In Costa Rica we are aware of the sexual exploitation of underage children and the great damage it brings to our children and adolescents. Because this is an issue we need to get rid off we are applying our laws with the most severity on these crimes.

THE STORY

“Maybe some of them don’t beat me up, but instead, insult me or say mean things to me, so it happens on the street and even the woman next door hates me… I say one thing:

The world is always turning and sooner or later you get to pay with what hurts you the most.”

14 years old victim of sexual exploitation.

Forget your misconceptions about cultural acceptance of Sexual exploitation, anywhere it happens is a real crime with real victims.

THE FACTS

a third of the minors who are victims of sexual exploitation
are abused by a foreigner

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0.5% of incoming tourists
come to our country
with sexual purposes

41% of the underage
girls victims have at least
one child.

In our country we care about our children just as much as you do in yours. The harm that sexual exploitation brings to our children deserves all penalty of the law.

THE CONSEQUENCES

Psychologically
• Alterations in their psycho-sexual development
• Shame and guilt feelings that lead to a low self esteem and a negative self image
• Alcoholism and drugs addictions as means to evade or tolerate the exploitation
• Depression
• Self destructive behaviours such as self harm and suicide
• Mistrust and difficulty to believe in others

Physically
• Cervix Cancer, Aids and STD’s
• Unwanted Pregnancies
• Early aging
• Alcoholism and drugs addictions
• Physical agression and early deaths

Socially
• Use of violence as a mean to solve problems
• Humiliation and exclusion

THE ACTIONS

Costa Rica has made serious efforts to prevent and combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children, such as reforming the Criminal Code (law 7899 of 1999) and adopting an action plan to tackle this issue. Nevertheless Costa Rica is one of the most common destinations for sex tourists from North America and Europe. The country has the largest child sex tourism problem in the region and the capital, San José, is regarded as the business epicentre for such business in Costa Rica and Central America.

The vulnerability, particularly of girls and adolescents, also increases when they have their own children. In most cases, pregnancies are not planned or desired, and sometimes are a product of the sexual exploitation itself (41% of the underage girls interviewed have at least one child). Having children for whom they are responsible puts great pressure on the adolescents mothers to find income, while not having education and labour training puts them at enormous risk of being involved in commercial sexual exploitation.

SOURCES

· Organización Internacional del Trabajo. Programa Internacional para la Erradicación del Trabajo Infantil (IPEC) Costa Rica. Explotación Sexual Comercial de Personas Menores de Edad: Una Evaluación Rápida.
· Claramunt y Sorensen, 2003: p. 44
· Casa Alianza, 2000
· Claramunt, 2002; Sorensen, Claramunt, 2003