Convinced that we will find among you strong support, we believe that civic sense is based on a few simple values, above all, the respect for human dignity and truth. In 2012 Palermo was place of cruel femicides. In particular, the murder of two girls from Nigeria, Favour and Loveth, seems to be a symbol of the indifference from a lot of institutions and media towards the social evils of women trafficking. Yes, because it’s not just about “ prostitution”, but slavery. It is certain that the two women lived in that shadow ignored by most, where the criminality from their native country goes shore to shore ours, where a certain male chauvinist culture, which considers the exploitation of female body as an extraordinary economic resource, meets the legacy of a local eroticism that feeds itself with the taste of submission.
From these deaths raised the protest of a lot of people in Palermo who silently gathered in a torchlight procession and, even before this, on February 6th 2012, have officially constituted the Anti- Human Trafficking Coordination Favour and Loveth, which involved committees, associations and free citizens. The Coordination wishes that, at least in our city, the struggle against slave women trafficking became a priority on the agenda of Institutions, Policy and Investigative Journalism.
It’s not civil cities that one in which few people are interested in examining the connection between Nigerian and non-European criminality in general, which organizes young women trafficking and exploitation, and criminal organizations making profit from this.
It’s not a civil city that one in which the first newspaper article that had announced the cruel homicide of Favour appeared only one month after what happened, and also on frequent request by the Coordination.It’s not a civil city that one in which after all this, when the man who murdered and burned Favour’s body killed himself in prison, on newspapers dominated headings like “Prostitute killer commits suicide”. Meanwhile no reference to the story of the girl or her slave condition, with a misleading effect regarding the message that would have been important to send to citizens.
It’s not a civil city that one in which prevails indifference also toward the attempt on Vivian Wiwoloku’s life, shepherd of the Waldensian and Methodist Church, occurred in recent days in Nigeria and the repeated death threats to him in Palermo. Vivan has fought against sex-slaves trafficking for years, with the purpose; to save these women from the fate that organized crime wants to impose on them.
The struggle against exploitation, violence and trafficking is not to be entrusted only to specialized associations and police. It’s important to spread awareness of this battle for civilians, not just for journalists.
This is why, on occasion of the symbolic delivery of this, our open letter to Journalists, Anti- Human Trafficking Coordination Favour and Loveth
ASK FOR
The official adhesion of Women-Journalists from all local editorial offices to the SIT IN which will take place on THRUSDAY 17TH IN VIA PRINCIPE DI BELMONTE. We hope that they will stand for the usage of a journalistic language that respects a woman’s dignity, whoever she is.
