Survival Inside Systems

Criminal Justice policy advocates for whole-system responses to rehabilitate justice-involved women in the community. However, research shows that responses are often fragmented and lacking in theoretical detail. This session draws on new research that explores how lived experiences can provide new insights into how systems operate, bringing to life important foundations for future directions and policy.

Human trafficking is a global concern, with a high number of vulnerable people trafficked to multiple parts of the word for various reasons. As researchers, we are particularly interested in the case of women trafficked from Africa into the sex industry in Europe. Despite multiple efforts to combat sex traffickers, Nigerian women selling sex in European cities are becoming more visible. Thus far, studies in this field have given us a range of explanations to help us understand 'why' the women turn to prostitution and how or why they come to Europe. Most indicate that these are women who dream of a better life in Europe but face a very difficult reality once they arrive. However, very few studies focus on exit strategies and what happens to Nigerian women who choose to leave sex work.
Our talk starts with one woman whose journey from Nigeria to Italy is both harrowing and redemptive. Drawing on her journey from ‘sex slave’ to campaigner, we discuss what criminologists can learn from victims of sex trafficking. We argue that if human trafficking and sex work is to end, criminologists must not only listen to marginalised voices but take these seriously by allowing their cases to inform policy and practice.

The Angolan Civil War, one of the longest and most devastating conflicts in post-colonial Africa, began immediately after Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975. From 1975 to 2002, the ruling MPLA, backed by Cuba, the Soviet Union, and other Eastern European nations, fought against UNITA, which rejected the MPLA’s authority and received support from countries including South Africa and the United States. The war brought widespread destruction and pervasive hardship, particularly for those living in rural areas, many of which remain heavily contaminated by landmines. Although the conflict officially ended in 2002, landmines continue to threaten countless Angolans, highlighting the ongoing need for awareness and intervention. Within the scope of the “Our Society” theme, this research focuses on women whose experiences have often been overlooked. Their stories, drawn from interviews with female landmine survivors, illustrate the enduring human costs of war and remind us—members of a global community—of the lasting impact violence can have on everyday lives, decades after the fighting has ceased.