Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Prostitution Under Paint


Place: One of Beirut's street-side cafes.
Time: August 2005, 4 PM

On a table facing mine is seated three women and two men. The men's appearance and accents suggest they are of gulf arab nationality. The women's appearance, accents and mannerisms suggest they are Lebanese. It is also very evident what the entire meeting is for and about, as they are making no effort to hide their intentions. More about that later.

I realize that Lebanon must seem like an oasis of freedom and liberation when compared to other societies in the Middle East. I am also aware that part of the attraction this country holds in its regional setting is its reputation for beautiful women and hedonistic nightlife. But Lebanon is also home for many dark corners, where illegal practices are known but not officially acknowledged. In these dark corners there is drugs and sex.

The business of selling sex has always been present in Lebanon over the decades. It was regulated at first, along the lines of Amsterdam's Red Light District minus the window exhibitions. The area was limited to a few blocks in Beirut's seaside quadrant called the "Zeitouneh" which is now termed the Golden Triangle because of all the 5-star hotels in the area (coincidentally, the site of Hariri's assassination). During the war, the green line separating Beirut into east & west ran across the Zeitouneh. And the brothel business was one of the only aspects of Beirut that remained unaffected, with fighters from both sides frequenting the brothels regularly (as comically depicted in Ziad Doueiri's film West Beyrouth).

After the war, the sex trade was pushed into a dark corner. It moved to what was then the only viable nightspots in Lebanon, namely the then-raging areas of Jounieh and Kaslik. Under the guise of showdancing, women from Eastern Europe were recruited to perform sultry dance exhibitions as a means to meet clients, and the sex would take place outside these establishments in hotel rooms and furnished apartments while the club owners got a cut of the profits and the government turned a blind-eye. This is still going on today, and has expanded into the ubiquitous 'massage' parlors where clients get a rub down and more for a fee. The government did try and crack down on those parlors, but when it realized that police officers were among the clients arrested it somehow pushed those parlors as well into the little dark corner of "don't ask, don't tell".

The exploitation of impoverished foreigners is despicable and inhumane. It is taking place not only in Lebanon but across Europe and the Far East. But whereas European authorities are clamping down on what is essentially slavery, Lebanese authorities see no harm in 'importing' these women so long as it keeps the Lebanese men happy and the tourist dollars rolling. This racism has grown to such an extent that single women from Eastern Europe are sometimes denied visas into Lebanon, the thought being that they must be prostitutes here to 'freelance' their sex trade. Now, wouldn't that be terrible. Side-stepping their Lebanese pimps. That is unprofessional.

And this brings me now to the point I'm trying to make in this post (sorry for the long-winded recap, I thought it necessary). It is said that if you ignore evil, evil will only prosper. And our lax attitude regarding the continued exploitation of women in our country is starting to catch up with us. It is no longer 'those' women from 'those' countries who are falling victim to the sex trade, it is Lebanese women as well. Our sisters, daughters and friends. College students, divorced mothers, even women with families and with the approval of their spouses. All in the sake of supplementing their income in a city voted the most expensive in the Arab world.

The operation is clandestine, its operatives are taxi drivers, hotel employees and cellphone pimps. I am told the procedure goes something like this:
  1. Rich arab arrives in Beirut and is approached by a taxi driver. He is also approached by a hotel employee or a resident pimp in the hotel lobby
  2. A photo album or a cellphone number is provided, for a commission fee of course
  3. Women visit the client in his hotel room, and the hotel turns a blind eye


Is this the Lebanon we aspire to?
Is this the country we boast about in social circles abroad and speak so highly of?
We paint over it and forget it, as if it were just another massacre site that is now a nightclub.
But it is taking place nonetheless.

The deal is being made right now at the table facing mine.
I despise these men and I start to imagine standing up and throwing them out in a misguided impulse of protective spirit. But then I check myself. It is not their doing. It is ours.

If we want to end this injustice we must start with our own wrong doing. There cannot be a double-standard. Either outlaw prostitution completely and enforce the law properly, or accept it as the oldest profession and regulate it in a way that at the very least rids of it exploitation and slavery. And save us these humiliating scenes.

We can't paint over this one.

26 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

good post .IMPORTING PROSTITUTES = INVASION OF THE STDs.

7:36 PM, August 02, 2005  
Blogger Raja said...

Lebanese should regulate & change their attitudes. If a woman wants to sell her body to supplement her income, it is her business. Let her do as she pleases.

I know that I would never want to see the women closest to me in such situations, but I cannot impose my values (which are the product of my life's circumstances) on any of those individuals. Neither should you.

