African Traditional Religion and Voodoo Rituals in Cases of Nigerian Sex Trafficking. Application of an Integrative Theological Method

Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject Theology - Practical Theology, grade: 7 (UK Higher Education), London School of Theology, language: English, abstract: This essay will utilize an integrative theological method to examine the theology behind African Traditional Religion and its use of juju in cases of Nigerian sex trafficking. An integrative theological method approaches theology by focussing on the epistemological sources of Scripture, tradition, reason, experience and community and their interpenetration. This essay is especially aimed at equipping those among African Christian diaspora communities as well as NGO's in their work to assist Nigerian trafficking victims within Europe. Reports of Nigerian and other West African women migrating into EU member states then being forced into prostitution are on the rise at alarming rates. This form of labor exploitation has been defined as sex trafficking based on the UN Trafficking Protocol and is considered to be one of the most urgent human rights abuse issues of our time. The methods behind sex trafficking carry distinct traits in different parts of the world. There is, however, a particularly beguiling element to Nigerian sex trafficking - the use of juju (voodoo) rituals as a tool to mentally enslave victims. This element has captured the attention of both state actors and European society on a larger scale. This form of control has been especially challenging to navigate for law enforcement and NGO organizations within the EU, since the controlling factors are built upon belief systems that are radically different to their own.