LEBANON: Sex workers still shun condoms at The Ouwet Front: A Lebanese Forces Blog

LEBANON: Sex workers still shun condoms

Posted by Y

Four years ago, at 16, Rana’s husband forced her into prostitution. Despite the risks of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), Rana, like many local sex workers – estimated to number at least 6,000 – often did not use condoms.

“It’s up to the client,” said Rana (not her real name). “I want to use condoms, but most of the clients don’t.” Asked why she ignores the risks of contracting HIV or STDs she simply says: “I don’t want to lose the client.”

Elie Aaraj, head of Lebanon’s SIDC association, warns that the lack of condom use among local sex workers could soon become a public health issue.

“So far there are no recorded HIV cases among the country’s surveyed sex workers,” he said. “But once the virus gets into the community it could explode.”

Preventive action

In a survey over five months in 2008, SIDC interviewed 502 sex workers in Lebanon and found a third of them had been infected with STDs.

According to the National AIDS Control Programme, among the general population there are 1,234 HIV-positive cases, while it estimates between 2,500 and 3,000 people are infected, but unaware of it.

“This figure shows a low prevalence in the country, it is less than 1 percent,” said Lara Dabaghi, UNAIDS Project Coordinator – ASAP (Aids Strategy and Action Plan), National AIDS Control Programme. “We want to keep it this way.”

Only about 200 sex workers have had an HIV/AIDS test in Lebanon, according to UNAIDS, and none tested positive.

Health workers put that down to the low prevalence of the virus in Lebanon, but recognize that could change quickly. “Some people don’t know they are infected,” said Dabaghi. “Only 10 percent of infected people know they carry the disease globally.”

A task force has been established comprising various ministries, NGOs, UN agencies and the National AIDS Control Programme to design a nationwide awareness campaign, in a bid to keep prevalence low.

Condom use

One of the aims is to increase condom use. “We have found that only 28 to 30 percent of sex workers use condoms,” said Dabaghi. “The problem is that the client is king [and gets what he wants].”

Hiba Abu Chakra, a social worker at Dar al-Amal, a local counselling centre for sex workers, said: “The profile of the local sex worker in Lebanon is generally a poor, abused woman often without education [or] good persuasive skills. Many of the women work on the highways or in brothels where they are often abused.”

Dar al-Amal has documented cases of women trading sex for food. Under such circumstances, said Abu Chakra, women have little interest in losing a potential client for the sake of a condom.

A 2008 National AIDS Control Programme report found that while 23 percent of sex workers would try to persuade a client to wear a condom, just over half would accept sex anyway if the client refused.

Legalizing sex work

According to Lebanese law, sex work is legal in brothels; however, the government has not issued licences for brothels since 1975.

“We are advocating legalizing prostitution,” said Dabaghi. “If prostitution is legal you can better reach the sex workers and set up prevention programmes. As it stands now, prostitutes are prevented from using condoms or are having to hide them from the police.”

According to Abu Chakra, police often arrest women for possession of condoms and they can face up to six months in prison for prostitution if convicted. This makes carrying condoms risky for sex workers.

Campaigners for legalizing sex work argue that sex workers will have better protection under the law, better testing and counselling facilities as well as a greater chance of successfully negotiating safe sex.

Rana lives with the risk of contracting HIV every time she has unprotected sex. “I know about the risk of HIV and I feel more comfortable when the client asks for a condom,” she said.

Filed under: Lebanon, Social
Posted by Y on 12.01.09 @ 12:21 pm | 40 Comments

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40 Comments. Add your own...

1. HammerHead | December 1st, 2009 at 1:09 pm

W 2ame7 la tekli ya 7anni !
2. Reminder | December 1st, 2009 at 1:34 pm

The weird part is that the client knows that his “escort” has had sex with over 100 or 1000 guys, mostly without the use of condoms yet still insists on not using a condom himself for his own protection!

