Brussels to name street after murdered sex worker Eunice Osayande

BELGIUM: The city of Brussels has said it will name a new street after a murdered Nigerian sex worker, as part of a wider campaign to recognize women in Belgium. The street will be the first named after a sex worker in the country, according to Belgium broadcaster RTBF. 

Late Eunice Osayande  was stabbed to death by one of her customers in June 2018.

Ms Osayande moved to Brussels in 2016 after being lured by human traffickers disguised as  acting agents and film producers, but was forced into prostitution after arriving in Brussels. She was told she owed the smugglers €45,000 (£38,000; $52,000) for her transportation, pimps, and rent.

In the weeks leading up to her death, she had contacted a sex worker charity and informed them that she was being subjected to violence and intimidation at work. She was afraid of going to the police because she was an undocumented migrant.

Ms Osayande’s murder was charged to a 17-year-old man, who is currently on trial. Four members of the trafficking ring were also apprehended and sentenced to up to four years in prison in January of this year.

The City of Brussels said it wanted to draw attention to all the “forgotten women who are victims of human trafficking, sexual violence, and femicides” by naming a new street after Ms Osayande.