Let the Saudi men gloat! The reality is that they're paying for something that they could enjoy for free. Just ask the single Lebanese men who work in a land filled with sexually repressed females whose husbands travel hundreds or thousands of miles to satisfy themselves. They'll tell you! Saudi women enjoy sex as much as their male counterparts.

8:34 PM, August 02, 2005  
Blogger La La said...

Ramzi - very well stated. We both (unknowingly) put up posts about "Lebanese women" and even though mine might be satirical and yours is serious, they are overlapping!

This is a big issue as far as I'm concerned. The khaleeji/Lebanese relations are portrayed to be purely based on sex and the idea of a khaleeji guy and a Lebanese woman together might make her look like a whore. This is probably what a lot of my Lebanese guy friends thought of me while I was with my kuwaiti guy for almost over a year here in L.A. I had to accept that they were going to think negatively about me(actually I didnt give a shit) until they realized what a beautiful and down-to-earth person he was. By the way, this is where part of my frustration about Lebanese women came from when I decided to write my post.

9:13 PM, August 02, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

two things that are fucked up about Lebanon:
- being told by people that you look "Russian" and taking it as an insult. The racism in this country is creepy. If you're brown, you must be a maid. If you're blonde with fair skin, you must be a whore!

- a society based on material acquisition that drives female university students to sell their bodies in order to afford and keep up with the latest trends in fashion.

- a society that judges women based on which men they associated with. Even if the woman has a successful career, she'll always be the "wife of" or the "employee of". Sickening.

- a society that treats women like crap and won't even give them the right to give their lebanese citizenship to their children born of foreign fathers.

I spit on my passport.

9:51 PM, August 02, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, that was actually 4 things.

9:52 PM, August 02, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really appreciated your entry Ramzi.
I understand what anonymous said about being called "Russian" like it's a bad thing. It's a shame that women are exploited that way. I hear that a lot of East European women who come to Lebanon don't know what they are getting themselves into. I hear that a lot of them have college educations but cannot find any other job than "exotic dancer" in Lebanon. And it's much better than the misery in their own country. It sucks when legitimate couples are discrimated against because the girl is East European or the guy is from the gulf. You're right Ramzi, something needs to be done. The problem is that as long as there is demand, there will be supply... regardless of the law.

11:39 PM, August 02, 2005  
Blogger Nooni said...

shame on arabs!

1:43 AM, August 03, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You think that being blonde is difficult. My cousin is married to a Philipino woman. I don't need to tell you the things that they had to endure in Lebanon.

5:21 AM, August 03, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lebanese pimps operate all over Europe and Gulf. They are also involved in all sorts of other crimes. Criminality is part of their culture. Their killing habit is well-known.

I am sure none of the above characterisation of Lebanese comes as a shock. Only that it has been stated so bluntly.

Lebanese have been using white European women to breed citizens is less discussed. I wonder if anyone cares to shed light on it?
Doordesh.

3:23 PM, August 03, 2005  
Blogger Rampurple said...

This is a good topic ... but its a lot more complex then u think.

It is a shame to see our women having to endure such things...true, its their business but it does affect us all.

I work in Kuwait... there is a stereotype in Kuwait that all lebanese women are easy simply coz of what they see in Lebanon and on LBC.

Should we change this view? I don't know really but the Lebanese living abroad arent much better. I have seen several lebanese men go to lebanon, find a girl, tell her he works in kuwait, makes her think he is real well off, marries her, brings her to kuwait for her only to find out that his salary is real low and barely enough for them to live on in kuwait!

I think we should work on changing how arabs view lebanon and change how lebanese view arabs. most of the arabs who even go to lebanon are not even the well off arabs...

I believe the lebanese women have shown that they are much better then this during the past few months. lebanese women have been all over the papers... at the demonstrations, speaking their mind politically, philosophically, etc.... all this showed the women as intellectuals... women in government as well!


i know if i am seem in lebanon with one of kuwaiti friends, people in lebanon are going to understand this relationship differently... i could care less...

I know this comment is un organized but its a quick way to state what i think...

10:02 AM, August 04, 2005  
Blogger Charles Malik said...

Hey, you forgot about the brothels in Hamra. There are wholee buildings filled with them.
Some night when you are out until 4am, drive through Hamra and see the vans and vans of prostitutes being carted back to the building where their pimp keeps them under lock and key.

I was once walking down Hamra at 2:30am and a prostitute tried to solicite me from four stories up. I heard someone whistling toward the street, looked up, and saw a woman smiling and beckoning to me. It was surreal.

