995:
1005:
419:
100:(General Directorate of General Security), who set strict regulations. The women working in the clubs must be foreign nationals, Lebanese women are not allowed in the clubs. The migrant women must have a contract to enter the country, and are issued with an 'artiste' visa, to which strict conditions are attached.
103:
The women must be at the club between 8pm to 5am, Sûreté or police may enter the club at any time to check the artistes are all present. The women must live in a hotel room, often adjacent to or in the same building as the club. They must be in the hotel between the time they finish work (5am) until
183:
Lebanon is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and a transit country for
Eastern European women and children subjected to sex trafficking in other Middle Eastern countries. Women from Eastern Europe and North Africa enter Lebanon to work in the adult
168:
brothels, both located in the
Maameltein area which is known for its red-light district. The majority of the women and girls were recruited from Syria with false promises of work and subjected to commercial sexual exploitation where they experienced mental, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as
159:
has led to an influx of Syrian refugees into the sex trade in
Lebanon. Syrian women and girls are highly vulnerable to sex trafficking. Some adult refugee women have been coerced into prostitution. A forced prostitution ring, run by a Syrian pimp, was dismantled in 2016 by Lebanese police, which
195:
In 2016, the internal security forces (ISF) anti-trafficking unit investigated 20 cases of suspected trafficking, involving 87 victims of sexual exploitation and child trafficking, and referred 26 suspected traffickers to the judiciary. The directorate of general security (DGS) investigated 14
72:. The bars are licensed, but not for prostitution. They usually have 'secret' rooms at the back and the women, mostly Egyptians, Syrians and Sudanese, are controlled by a "Mom". They keep their liquor licenses and a blind eye is turned to the illegal activities because of bribes to the police.
146:
The "super night clubs" were originally regular night clubs catering to the tourist trade in the 1960s. They closed down during the Civil War, and after the end of the war there were insufficient tourists to make them viable. The business model was changed to its current format and the clubs
191:
The 2011 anti-trafficking law prohibits all forms of human trafficking. Prescribed penalties for sex trafficking range from 5 to 15 years imprisonment, which are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape.
115:
origin. 11,284 women entered
Lebanon under the 'artiste' program in 2016, more than double the number of women that entered under this program in 2015. Their artiste visas do not exceed six months, and they are deported if they are caught overstaying their visa.
187:
Syrian women and girls are highly vulnerable to sex trafficking. Syrian girls are brought to
Lebanon for sex trafficking, sometimes through the guise of early marriage. Lebanese pimps coerce some Syrian LGBTI refugees into prostitution.
124:
In 1931, whilst the country was under French control, a new law regulated prostitution. Prostitutes needed to be registered and were only allowed to work in licensed brothels. To obtain a license, they had to be over 21, not be a
184:
entertainment industry through
Lebanon's artiste visa program, which sustains a significant commercial sex industry and enables sex trafficking. Some women from East and West Africa are subjected to sex trafficking in Lebanon.
203:
143:
As a result of licenses not being issued, brothels operated illegally until a new law was passed in 1998, criminalizing businesses making rooms available for commercial sex.
960:
307:
129:, and have undergone a medical examination. The law criminalized working anywhere else. It also criminalized anybody facilitating working outside license requirements.
93:. During the chat, a 'date' may be arranged for the next day. No sexual services are permitted on the premises, and the woman negotiates her own price for the 'date'.
104:
1pm. After 1pm, they may leave the hotel on a 'date'. The telephone number and car registration number of the client must be recorded when the women leave the hotel.
140:, in the Zeitoun district of downtown Beirut. All these brothels were destroyed during the fighting. No licenses have been issued since to prostitutes or brothels.
577:
23:. However, no licences have been issued since 1975. In modern Lebanon, prostitution takes place semi-officially via 'super night clubs', and illegally on the
970:
282:
196:
potential trafficking cases involving artiste visa holders and four were referred to judicial or law enforcement authorities for further investigation.
1039:
884:
909:
89:
Super night clubs serve as places of introduction between prostitutes and clients. The clients may chat with an 'artiste' if they buy a bottle of
60:
Street prostitution occurs in the country. The prostitutes are mainly
Lebanese or Syrian. Prostitution also occurs in 'bars', especially in the
929:
437:
396:
634:
466:
520:
719:
200:
1029:
965:
924:
829:
315:
934:
207:
879:
844:
799:
178:
1034:
769:
764:
659:
97:
889:
864:
779:
759:
709:
679:
669:
137:
975:
854:
849:
729:
43:
919:
869:
824:
804:
794:
694:
651:
627:
551:
286:
894:
809:
674:
664:
939:
874:
839:
774:
754:
744:
704:
689:
684:
20:
980:
899:
859:
834:
814:
749:
724:
714:
699:
819:
784:
739:
734:
643:
949:
620:
404:
24:
1004:
156:
133:
39:
495:
78:
528:
107:
There are about 130 clubs, mainly in
Maameltein. Many of the women working in them are of
49:
606:
1023:
998:
423:
61:
349:
112:
552:"Aspects of Maronite History (Part Eleven) The twentieth century in Western Asia"
336:
1008:
108:
75:
Some
Lebanese prostitutes work independently from hotels or rented apartments.
