"Because I am a Foreigner"

Half way through Beryl’s book, I could not help but give her a ring to tell her that she should do her best to get her book published into the Greek language to reach local hands. She agreed with my suggestion. A couple of hours later I finished reading the book. I must be honest here and note that I’m not a big reader, but this book really burnt my hands while I read it.

“Because I am a foreigner” (Migrant women in Cyprus speak out) is explicit oral testimonies by muted voices of female migrants living in Cyprus. It investigates women from four different areas: domestic workers, the sex industry, women married to Cypriots, and refugee women. Beryl’s transcriptions of her interviewees’ experiences uncover stories of racism, xenophobia, trafficking of women, labour exploitation, corruption and sexual harassment. Nothing is hidden from the reader. It’s all laid out on the pages in black and white.
You cannot help but ask yourself,
“Shit! Does this really happen in Cyprus??”

Truth is you’ll never read these stories in the newspaper. You will never see these faces on the evening television news. You will never hear these voices over the radio. But if you do, 9 times out of 10, the stories reported merely touch the surface and lack further investigation. Little is done to raise awareness on the issue. The stories within the book simply prove that the system does not work. It proves that the system is full of loop holes allowing migrants to continually be exploited, including their rights be violated while their exploiters get away with it clean.

I was so happy when I heard that Beryl is coming out with this book. It is very encouraging to see other migrants standing up for their rights.

Beryl has blown the whistle. Time to take action.



“Because I am a foreigner” – Migrant Women in Cyprus speak out
By Beryl-Adolphs Nalowa Esembe
On sale at Moufflon Bookshop


Did you know that women in the sex industry in Cyprus are mostly trafficked women?

Read the following online articles:

Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery
- the U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2005:

The "Natasha" Trade - The Transnational Shadow Market of Trafficking in Women
- by Donna M. Hughes - University of Rhode Island