A child protecting themselves against an attack. (Illustration photo by Envato)
Whether as perpetrators or victims, minors are increasingly involved in crime in Lebanon, amid a socioeconomic collapse that has been ongoing since 2019 and as Lebanon emerges from a devastating 13-month war against Israel. A report published on April 13 by the Union for Child Protection in Lebanon (UPEL) revealed alarming figures: in 2024, at least 930 cases of violence against minors and 780 crimes committed by children were recorded. These data highlight the extent of the vulnerabilities to which children are exposed. “We are facing a lack of protection and parental guidance,” said Amira Succar, president of the association.
What are the main crimes committed by minors and which ones are they victims of, and which regions are primarily affected?
Among the offenses recorded by UPEL, 45 percent involve theft, notably motorcycle theft (60 cases), cash (30 cases), car theft (10 cases), home burglaries (15 cases), thefts of electric cables (10 cases), iron or copper objects (10 cases), jewelry (5 cases), or other items (120 cases). Succar explained that “theft has always been the most common crime committed by minors in Lebanon due to food insecurity, lack of security and protection, and poverty.” UPEL also reported 70 cases of burglary and 25 cases of armed robbery, bringing the total for this type of crime to 445 cases. However, this figure was lower than the 508 cases recorded in 2023.
934 child offenders
Drug-related crimes were also notable, accounting for 7.69 percent of the crimes committed, according to the 2024 report. 10 cases of trafficking and 50 other cases of use were recorded. The percentage of violence perpetrated by minors is 6.41 percent. This includes 35 cases of assault or physical violence, including 10 cases of murder, and 15 sexual offenses, of which five were rapes.
This is followed by public order offenses (6.41 percent), home invasions (3.85 percent), fraud and forgery (2.56 percent), road accidents, and unspecified incidents (1.92 percent). 110 miscellaneous crimes (14.1 percent) were also recorded, including five kidnapping cases, 20 cases of property damage and five cases of espionage. The report provided no further details on these last cases.
Of the 934 children in conflict with the law recorded by UPEL, Mount Lebanon (375 cases) and Beirut (200 cases) show the highest numbers due to "their urban density and intensified law enforcement efforts," the association estimates. The Bekaa comes in third place (112 cases), followed by the South (90) and Nabatiyeh (20), where rural poverty is “exacerbated,” according to the report.
608 children victims of violence
But children were also victims of physical, sexual, and psychological violence. According to UPEL, 608 minors were affected by these cases, including 272 in the North, 120 in Mount Lebanon, 100 in the Bekaa, 61 in the capital, 40 in the South, and 15 in Nabatieh. The risks of exposure to violence are “high in marginalized regions where child protection is limited,” the association said.
“The most common crime against children is sexual harassment,” stated Succar. At least 270 cases of sexual violence, including 50 rapes and more than 150 instances of harassment, were recorded. The number of sexual violence cases is thus close to that of 2023 when 305 cases of sexual abuse were reported.
Additionally, 200 cases of physical violence, some leading to running away from home or permanent injuries, were documented, along with 180 cases of domestic violence, 70 of threats and intimidation, 45 kidnappings, several for forced marriage or exploitation purposes, 45 cases of abandonment, 40 road accidents, 20 marriages and exploitation, 15 suicide attempts and self-harm attributed to untreated trauma, and 45 other crimes.
Support and judicial follow-up
What about the follow-up? A source within the Ministry of Social Affairs stated that its teams intervene with children exposed to danger. “We provide children with psychosocial support, and in some cases, after authorization from the juvenile judge, minors are transferred to child protection institutions,” said this source, without providing figures on the number of interventions carried out.
The UPEL report pointed to a concerning disproportion between judicial procedures initiated and social follow-up conducted on the ground. Out of 2,179 juvenile hearings held in 2024, only 229 resulted in social support, representing barely one in ten cases. In Beirut, 501 hearings were recorded, against only 25 social follow-ups. The situation is similar in Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa. Faced with this imbalance, UPEL calls for strengthening prevention mechanisms, creating alternative reception structures, and integrating mental health services into juvenile follow-up.
The Ministry of Social Affairs was not able to comment on the issue of juvenile hearings and social support.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
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