Also there isnt only HIV to be afraid off! There is HPV, Chlomedia, herpes and hundreds of other diseases! damn these clients are stupid as well as low..
3. paul | December 1st, 2009 at 1:38 pm

halmarra 3an jad…

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wayna l dawleh?
4. paul | December 1st, 2009 at 1:39 pm

HammerHead

7anni ma ba2a ti2bal bil 2ame7…
sar badda porsche
5. HammerHead | December 1st, 2009 at 2:15 pm

7elwi mennak Paul!

Wayniyyi l dawli? 3acher wled 3enda 7anni w ma 3am bise3o bl porsche!
6. marcusbas | December 2nd, 2009 at 12:16 am

Al dawli kil shahir bta3milon fa7s HIV and STDs (licensed super nights and massage extra centers are obliged to carry tests for their workers).
7. Mike | December 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 am

Freakin idiots. How the hell are countries protecting people from HIV if you get arrested for posession of condoms.

Prostitution in Lebanon is almost legal anyways. More than the US I would say.
8. Doc1559 | December 2nd, 2009 at 11:03 am

We can add ; gonorrhea,hepatitis a& b,herpes and genital warts to the above list !!

fyi, STDs have no symptoms at all. That makes it hard for us to recognize an infection !! Keep it clean chabeb and do not mess with the wrong ppl, especially if they have cuts or open sores in their mouths, ewwww !!!!
9. Doc1559 | December 2nd, 2009 at 11:19 am

Paul

I am allergic to condoms, some lady told me that right b4 intercourse i had to put my cloth back on and apologized for the inconvenience caused !!! My as-s was kicked out of the house 10 mn after .. w akalta bahdale for a month, ba3da la hala2 ma bti7ke ma3i..
10. Aoun blows | December 2nd, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Doc
You should check the orange sex workers. They love getting screwed by you
11. Doc1559 | December 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 pm

#10

Are you jealous little boy ?? aww please don’t be.. yalla come help me some M14 se-x woker has swallowed my condom.. balae333 3la al neshif bit7ibu,.
12. Mike | December 3rd, 2009 at 10:48 am

maybe she’s allergic to latex. Get the non-latex condoms(extra safe).

I would not reccommend it though.
Many girls in germany espicially berlin have many stds.
13. Michele | December 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Seriously alloush go see a shrink, u have lots of issues regarding ur manhood. U think that if u tell us how much money u make n how many women u sc*w (knowing u r married wz kids) u’ll gain our respect! Eh baddak ktir ya zaghtour!

Stop being vulgar n low-class, n seriously no 1 gives a sh*t abt ur life!
14. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:29 pm

Oh my God !! speaking of se-x workers , Michele is here !!

What a coincidence !!

Relax banout relax, you don’t even know me ya michele, who gives a da-mn about my life style ?? ma 7adan bya3ref 7adan on ths blog so basita..

go back to sleep hayete, your m14 akaluwa ya 7aram… ya di3n albik … LOL..
15. hochoz | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:35 pm

Speaking of sewer rats, Alloush never left the building (khallik mu7taram)
16. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:37 pm

Doc why don’t you work with Mike in Iran or Gaza since both have death penalties for homosexuals!You might be rich for a short time……lol
17. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Mike

true true..

are you the same mike who teases avi all the time ??? just wondering…
18. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:40 pm

I am no moderation Doc so have fun bashing the Jew that keeps on resisting your hate.
19. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm

hochoz

li bidi2 al beb badu yissma3 al jaweb min ma kun ykun ..

yalla 2iba hohoz 3la dulebbb..
20. danny | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm

hochoz…They constantly seam to expose the sewer mentality and the culture of filth!!