69:
236:
90:
28:
555:
438:"Living outside of society: Palestinian refugee rentboys in the Lebanon"
612:
126:
65:
32:
422:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
616:
354:
578:"Les réfugiées syriennes au Liban, proies des proxénètes"
136:
in 1975, all of the licensed brothels were located near
42:
are known and prosecuted, but no measures are taken to
35:
estimate there to be 4,220 prostitutes in the country.
527:. U.S. Department of State. 2009-02-25. Archived from
308:"Sex workers: Population size estimate - Number, 2016"
948:
908:
650:
204:
Office to
Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
96:The clubs operate with the implicit consent of the
628:
350:"Madagascar maids: Misery in the Middle East"
8:
525:Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
397:"Lebanon 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report"
277:
275:
273:
271:
269:
267:
265:
263:
261:
259:
257:
635:
621:
613:
467:"Male prostitution on the rise in Lebanon"
391:
489:
487:
389:
387:
385:
383:
381:
379:
377:
375:
373:
371:
219:
52:, therefore, is a problem in Lebanon.
339:. Gvnet.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
231:
229:
227:
225:
223:
7:
494:Anderson, Sulome (9 February 2012).
465:Du Verdie, Paul (14 February 2014).
285:. Executive Magazine. Archived from
283:"Prostitution – The business of sex"
81:is also on the rise in the country.
521:"2008 Human Rights Report: Lebanon"
607:History of prostitution in Lebanon
14:
201:United States Department of State
1003:
994:
993:
436:Streib, Matthew (17 July 2006).
417:
1040:Prostitution in the Middle East
961:British Indian Ocean Territory
1:
554:. Stmaron.org. Archived from
550:Beggiani, Chorbishop Seely.
337:Child Prostitution – Lebanon
179:Human trafficking in Lebanon
1056:
241:Sexuality, Poverty and Law
237:"Sex Work Law - Countries"
176:
989:
710:East Timor (Timor-Leste)
496:"Sex for Sale in Beirut"
401:U.S. Department of State
314:. UNAIDS. Archived from
1030:Prostitution by country
971:Cocos (Keeling) Islands
19:is nominally legal and
17:Prostitution in Lebanon
312:www.aidsinfoonline.org
27:, in bars, hotels and
644:Prostitution in Asia
885:United Arab Emirates
206:ranks Lebanon as a '
132:At the start of the
912:limited recognition
1035:Society of Lebanon
169:forced abortions.
157:Civil War in Syria
134:Lebanese Civil War
40:child prostitution
1017:
1016:
954:other territories
85:Super night clubs
79:Male prostitution
46:these juveniles.
1047:
1007:
997:
996:
966:Christmas Island
652:Sovereign states
637:
630:
623:
614:
594:
593:
591:
589:
574:
568:
567:
565:
563:
547:
541:
540:
538:
536:
517:
511:
510:
508:
506:
491:
482:
481:
479:
477:
462:
456:
455:
453:
451:
442:
433:
427:
421:
420:
416:
414:
412:
403:. Archived from
393:
366:
365:
363:
362:
346:
340:
334:
328:
327:
325:
323:
304:
298:
297:
295:
294:
279:
252:
251:
249:
247:
233:
151:Syrian Civil War
1055:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1048:
1046:
1045:
1044:
1020:
1019:
1018:
1013:
985:
953:
944:
925:Northern Cyprus
911:
904:
646:
641:
603:
598:
597:
587:
585:
576:
575:
571:
561:
559:
558:on 29 June 2006
549:
548:
544:
534:
532:
519:
518:
514:
504:
502:
493:
492:
485:
475:
473:
464:
463:
459:
449:
447:
440:
435:
434:
430:
418:
410:
408:
395:
394:
369:
360:
358:
348:
347:
343:
335:
331:
321:
319:
306:
305:
301:
292:
290:
281:
280:
255:
245:
243:
235:
234:
221:
216:
181:
175:
173:Sex trafficking
153:
138:Martyrs' Square
122:
98:Sûreté Générale
87:
58:
50:Sex trafficking
12:
11:
5:
1053:
1051:
1043:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1022:
1021:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1001:
990:
987:
986:
984:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
957:
955:
946:
945:
943:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
916:
