Costa Rica News – In the last 13 years, denunciations for sexual crimes increased 74%. Last year, the Public Prosecutor opened 6,162 new cases in which the victims are minors and had a total of 8,818 reports.
70% of the sexual crimes had to do with minors. That’s alarming. There were cases of rape, sexual abuse, relationships with minors, pimping, and pornography. There were even cases of trafficking in persons and kidnapping for marriage.
The only way to see light in this is that maybe it’s not so much an increase in abuse cases rather an increase in the percentage that are being reported. Victims are increasingly becoming aware of the laws to protect them and the organizations there to help them.
Improvements have been made in taking reports via 9-1-1 as well as through the CCSS. Criminal penalties now apply to those who have relations with those aged 16-18, a group that had been falling through the cracks.
The National Institute for Women (Inamu) provides therapy and can even provide monthly support for maintenance and get victims into shelters out of the reach of the aggressor. IMAS also offers help.