They constatnly expose the low intellect and retarded (although I would be insulting the real diadvantaged ones…) logic! leave the rodents alone…
21. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:46 pm

Doc Why don’t you and Mike work in <Iran or Gaza?…Remember they have the death penalty over there….so get rich or die trying.
22. Michele | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:50 pm

Halla2 sar ibn el da7ieh ye7ké 3an mobilette we 2bba???!! Huh what a joke! Khalliyon la ellak el e2bba wel za3rannet!
Besides how delusional n stupid u are, here’s ur low class education showing up!

Selling urself is part of ur education ya alloush; there’s no way u can be better than ur Aoun who pr*stituted himself for the mal al nazif!
23. hochoz | December 3rd, 2009 at 7:56 pm

Doc

“li bidi2 al beb badu yissma3 al jaweb min ma kun ykun”…
For some reason, we keep giving u the benefit of the doubt, yet u disappoint…. shou kilkoun from the TAHHIR NI3AK school of ALi AMMAR?

“yalla 2iba hohoz 3la dulebbb..”
I would, yalla bass nistarji3a min Britel…

P.S.: I read ur reply about shi3as not taking part in war against christians… During the whole era of Moussa el Sadr, then Hussain el Husseiny, amal movement which represented the shi3a backthen refused to take part in the war….. It was when u guys decided to bring in Nabih Berri (elli byiswa sirmeyte) that u started fighting….. And yes, u did fight christians, killed lots of civilians and were as bad as the rest of the national front…. You guys keep getting rid of the good thinkers, the brains to bring hoodlums and thugs (the TAHHIR NI3ak GUY)….
24. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 pm

avi

How many time do I have to tell you that we do not have any prbs with the Jews ?? We also don’t have a problem with you personally, our prb lays burried with the zionists and allies all aroudn the world.

Also, judaism does not accept Jesus as the promised messiah, so please spare me your bulls-h-it and propaganda. What you’re doing in Palestine is clear to all of us, it is plain terror towar both Muslims and Christians..

Question; are you turning into a messianic JEW ??
25. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:18 pm

Michele

Even though i have never lived in da7ye, can I still buy a house there you think ?? bass nkeye fike : I love da7ye bi albik 7ara2 badna ndal..

Your level of self esteem has a powerfull impact on your attitide and behavior.. You always tend to go low in your comments..

chi mara ana hejamtik first ?? chi mara ana arabit sawbik first ?? It is always you banout..

Yalla don’t cry..

Hochoz

chaklak ja3ja3ist 3la musstawa 3li amigo…Your ja3ja3ist brain is a computer full of crimes and hate toward everone, including your own people and your own religious leaders. Go back to my comment and read it again maybe you can understand it little better..

tahir ni3k is a school where we judge the traitors and call them by their names , but al amru li w fta7 bay baya la tari2 al matar is an elementary school for those who speaks big and act little ..

Go fish !!
26. Maximus | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 pm

Doc
#8 kenit ma2boulé
#9 serna bi akhbar gharibé men zalame mjawaz w endo tlet sobyen
#10 Aoun blows rad 3lek bi lahjtak.
#11 wassakhta mazbout bi radak 3lé bi lahjé mesh ma2boulé 3ala aya political blog. hon, ma fik t2oum 3ala Michele eza 2erfit men lahjtak wala men hochoz eza we2if ma3a. li da2 el beb howé enta. Wel2it el jaweb. ma fi lzoum tkafé.
27. paul | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:37 pm

thanks Maximus.
28. Michele | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:38 pm

It’s amazing how consistent u are maintaining ur stupidity level, actually u did become a bit stupider than before; my mistake I should have sticked around more often to give u few slaps to put u back in place.

Of course ya alloush u have to be proud of ur da7ieh, no matter how far u run, da7ieh will always haunt u!

As for the self-esteem, I don’t recall any1 here coming up wz stories like u do abt how much money u do, how many properties u own, how many women or more probably goats u’ve been with, etc etc.
U seriously remind me of these losers who used to follow us around in high school begging for some attention n coming up wz stories in order to respect them just like what u r doing right now here ya alloush!

