Pathways to sex workers\' social rehabilitation and assessment of rehabilitation approaches in Nigeria: evidence from a qualitative study

Abstract

This article asks three questions: What are the characteristics of the pathways to the sex workers social rehabilitation programmes? How are the sex workers managed in these rehabilitation centres? Which of the social rehabilitation approaches is most effective? Answers to these broad questions helped to unveil the treatment of the victims of sex trafficking their ‘rescue' from traffickers. Using qualitative techniques, data were collected from victims of sex trafficking and officials of rehabilitation centres in Edo and Lagos states of Nigeria. The pathways to social rehabilitation were found to be characterized with activities that negate the human rights of the victims. A comparative analysis of the relative effectiveness of the various rehabilitation options showed that faith-based rehabilitation milieu and approach was the most effective place of rehabilitation. However, the study argues for a fusion of the faith-based and social welfare approaches for the most effective outcome.

Keywords: Sex workers, Pathways, Social rehabilitation, Nigeria

Gender & Behaviour Vol. 6 (2) 2008: pp. 1925-1959