Terrifying stories that are closer to crime movie plots than to lived reality, as if one is watching a series of crimes with most victims being women, including murder, rape, and assault. Recently, these events have become repetitive for the Lebanese, with murder and rape crimes in Lebanon flowing like sand between the scales of a troubled reality and a security breakdown that now threatens citizens' lives.
**Shocking Crimes!** A Palestinian man in the Qadado neighborhood of Al-Burj Al-Shimali, east of Tyre, opened fire with his military weapon on his wife and two daughters, injuring them in their legs before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide. A horrific crime also took place in the Sahara area of Choueifat, where the victim, Zainab Ali Zaiter (26 years old) and a mother of three children, was shot about ten times by her husband, Hassan Musa Zaiter (27 years old, Lebanese) from the town of Hadath Baalbek, killing her instantly. In a cold-blooded act, retired Lebanese citizen from the Internal Security Forces, Issa Samieh, killed his wife, Mona Al-Homsi, aged 50, in front of her parents' house at the entrance of Jabal Mohsen in Tripoli, after nearly 18 years of domestic abuse and three years of her being deprived of her children.
**Rape and Sexual Assault** Social media recently buzzed with the incident of an attempted rape of a British journalist in the BIEL area of the Lebanese capital while she was jogging. After Lebanese security forces announced the arrest of the suspect, it turned out he had carried out more than "30 acts" of harassment.
This is a sample of similar incidents, each capturing the attention of the Lebanese for a time before another follows. In this context, the Director of Impact and Advocacy at "Plan International," Rachel Schlietta, stated that these crimes are not the first of their kind, as cases of violence against women and murder have always existed. However, with the presence of social media and the quick dissemination of events, this has helped shed light on them. Schlietta noted in her talk with "Wardna" that the economic situation in Lebanon plays a significant role in the increase of crimes, but it is not the primary cause. "The absence of justice, the constant justification of crimes under the guise of defending honor, and the lack of deterrent punishments have all contributed to the rise in murder rates," she added.
**Sexual Assault Statistics** Security forces' statistics revealed that 57 cases of sexual assault were recorded from the beginning of 2022 until October, averaging 6 cases per month, including 20 cases of rape (two rapes monthly) and 37 cases of sexual harassment (about 4 crimes monthly). According to security figures, there were 6 reports of sexual assaults each month in 2022 (up to October).
In a discussion with researcher Muhammad Shams Al-Din from the International Information Center, he told "Wardna" that security indicators witnessed a remarkable improvement in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2022, particularly in murder rates which decreased by 28.2%, with 46 murders recorded versus 33 in the previous year. However, what concerns him is the noticeable increase in crimes during March compared to February 2023, where suicide rates rose from 10 to 15 cases, marking a 50 percent increase. Unlike Schlietta, he emphasized that the economic crisis played a fundamental role in this increase, warning of further security deterioration in the coming months if this crisis persists.
Additionally, researcher and social sciences doctor, Zainab Marwa, pointed out to "Wardna" that the rise in crimes is due to economic, political, and cultural reasons. She mentioned that these crimes exist to a certain extent, "decreasing in cases of social cohesion and increasing in cases of social disintegration." She continued explaining that the presence of social control and legal authority in society are the main factors in controlling these crimes, stating, "When there is a breakdown in the judiciary and absence of authority, we witness this breakdown and increase in crimes."
Despite crime being an inseparable part of human societies, the moment it occurs leaves psychological impacts, and social media and news outlets overflow with discussions about its negative ramifications. With the existence of legal authority, the public remains reassured about their social security. Social security and its economic counterpart are intertwined elements, and with a series of financial, economic, and social collapses, alongside a political deadlock and institutional vacuum, Lebanese fears are growing that crime rates may reach unprecedented levels, leading to a return to scenes of self-enforcement.
