Christian Groos-Green, an associate professor at the Institute for Intercultural Studies at Roskilde University, says that he has studied Denmark’s African prostitutes for years and concluded they are not unhappy with their work or lives in Denmark.
“It would be wrong to call them happy,” Groos-Green told TV2 News. “There is, however, no doubt they would rather be in Denmark than in Lagos, Nigeria, or a number of other African capitals.”
Groos-Green said the women have opportunities in Denmark they would not have in their home countries.
A family affair
“I have never heard them refer to themselves as trafficked,” he said. “We should give them more respect, better legal status and we should listen to them.”
One of the prostitutes told Groos-Green she has a much better life in Denmark than she had in Mozambique.
“I have since seen more of the world than most of my friends and cousins,” said the woman who called herself Maria.
“The most important thing is that I have been able to help my family. My mother has a new house, my brother was able to buy a car, and I have money to open a hair salon.”
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Groos-Green said that the Africans will do anything they can to help their families, and that Danes do not really understand the women’s motivations.
