Perception of University Students and Parents in Edo State on Factors Influencing Women Trafficking: Implication for Curriculum Review
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
This research is aimed at:
- assessing students (female & male) and parents perceptions of social factors influencing women trafficking in Edo State on the account of
- assessing students and parents opinions on the extent to which financial factors can influence women trafficking in Edo State on the account of
- assessing students and parents perceptions of the extent to which psychological factors can influence women trafficking in Edo State on the account of parental social
- finding out parents and students perceptions of the extent to which religious factors can influence women trafficking in Edo State on the account of religious affiliation.
- assessing students and parents perceptions of the extent to which cultural factors can influence women trafficking in Edo State on the account of parental
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
This chapter reviewed the related literature and thus covered the theoretical framework, definition of concepts related to the problem, as well as an extensive review of available literature on the subject of the research in order to see how the findings of past researchers affected the course of the present research.
Theoretical Framework
The functionalist theory formed the basis or theoretical framework of the research. Functionalist perspectives think of society as a living organism in which each part of the organism contributes to its survival (Schaefer, 2005). This view is the functionalist perspective, which emphasizes the way that parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability.
Talcott Parsons (1902-1979), A Harvard University Sociologist, was a key figure in the development of functionalist theory. He saw any society as a vast network of connected parts, each of which helps to maintain the system as a whole. He added that, the functionalist theory holds that inequality is a benefit to society as a whole because the promise of greater rewards motivates people to take risks, pursue difficult goals, challenge existing ideas, innovate and explore. The functionalist approach holds that if an aspect of social life does not contribute to a society‟s stability or survival – if does not serve some identifiably useful function or promote value consensus among members of a society – it will not be passed on from one generation to the next.
Let‟s examine prostitution as an example of the functionalist perspective. Why is it that a practice so widely condemned continues to display such persistence and vitality? Functionalists suggest that prostitution satisfies needs of patrons that may not be readily met through more socially acceptable forms such as courtship or marriage. The “buyer” receives sex without any responsibility for procreation or sentimental attachment; at the same time, the “seller” makes a living through this exchange. Such an examination leads us to conclude that prostitution does perform certain functions that society seems to need. However, this is not to suggest that prostitution is a desirable or legitimate form of social behaviour.
The rewards associated with women trafficking motivate women to take risks. The risks associated with women trafficking are greater than the benefits. Some women travel by road and sea while few by air. The women are raped and abused. They have no right because some of them are sold into slavery. They also experience a lot of stress on the way. It may take them about three to six months to get to their destinations if possible at all. Some of them get impregnated which makes them to face more risk because they are no longer useful to the traffickers. They may be forced to undertake abortion. No hospitals to take care of the sick. The risks are good as well as the benefits.
The women pursue difficult goals. Their ultimate goal is to make money to solve the financial predicaments in their families. Few of them actualize these goals while more of them do not. Many of them do not get to their destinations. Most of them die of HIV/AIDS and naturally while some are shot by security agents. From all indications, the goals are difficult to achieve.
These women also challenge existing ideas of the communities. Prostitution is not acceptable by the culture of Edo State. It is a taboo in the State. Any woman caught in the act is made to appease the gods of the land. This attitude which is not acceptable in the society is almost becoming legalized by some people as a result of greed.
The aspect of social life does not contribute to a society’s stability or survival. It does not serve some identifiably useful function or promote value consensus among members of the society. Women trafficking should not be passed on from one generation to the next.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter discussed the details of how the researcher carried out the study on “Perception of University Students and Parents in Edo State on Factors Influencing Women Trafficking: Implication for Curriculum Review”. It discussed the research design, the population sample and sampling technique, the research instrument, pilot study, data collection procedure and data analysis techniques.
Research Design
The research design adopted for this study is descriptive survey method. According to Hassan (2005) survey method research involves direct contact with a population or sample that has characteristics personality qualities or attributes, which are relevant to a specific investigation.
Population of the Study
The population of the Universities in Edo State are University of Benin, Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, Benson Idahosa University Okada, Benin City. The researcher used random sampling to select University of Benin and Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma. The population from these two Universities was 66,000 respondents. 40,315 students (21,200 male and 19,115 female) from University of Benin, 25,685 students (14,500 male and 111,185 female) from Ambrose Ali University and 66,000 parents (33,000 male and 33,000 female).