12:48 AM, August 05, 2005  
Blogger Davey said...

For the past FIFTY years every countrys most wasted natural resource was their women. The time for all over male domination should be at an end. Beautiful, Intelligent and strong women should not have to bow to any societys pressures. You are all the givers of life and made to suffer for what reason?

Davey

1:53 AM, August 05, 2005  
Blogger Ramzi said...

I can't possibly reply to each comment made above, so I'll just respond with a general statement: I am not calling for prohibition of prostitution, neither am I encouraging it. Lebanese will have to decide this for themselves, and for the most part the majority has opted to tolerate the sex trade as inevitable. This is strengthened by the fact that prostitution is not a novel occurence in our society, as I pointed out in the beginning.

What I am calling for is regulation. Some of you have called for a "live and let live" attitude, which is commendable if we were discussing sexual orientations or debating home schooling. But lets not fool ourselves by claiming that the sexual exploitation of women in the sex trade is self-willed. The majority if not all of these women would rather not sell their bodies for money. They are victims of poverty and need, and their human rights are being violated. And just as we would not stand for prearranged marriages in India or compulsory female circumcision in Africa, we have to recognize the injustice being carried out in this case and stand up for these women's rights.

If prostitution were regulated as a proper profession, those women who voluntarily choose to make money this way would have all the weight of the law defending them.

8:46 PM, August 07, 2005  
Blogger Ramzi said...

And natalie... blog proposal's are romantic and all, but couldn't you have picked a better post topic to do it in?!

8:48 PM, August 07, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Face it lebanese girls are hoes and easier than single digit addition. Your women are sluts and your men are hairy gorillas. Everywhere you go you bring trouble, and that is why you fuckers should stay in your own country and let Israel destroy your fags.

2:54 PM, August 25, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I found the blogg very informative. I am a 24 yearold blond hair blue eyed American guy...I am considering taking a trip to Lebonon to enjoy the nightclubs, bars, drinking, dancing...no whores. I dont know much about the culture, and I am wondering if I should be worried about traveling by myself? What do women from Lebanon think of American guys?? I am curious as to what I should expect. I would appreciate any input...
Thanks,
John

10:20 AM, November 15, 2005  
Blogger Ramzi said...

John,
I can't speak for Lebanese women in particular of course, but you will find the Lebanese are very hospitable and welcoming, with a special interest and helpfulness when it comes to foreigners visiting their country.

The night life here rivals any city in Europe and the people you will meet there are pretty liberal and friendly.

Anyway, I suggest you post your question on the "Thorn Tree" section of lonelyplanet.com for more feedback from people like yourself who have been here already.

Welcome,
Ramzi

1:39 AM, November 16, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

lebanese girls are the whores of the arab world

12:45 PM, May 22, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some people insult lebanese women by whores... well let me tell you something where i think you are wrong, you guys describe a lebanese woman by a whore when she doesnt fit with your traditional role or outfit well guys for me i believe that those who comes to lebanon to have sexual relations are those pigs who come from the gulf where they cant breath or speak and they never see a woman and how she looks like. Lebanese women generally are the most educated in the middle east and they know how to live. The only reason why you guys treat them by whores its only because you do not accept the way they want to live, you always want them to be the way an arab man wants them to be. However, there is whores in lebanon so as in every single arab country but the only reason u dont see that in the arabs country is because they cant be seen lol ! anyways, its an interesting topic to discuss about but the only thing is that you have to not generalise a society and the lebanese women by the doings of a minority which 50% of them are not lebanese.
Thank you

7:05 AM, August 09, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous is a chicken to hide his identity ...

Lebanese women are the best and most courageous of the arab world.