Don’t u have better things to do in ur life like studying for ur med school n taking care of ur 3 kids?!
Seriously what a loser u are!
29. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:55 pm

doc the Zionists are the code name you use for Israelis….please spear me the I have no problem with you knowing I am Israeli knowing you want my country eliminated…Please don’t make me call you what you are…a hypocrit!
30. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 pm

As for my religious beliefs mind your own business!I live in Israel a democratic country so i live my life as I intend!One last thing count on me to counter your hate.
31. paul | December 3rd, 2009 at 9:06 pm

avi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMPfaPkPFLE&feature=player_embedded#
32. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 pm

maximus

Read topic : LEBANON: Se-x workers still shun co-ndoms.. take a joke !!

Michele

Again, you do not know me !!!! why are you not understanding that ?? aya credit aya houses aya ballut.. laman nssir na3ref ba3ed si3ta 2ilik 7a2 te7ke.. whos doc anyway ?? whos ali anyway ? chi mara fakarte fiya ?? This is only a blog
BLOG !!

Avi

You are a nothing but a terro–rist !! btw, i will be visiting Palestine next month
33. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 pm

Paul as usual the muslim extremists of Hamas and Hezbollah send women and children!
34. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 9:12 pm

Wrong chat but I am sure Paul you got the message.

For Doc welcome please go to Tel Aviv;Israel and then tell me if we are not a tolerant people?
35. Doc1559 | December 3rd, 2009 at 9:18 pm

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL00Gr87OJs

avi

YOU GUYS ARE TOLERANT !!
36. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 9:19 pm

here doc we really are…..

Switzerland’s Muslim population received support from an unexpected source on Wednesday when an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group voiced its opposition to a campaign to ban the building of minarets, distinctive architectural features of Islamic mosques, in the country.

The proposal had been put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the largest party in parliament, which said minarets were a sign of Islamization.

The head of the Conference of European Rabbis, which convened this week in Moscow, issued a statement criticizing the proposed ban, saying that Europe won’t defeat extreme Islam by battling freedom of religion and knocking down mosque minarets in Switzerland.

Rabbi Aba Dunner made his remarks in response to the results of a referendum held earlier this week, in which 57% of Swiss voters voted in favor of the ban.

The rabbis condemned the proposed ban, saying that it would harm the basic freedom of religion. The meeting of the conference, held bi-annually, was attended by rabbis and representatives from ten European countries. The meeting emphasized the importance of fighting anti-Semitism and maintaining close relations between Jewish communities and European institutions.

“Only through unrelenting support of moderates within the Muslim community and promoting interfaith dialogue can European governments defeat the fundamentalist extreme Islam,” Rabbi Dunner said.
37. avi | December 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 pm

Doc your video shows the army and Jewish paramedics going to the scene if I get run over in Lebanon well the army come rescue me?
38. paul | December 4th, 2009 at 1:22 am

aviiiiiii,i got the massage…
let’s call it womens secret
39. paul | December 4th, 2009 at 1:26 am

not everaone have the honnorv to die under a Daimler Benz,,,Doc
40. Mike | December 4th, 2009 at 8:33 am

Doc it’s me. I don’t just tease avi. I state the facts about israeli crimes and zionism and it taunts him/her enough.

Khaye matred 3aleyon. Bidon kteer lal banet yifhamo seyesi. avi w ghayron. Mabya3erfo ghayr to blame the other mitel wleed il zghar ile byitsalo bi ba3id. Israel 3ambithadid libnen marteen kil isboo3 on TV w 3andon kil khara2it marekiz il jaysh bi libnen including the checkpoints with 2-3 jnood. W 2a3deen il shabeb w il sabaya hon blaming fellow Lebanese instead of aiding in a self defense and offense strategy ma3 shwayet wi7de wataniye. Sadi2ni law mafi hezeballa keeno 3ambisebo harakit amal w iza mafi haraki keeno bil psp, future, aoun and even themselves.