914:
906:
905:
903:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
752:
747:
742:
737:
732:
727:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
697:
692:
687:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
656:
654:
648:
647:
642:
640:
639:
632:
625:
617:
611:
610:
602:
601:External links
599:
596:
595:
584:. 30 July 2016
569:
542:
512:
500:Foreign Policy
483:
457:
441:(17 July 2006)
428:
407:on 3 July 2017
367:
341:
329:
318:on 4 June 2019
299:
253:
218:
217:
215:
212:
174:
171:
152:
149:
121:
118:
86:
83:
57:
54:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1052:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1010:
1006:
1002:
1000:
992:
991:
988:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
958:
956:
951:
947:
941:
938:
936:
935:South Ossetia
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
917:
915:
913:
907:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
657:
655:
653:
649:
645:
638:
633:
631:
626:
624:
619:
618:
615:
608:
605:
604:
600:
583:
579:
573:
570:
557:
553:
546:
543:
531:on 2009-02-26
530:
526:
522:
516:
513:
501:
497:
490:
488:
484:
472:
468:
461:
458:
446:
439:
432:
429:
425:
424:public domain
406:
402:
398:
392:
390:
388:
386:
384:
382:
380:
378:
376:
374:
372:
368:
357:
356:
351:
345:
342:
338:
333:
330:
317:
313:
309:
303:
300:
289:on 2014-11-06
288:
284:
278:
276:
274:
272:
270:
268:
266:
264:
262:
260:
258:
254:
242:
238:
232:
230:
228:
226:
224:
220:
213:
211:
209:
205:
202:
197:
193:
189:
185:
180:
172:
170:
167:
163:
158:
150:
148:
144:
141:
139:
135:
130:
128:
119:
117:
114:
113:North African
110:
109:East European
105:
101:
99:
94:
92:
84:
82:
80:
76:
73:
71:
67:
63:
55:
53:
51:
47:
45:
41:
36:
34:
30:
26:
22:
18:
950:Dependencies
880:Turkmenistan
845:Saudi Arabia
789:
586:. Retrieved
581:
572:
560:. Retrieved
556:the original
545:
533:. Retrieved
529:the original
524:
515:
503:. Retrieved
499:
474:. Retrieved
470:
460:
448:. Retrieved
444:
431:
409:. Retrieved
405:the original
400:
359:. Retrieved
353:
344:
332:
320:. Retrieved
316:the original
311:
302:
291:. Retrieved
287:the original
244:. Retrieved
240:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
165:
162:Chez Maurice
161:
154:
145:
142:
131:
123:
106:
102:
95:
88:
77:
74:
59:
48:
44:rehabilitate
37:
16:
15:
1009:Asia portal
910:States with
830:Philippines
770:South Korea
765:North Korea
660:Afghanistan
609:(in French)
582:Le Monde.fr
535:20 December
210:' country.
160:raided the
1024:Categories
890:Uzbekistan
865:Tajikistan
780:Kyrgyzstan
760:Kazakhstan
680:Bangladesh
670:Azerbaijan
562:17 January
505:24 January
476:23 January
450:23 January
411:24 January
361:2012-04-11
293:2014-10-22
246:23 January
214:References
177:See also:
147:reopened.
70:Maameltein
976:Hong Kong
930:Palestine
855:Sri Lanka
850:Singapore
730:Indonesia
588:11 August
471:Aljazeera
166:Le Silver
91:champagne
38:Cases of
21:regulated
999:Category
920:Abkhazia
870:Thailand
825:Pakistan
805:Mongolia
800:Maldives
795:Malaysia
695:Cambodia
445:PinkNews
64:area of
56:Overview
29:brothels
895:Vietnam
810:Myanmar
790:Lebanon
720:Georgia
675:Bahrain
665:Armenia
322:21 July
120:History
68:and in
25:streets
940:Taiwan
875:Turkey
840:Russia
775:Kuwait
755:Jordan
745:Israel
705:Cyprus
690:Brunei
685:Bhutan
208:Tier 2
127:virgin
66:Beirut
33:UNAIDS
981:Macau
900:Yemen
860:Syria
835:Qatar
815:Nepal
750:Japan
725:India
715:Egypt
700:China
62:Hamra
820:Oman
785:Laos
740:Iraq
735:Iran
590:2016
564:2013
537:2009
507:2018
478:2018
452:2018
413:2018
324:2018
248:2018
199:The
164:and
155:The
111:and
952:and
355:BBC
1026::
580:.
523:.
498:.
486:^
469:.
443:.
399:.
370:^
352:.
310:.
256:^
239:.
222:^
31:.
636:e
629:t
622:v
592:.
566:.
539:.
509:.
480:.
454:.
426:.
415:.
364:.
326:.
296:.
250:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.