Prostitution in Costa Rica
[5][6][7][8] The large growth in sex tourism prompted the Government of Costa Rica to introduce a voluntary[9] registration scheme for prostitutes.
[10] Prostitutes who register with the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) carry an ID card and are entitled to a free health check every 15 days,[11] as well as being able to receive support and assistance.
On 16 June 1931, Law 91 was passed, creating the National Tourism Board, which operated until it was replaced by the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo on 9 August 1955.
[34] According to "Transvida", an organisation which is dedicated to defend the rights of the transsexual population, trans women who are sex workers in San José, mostly work in 2 defined areas, in 2016.
One of those areas centers around "Parque Morazán" and the Costa Rica Institute of Technology and the other one around the "Ministry Of Public Works & Transport" and the Hospital Clínica Bíblica.
[35] In June 2016, trans women who are sex workers in San José have denounced insults and violence (such as attacks involving stones and BB gun pellets) committed against them, in a local newspaper.
The newspaper article included pictures showing multiple BB gun injuries (pellets penetrated inside the bodies), as well as video interviews with the trans women sex workers.
[38] The Roman Catholic Church, however, has opposed the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Health's efforts to institute HIV prevention and sex education programs.
In addition, they feel that the campaign for increased condom use and sex education programs interfere with “Divine Rule.”[37] Prostitutes often associate HIV/AIDS infection with violent behavior.
[39] While sex tourism is embraced in Costa Rica due to its economic benefits, there are limits to what is considered lawful conduct.
[32][14] Recently, the Costa Rican government announced the approval of legislation by congress that would increase penalties for trafficking and related activities.
Minister of the Presidency, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, asserted that "Costa Rica sets a good example" though the implementation of this law, and that human trafficking "must be fought by all possible means.
Exact numbers of the children involved were unknown at the time, and the government of Costa Rica had not gathered detailed statistics.
[41] Costa Rican Congresswoman Gloria Bejerano cites globalization as one of the factors halting attempts to cease child prostitution, as access to communication and media technologies is widespread.
The governmental organization Alianza por tus Derechos (“Alliance for your rights”) pushes for the implementation of new, harsher laws to coincide with the heinousness of the crimes being committed.
Immigration and the District Attorney's office assert that efforts thus far have been inadequate, as there have only been two human trafficking cases ending in a strict sentence since the passing of these laws.
[33] In 2016, the phenomenon of fathers "renting" their daughters as child prostitutes has been called common in Limón Province, but occurred throughout the country.
Immigration and the district attorney's office assert that efforts thus far have been inadequate, as there have only been two human trafficking cases ending in a strict sentence since the passing of these laws.
[46] The United Nations has been an extremely active force in efforts to prevent human trafficking and child sex tourism in Latin American countries.
[47] The campaign, termed the Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project, was conducted in cooperation with various U.S. government agencies.
[33] Also in 2004, the World Tourism Organization (WTO), in conjunction with ECPAT and UNICEF, headed an effort to encourage American travel agencies to abide by a code of conduct.
Under the code, hotel and travel companies commit to establishing a policy against commercial sexual exploitation of children.
