The counselling centre for survivors of sexual abuse and violence Stígamót believes that some women from Nigeria seeking asylum in Iceland are victims of human trafficking.
Seven women from Nigeria have sought asylum in Iceland this year, RÚV reports. Guðrún Jónsdóttir, the director of Stígamót, told reporters that some of these women had been sold to criminals and separated from their families, later to be forced in to prostitution. They arrived in Iceland due to pregnancy, they told her.
“I can think of no other explanation that these are victims of human trafficking here,” Guðrún said. “The problem is we can’t get behind the surface, to those who have put them in this situation.”
According to asylum seeker regulations, women are not given priority over men, but when there are children involved, immigration authorities take this into consideration when making their decision on whether to grant asylum, or deport them.
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