The researcher decided to involve students in the above institutions because majority of them are young adults who are current with contemporary issues like women trafficking in Edo State. The respondents are the same age bracket (young adults) who are likely to be vulnerable to risk- taking behaviours like prostitution and should be able to perceive factors that can influence women trafficking in Edo State. Parents are involved because some of them dispose their property to sponsor their daughters outside the country for prostitution.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
This data was intended to find out “Perception of University Students and Parents in Edo State on Factors Influencing Women Trafficking: Implication for Curriculum Review”. The analysis of the data done in the following order: Data analysis, analysis of personal data, answering research questions, testing of hypotheses and discussion of findings.
Data Presentation and Analysis
The data was collected through the administration of questionnaire. 100 questionnaires were administered to the students and 100 to the parents respectively. The researcher used simple percentage to analyse the personal data of respondents, mean score to answer the research questions and statistical test to analyse each of the hypotheses. The researcher analysed the answers to research questions by using the mean score of 3.0 as the cut – off mean.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
This study, investigated “Perception of University Students and Parents in Edo State on Factors Influencing Women Trafficking: Implication for Curriculum Review”.
Structural questionnaire was used as instrument to collect some useful information from the respondents on the “Perception of University Students and Parents in Edo State on Factors Influencing Women Trafficking: Implication for Curriculum Review”. The questionnaire contains two parts, A and B. Part A contains demographic characteristics of the respondents. Part B contains information on factors influencing women trafficking.
The four points of Likert Scale was used where the respondents indicated their degree of agreement or disagreement to the statement as: SA – Strong Agree (5), Agree (4), Undecided (3), Disagree (2) and Strongly Disagree (1). A total of 200 respondents were sampled randomly from the population of 66,000. 50 students from University of Benin, 50 students from Ambrose Ali University and 100 parents from Edo State. 200 questionnaires were administered to the respondents. The questionnaires were thus, duly completed and submitted. For the demographic characteristics of the respondents, simple percentage was used to analyze them. Mean score and Chi-Square (χ2) were used to analyze the research questions and the test of hypotheses respectively. A number of research and questions and hypotheses were formulated which were subjected to a statistical analysis.
The analysis consisted of the provision of some solutions to the research questions and a test of the study‟s hypotheses. The research hypotheses came out with the following findings:
- There is no significant difference between students (male and female) in their perception of social factors influencing women trafficking. Also, there is no significant difference between male and female parents in their perception of social factors influencing women trafficking in Edo State on the account of
- There is no significant difference between students in their perception of financial factors influencing women trafficking while there is a significant difference between parents in their perception of financial factors influencing women trafficking in Edo State on the account of
- There is no significant difference between students in their perception of psychological factors influencing women trafficking while there is a significant difference between parents in their perception of psychological factors influencing women trafficking in Edo State on the account parental social
- There is no significant difference between students in their perception of religious factors influencing women trafficking while there is a significant difference between parents in their perception of religious factors that influencing women trafficking in Edo State on the account of religious
- There is no significant difference between students and parents in their perception of cultural factors influencing women trafficking in Edo State on the account of parental control.
Conclusion
The functionalist theory formed the basis or theoretical framework of the research. This theory holds that if the aspect of social life does not contribute to a society‟s stability or survival – if does not serve some identifiably useful function or promote value consensus among members of a society – it will not be passed on from one generation to the next.
Women trafficking in Edo State is a clear manifestation of illiteracy, lack of education, greed, poverty, unemployment and corruption that have eaten deep into the fabric of our society. Individuals are strongly left to decide what constitutes proper and social acceptable behaviour in the State. Our women are trafficked abroad through mouth-watering offers for a good life in foreign lands. Reduction on restriction on movement of young women does not make them easy prey for traffickers.
Parents disagreed that women trafficked do not accept the offer as a way of ameliorating the hash economic conditions at home but for their own interest. Parents of the young girls are convinced unto releasing their wards to trafficking just to secure better economic fortunes. Women trafficked are recruited with a promise of good jobs and better living.
Women trafficked are like slaves, have no right and are forced into having sexual intercourse with animals. They are also rejected, dejected and abandoned at the end of the day because their exposure to serious incurable health hazards. In addition, they are threatened with violence, beaten, raped and impregnated are forced to abort the pregnancy.
