Displacement figures in Lebanon

Lebanese authorities report that nearly 760,000 people have been displaced since the resumption of war in March 2026, mainly in the south of the country and in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Transactionals sex as survival strategy

In this context, the use of transactional sex appears for some of them as a means of ensuring their survival. This term refers to all sexual activities provided in exchange for material or immaterial benefits.

Research on transactional sex

Researchers from the Liminality Research Consortium conducted a study in 2022 to overcome the taboos surrounding this reality. The study, which included Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, and Switzerland, found that 69% of the 261 participants reported having observed or experienced transactional sex.

Protection through sexual favors

The use of transactional sex is shaped by many factors. First, the need for refugees, and especially women, to ensure a form of protection throughout the migration journey, during which they are often exposed to physical and sexual abuse risks.

Marriage as a protective strategy

To protect themselves from sexual harassment and violence by men during their displacement, other women traveling alone arrange with a man, sometimes pretending to be a couple, or arranging a marriage before departure. A refugee woman explains that these strategies are often motivated by fear.

Financial struggles and limited options

Another major factor is financial precariousness. In Lebanon, the accumulation of political and economic crises continues to weaken the most exposed refugee and local populations. For these groups, job opportunities remain limited due to legal restrictions or social stigma.

Housing challenges and exploitation

For many, this situation is exacerbated by obstacles to access housing. Many find themselves in cramped spaces, often overcrowded and in precarious living conditions. In some cases, this vulnerability is exploited to demand sexual relationships in exchange for housing.

Arranged marriages and economic survival

In this difficult context, some refugees or local people also turn to arranged or convenience marriages, often to access a legal status or a form of economic stability. These arrangements are frequent and normalized, but sometimes described as unequal and marked by abuse dynamics.

Organized sex work and trafficking risks

Transactional sex represents not only a survival strategy, but also, sometimes, a way to take control of one's future. Some participants in the study describe more organized forms of transactional sex, which can increase vulnerability to violence and exploitation, including trafficking.

Continued displacement and humanitarian crisis

The 2024 war in Lebanon, revived in 2026, has led to the repeated internal displacement of more than a million residents, worsening already precarious living conditions. A ceasefire and a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel in June 2026 have only slightly contributed to alleviating the humanitarian crisis.

Personal stories and health risks

Maysam, a transgender refugee from Iraq, was forced to exchange sexual favors for housing during the war. Although this solution offered her temporary security, she reports having been exposed to HIV during this period and now must deal with this diagnosis.

Limited humanitarian support

The "Flash Appeal for Lebanon," launched by the United Nations, has so far mobilized only 51.3% of the funds needed to respond to needs related to massive internal displacement and damage to infrastructure. In the face of this reality, the use of survival strategies, such as transactional sex, could increase among the most exposed populations in Lebanon.