Armenian couple help trafficking victims in Lebanon

PanARMENIAN.Net - An Armenian-Lebanese couple are helping providing basic help to victims of trafficking, the homeless, drug addicts, beggars and women exploited into prostitution in Beirut, according to an article published by Al Jazeera.

Paul and Ray, who asked that their real names be withheld because of the sensitivity of their work, have learned the ins-and-outs of Lebanon's trafficking world over the years

For the past 10 years, they have distributed food and medicine once a week to "people in need", the couple's term for the homeless, drug addicts, beggars and women exploited into prostitution in Beirut.

"We meet women who are Lebanese, East Africans and, in recent years, a lot of Syrians, of course," says Paul. "In my experience, they all want to leave the job, but the only ones I have seen leaving a trafficker - it was because they were handed to another [trafficker]."

Paul says he has not received any further threats from the traffickers. "[Why? Because] we make no change in the situation. And even if a girl manages to quit, they would have another one."

He admits that lately, he has considered stopping his volunteer work because of the emotional toll it has taken.

But, giving up is not an option, he concludes.