“I was about to get killed today because I was wearing this jumper,” said Joe Farhat in a video he shared on social media about a recent assault in Beirut. 

“Having finished my shift as a dancer at a party in Gemmayzeh I was on my way to my car when four young men on motorbikes started chasing me,” Farhat told Daraj. “It was dark and there were no people around. I realized I would be unable to face them if they physically attacked me. They continued to chase me and then I heard one of them say: ‘Let’s beat him to death.’”

Farhat fled into a nearby building where he waited until he was sure they were gone. Then he hurried to his car and made it safely back home.

Not A First

Farhat said  he consistently experiences verbal and physical harassment on the street. He frequently confronts his aggressors. Once, celebrating the birthday of his girlfriend, he was beaten by a man who did not like his features, which he deemed “feminine.” 

Farhat decided to share the video on social media, because he frequently hears stories from friends and people around him experiencing similar incidents. Yet, they prefer not to reveal them or share them with others. 

They, like him, are often blamed for being assaulted. 

“Why do you dress like this?,” they are being told. Or: “Why do you behave that way?”

“My main goal of sharing the video is to raise awareness and warn people of possible attacks they may face,” said Farhat. “Especially since we live in a country where many people still do not respect one’s personal freedom and intimidate anyone who is different. And this [behavior] passes without accountability.”

The Fear Factor

Having published his story, Farhat was flooded with abusive comments on social media. Insults targeted not just him but also his friends and family. He even received death threats.  

Farhat admitted the whole incident had a negative impact on his mental health.

“When I got home that night, I wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t entered that building,” he said. “What if I had decided to confront them? Would I have been beaten up or even killed?”

Anyone who has been subjected to (attempted) assault has such thoughts running through their heads. It just illustrates the intense fear such incidents can generate. And then there is self-blame. 

“I also asked myself if I was to blame for trying to live freely and dress as I please,” Farhat said. 

Swimming Suit

Farhat’s is not alone but seems part of a pattern of recent attacks on personal freedoms in Lebanon. 

In May, Maysa Hanouni was attacked by a sheikh and 15 individuals for wearing a swimming suit on the beach in Sidon. She and her husband were forced to flee for their own safety, as the sheikh and his companions hurled water bottles filled with sand at them.

Although the story was circulated in the media and on social platforms, and despite the sheikh being known, the security services have not raised a finger.

All This Terror

In the report All This Terror Because of a Photo, Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented numerous cases of human rights violations by Lebanese groups and individuals harassing and blackmailing LGBT people, “hunting” them on social media and dating apps, at times revealing their sexual or gender identity without consent. 

People subjected to such violence may be compelled to change phone numbers, delete social media accounts and even move or leave the country to suffer physical or mental harm.

HRW has called upon the Lebanese authorities to pass legislation to combat (online) discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Yet, instead of ensuring the protection of individuals, regardless of their differences, the Lebanese authorities and security forces are often complicit in the repression. Their lax attitude only emboldens attackers as they do not face any consequences. Moreover, it fuels hate speech both online and offline.