Legal
Aspect of Prostitution in Costa Rica
Prostitution
in Costa Rica is legal - though pimping
is not.
In Costa Rica, even though it is primarily a Catholic country, prostitution
in some cases is a way of life, survival of others. Men and women have the
constitutional right to do what their bodies as they please, including
providing sexual favors or services in return for money.
However, the prostitution of minors is illegal. And the law
does not tolerate any type of activity that includes minors - both male and
female. In Costa Rica the age of majority is 18.
While many women in the United States and other countries become sex workers
- a term we prefer to use rather than refer to them as prostitutes - because
of drug and alcohol abuses. Rarely that is the case in Costa Rica.
Most women in Costa Rica enter the sex trade in an effort to better their
economic situation and take care of their family. Some will work only for a
few days a month or when the situation arises, while others make it a career
choice.
In Costa Rica, women
as men, are free to apply their trade without the repercussions of law
officials harassing and persecuting their activities. This can include
girls in bars and night clubs, massage parlors, to street walkers.
Typically, street walkers are problem girls that cannot enter the bars
of clubs due to previous problems at the locale, or are known drug users
and in a lot of cases are under the age.
Though prostitution is permitted, the law prohibits pimping or "proxenitismo"
in Spanish. Over the last couple of years, law enforcement officials
with the support of the courts, have been using a heavy hand to curb
proxenitismo and have arrested and jailed several operators of organized
prostitution rings.
Laws have been passed in recent years that penalizes those involved in
proxenitismo with up to 15 years of jail time. In Costa Rica jail terms
that involve prostitution have no time off for good behaviour. 15 year
is 15 years!
The latest is the case of "Sinai" in November. Sinai was known to all as
the 'queen' of prostitution in Costa Rica, operating a network of girls
that deliver to most part of the country. Her services included minors
whose services could be purchased for a high price. Girls as young as 15
years of ago were reported to have been employeed by the queen. |
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Police
officials, in a raid that included several
other people, arrested Sinai and is now
awaiting trial.
The law also includes parents of minors
who knowingly permit or use their child
for the purposes of prostitution. Several
parents have been brought before the
courts for prostituting their minor child.
One case is of a mother who invited
foreigners to her house to have sex with
her daughter, until neighbours made a
complaint to police who commenced and
investigation and finally arrested the
woman.
Several other cases included parents who
brought their underage daughters to San
José's famous Morazan park so that the
little girls can apply their trade. In
some cases, the girls were as young as 12
years of age.
If you are
considering about coming to Costa Rica for
a good time with children, don't. Your
activities will not go unnoticed and you
may find yourself guest of the Costa Rican
penal system. Pedophilia is illegal. We
don't promote it on these pages and
neither does Costa Rica want you.
Having said, the very best place in the
world to get laid is Costa Rica. We are
convinced of it.
Prices range from as low as 3.100 colones
($7 at the current exchange rate) at some
places in the "zona roja" on Calle 6 to as
much as, well, as you will pay. The
average prices in the massage parlors
range in the $20 area, while the Blue
Marlin bar girls at the Hotel Del Rey and
other hotels and discos will charge $100
for an hour or two and several hundreds of
dollars, plus drinks, entrance fee and
taxi at the night clubs or strip bars.
Hotels, discos and local bars don't
actually employee the girls. Like the
ladies at the Hotel Del Rey, they are
actually customers of the bar and are
asked that they consume or will be asked
to leave. This is a rule that has been in
place for a long time, though customers
and others think that the girls are
employed by the bar.
The massage parlors and night clubs
actually do contract the girls to provide
attention to their customers. Though they
are not forced into providing sexual
favours, it is uncommon to enter a massage
parlour and be attended by a hostess who
will only give you a massage,
Massage parlors are licenses to rent you a
room for a short time - a 'pension' - and
what the girls actually do inside the room
for the time is between her and the
customer - you. If you were to complain to
management that the girl did not offer
sexual services, she will probably be
fired, though the girls who work there
know exactly what is the game.
All this is legal, for now. Lawmakers have
been discussing various ways to 'curd' or
'stop' prostitution, but the reality is
that prostitution provides many with a
living and to stop it would place a burden
on the already overtaxed social system.
Police authorities use raids against
establishments as way of letting them know
that they are still in control and use
immigration officials on the scene to
check for documentation of legal status,
thus providing proof of age of the girls
working there.
On several occasions, girls have been removed from a location, usually
for migratory problems rather than for age. Also customers of the locale
are asked to identify themselves and foreigners are asked for proof of
their visa status. North Americans, Europeans have a legal stay of 90
days in Costa Rica, while other nationals typically are allowed 30 days
visit.
In Costa Rica, immigration officials are the only legal authority who
can ask anyone for proof of their visa status and can enter private
property without a warrant to effect their search. It is advised that
any foreigner carry their passport in case it is asked of them. Costa
Ricans all carry a 'cedula' for identification. A Costa Rican who is
asked for their identification cedula must provide one or will face a
summary fine and/or penalty. |
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Cedulas are issued to all Costa Ricans
(who apply for one) who are 18 years of
age and over and is used as legal identity
in the country. If you are with a girl
that you are unsure of her age, ask for
their cedula. If you are staying at a
hotel and are bringing your girl back as a
guest, she will need to provide proof of
her age to the hotel. But, don't always
assume so, always check!
Note: Our comments are not meant to be
legal advice. We are simply providing our
readers with information. If you are not
sure of your legal situation, we recommend
you contact a lawyer.
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