12:40 PM, November 16, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Swines are all those who speak evil about Lebanese Women. First, discussing our prostitutes does NOT give you the right to label all Lebanese Women. Note well that discussing this topic in a degrading manner is not a sign of civilisation. In any case for those who speak in boast that Great Lebanon has prostitutes, I painfully admit, however a 15 year war similar to that which we had in Lebanon (caused by foreign countries)if it had struck any other country could have turned it`s entire population to prostitutes and vagabonds. Such a comparison must be done by ratio of how many are Lebanese and also how many prostitutes we have in Lebanon and how many are their elsewhere. Majority of prostitutes operating in Lebanon for your information are NOT Lebanese but they hail from other countries. So for all those who are trying to tarnish the image of THE LEBANON you should put socks in your mouths and shut the fuck up. LEBANON IS GREATER THAN THIS TRIVIAL ISSUE. LEBANON IS 6000 YEARS OLD. Without our highly esteemed Lebanese MOTHERS Lebanon could never have reached such glorious heights. Secondly, arab women are in no way different in chastity than Lebanese women. Circulating rumors that Lebanese women are cheap in the gulf and here and there is nothing but a preposterous propaganda that can never put off a candle; how much more tarnish the face of GOD. Brothers and sisters, Jesus made this world in six days, toiling with God day and night and when our world was complete God decreed that Jesus distribute the Land according to what we see today. All the nations came to be where they are today. I shall not list them because you all know where every country is today. And when Jesus completed his distribution and put every race where God wanted, Jesus was frustrated cause God left Jesus out without a land so he asked GOD saying I worked for you and obeyed all your decree, yet you distributed all the land leaving me nothing? So God replied: " I left a piece of land for my retirement I called it LEBANON; Dont worry you can have it". And so Jesus himself gave it to the Lebanese. LONG LIVE LEBANON. May it remain a pebble in the throats of the envious.
26 March 2008.

2:05 AM, March 26, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry CORRECTION posted draft by mistake.
Swine are all those who speak evil about Lebanese Women. First, discussing our prostitutes does NOT give you the right to label all Lebanese Women. Note well that discussing this topic in a degrading manner is not a sign of civilization. In any case for those who speak in boast that Great Lebanon has prostitutes, I painfully admit, however a 15 year war similar to that which we had in Lebanon (caused by foreign countries)if it had struck any other country could have turned it’s entire population to prostitutes and vagabonds. Such a comparison must be done by ratio of how many are Lebanese and also how many prostitutes we have in Lebanon and how many are their elsewhere. Majority of prostitutes operating in Lebanon for your information are NOT Lebanese but they hail from other countries. So for all those who are trying to tarnish the image of THE LEBANON you should put socks in your mouths and shut the fuck up. LEBANON IS GREATER THAN THIS TRIVIAL ISSUE. LEBANON IS 6000 YEARS OLD. Without our highly esteemed Lebanese MOTHERS Lebanon could never have reached such glorious heights. Secondly, Arab women are in no way different in chastity than Lebanese women. Circulating rumors that Lebanese women are cheap in the gulf and here and there is nothing but a preposterous propaganda that can never put off a candle; how much more tarnish the face of GOD. Brothers and sisters, Jesus made this world in six days, toiling with God day and night and when our world was complete God decreed that Jesus distribute the Land according to what we see today. All the nations came to be where they are today. I shall not list them because you all know where every country is today. And when Jesus completed his distribution and put every race where God wanted, Jesus was frustrated cause God left Jesus out without a land so he asked GOD saying I worked for you and obeyed all your decree, yet you distributed all the land leaving me nothing? So God replied: " I left a piece of land for my retirement I called it LEBANON; Don’t worry you can have it". And so Jesus himself gave it to the Lebanese. LONG LIVE LEBANON. May it remain a pebble in the throats of the envious.
26 March 2008.

2:17 AM, March 26, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lebanon sounds like my kinda place! 28 Year old American, wanting to go check it out. Contact me with info, I have questions! adam.covington@kbr.com

Especially you Natalie ;)

2:34 PM, November 19, 2008  
Anonymous WarWolf said...

Thank you for posting this Ramzi, I just wish more Lebanese would realize what this country has been reduced to and acknowledge that human trafficking shouldn't be a cause for national pride.

I must admit, growing up as a Russian in Lebanon wasn't exactly a slice of heaven; this particular issue has tormented me ever since middle school, needless to say fury has been boiling and growing within me ever since. Me and other half-Russians have had enough, we are constantly on the alert for racial slurs and always have our fists clenched, we can't effectively socialize with Lebanese without being constantly ready for an assault, it's something we're used to now, call it a survival mechanism if you must.

The Lebanese government will never crack down on human trafficking, mainly because it's highly profitable for the country's economy which is based on the "services/tourism sector", the only force for change are the Lebanese people whom I urge to take some decisive actions to stop sexual slavery and help its victims instead of mocking them.

The last thing I want is a Russo-Lebanese confrontation, but by the looks of things it's not long till the half-Russian youth of Lebanon snaps and takes things into its own hands (we Russians are very patriotic by nature).

I wish you all the best and hope this disgusting crime will cease to blacken your country's reputation, don't let some bastards' love for money turn your country into a brothel.

1:09 AM, April 24, 2009  
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