Women trafficked are directly initiated into prostitution which is an ill-wind that blows the society no good. The women are cut off from virtues of fairness, justice and goodness because they were subjected to oaths and dept bondage until their debt is paid. The victims of traffickers do not see anything wrong with trafficking because of the financial gains involved.
Parents preferred to send daughters abroad because they are more willing to sacrifice themselves for their families to lift them out of poverty. Women trafficked for prostitution cannot call their families to tell them where they have been and what they have done because customs and traditions forbid prostitution in Edo State. Oaths sworn before the shrines for compliance with agreements make young girls easy for trafficking.
Victims are recruited mainly by personal or family friends and acquaintances. The heart of the natural man has been described as deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. A few success stories, usually of victims, who have become madams, have proved sufficient to lure young girls and their relations to be involved in trafficking. Women trafficking is an act which clearly displays no regard for the laws of God and the fact that no matter an individual‟s social or economic standing, he/she is accountable to god for the deeds committed in life.
Finally, the curriculum should be reviewed to reflect skill acquisition to encourage self- employment. This will reduce unemployment and encourage the alleviation of poverty among the young girls in Edo State. Additional skill acquisition centres will help in this direction. Citizenship, Civic and Moral Education syllabus and minimum standard should be reviewed to address corruption and other vices in our society. Value clarification should also be emphasized in the curriculum to address cultural decay in the society. The curriculum should lay emphasis on field-trips to the point of arrival of the deported trafficked women and their rehabilitation centres. This will reposition the minds of the girls who are already nursing the idea of women trafficking in their minds.
Recommendations
On the basis of the findings of the research study, the following recommendations were made. These recommendations apply to both the Federal Government and Edo State Government:
- Federal Government policy on women trafficking must be depoliticised;
- There should be an enabling law that would authorize the confistication of assets acquired fro trafficking to deter traffickers;
- Mount effective campaigns against trafficking, stressing the negative effects such as the risks to which victims are exposed along the routes; the risks they face working as street prostitutes; the risks of HIV/AIDS and other health hazards;
- Address the root causes and associative factors encouraging trafficking in women, such as: societal attitudes towards women; gender discrimination in access to education; large family sizes, high levels of poverty and unemployment in the State;
- Set up more skill acquisition centres where the youth can acquire various occupational skills. At the end of such training, they should be provided with credit to become self- employed;
- Take positive steps to provide employment opportunities for the youth, and create an enabling environment for the private sector to invest and increase employment opportunities;
- Provide infrastructure such as electricity, water, and communication facilities as well as cheap credit for the youth to become self-employed;
- Government should set up effective Rehabilitation Centres, identify some NGOs and draw up a programme for rehabilitation of victims after they have left the Rehabilitation Centres;
- Victims should be assisted to obtain housing and employment. Where they wish to go into self-employment, they should be assisted by the State Government to assess cheap capital to set up their businesses;
- In rehabilitating victims of trafficking for prostitution abroad, victims of trafficking for prostitution within the country should not be left out;
- Rehabilitation Centres should offer counselling services to victims and their relations;
- The Bill on human trafficking already passed by Edo State House of Assembly should be enforced to get the desired result;
- Village heads should set up Monitoring Committees that would create awareness on the problem of women trafficking, so that solution can be found;
- Victims should be treated by destination countries as victims and not as offenders. They should, therefore, be allowed to pick up their possessions and be properly dressed before they are put on board a charter flight to Nigeria;
- This modern form of slavery must be eradicated since the Nigerian constitution is against it. Because of corruption and other associated vices, the traffickers have the money to the victims and can protect themselves fro government interventions. Government must come out with srict policies that will help in the direction of the constitution. Also, religious bodies need to work hard in removing women trafficking in our society so that all human beings can be treated in the same manner.
Suggestions for Further Research
This study has found out the „Perception of University Students and Parents in Edo State on Factors Influencing Women Trafficking: Implication to Curriculum Review‟. Although much has been done in this research, further studies can be carried out to find out:
- Factors Influencing Trafficking of Women for Prostitution as Perceived by Students of Secondary Schools in Edo
- Factors Influencing Trafficking of Women for Prostitution as Perceived by Community Leaders in Edo
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