such incredible vulnerability, says Simon Häggström.
- From being recruited in Nigeria to coming to Europe - only it is a hell trip without its equal. And when they come here, they have absolutely nothing. Down here on Stureplan you can get a blowjob for 200–300 SEK. The Nigerian women do not get more money than that.
The money goes to pay off a debt of almost half a million Swedish kronor. It is about what the trip to Europe has cost, but to that is added all other costs such as food and housing.
And the threat from the juju priests is clear.
- The women who go here have invisible guns pressed against their heads, says Simon Häggström.
Watch the documentary Voodoohora in SVT Play.