In Costa Rica, prostitution (exchanging sex for money) is legal but not promoting or facilitating the prostitution (brothels or prostitution rings).[1]
Prostitution is common and is practiced openly throughout the country, particularly in areas with heavy concentrations of foreign tourists.
Costa Rica is a destination for child sex tourism, numerous children are victims of commercial sexual exploitation at the hands of tourists. Erika Linares, a lawyer with the Latin American Institute for Health Prevention, a group that works with prostitutes, said: "Sexual tourists look for two things: impunity and anonymity. Costa Rica offers both." Nevertheless, most of the demand for child prostitution comes from local Costa Rican men; it is a home-grown problem.[2]
Child prostitution is widespread. Street children in the urban areas of San José, Limon, and Puntarenas are particularly at risk[1]. Costa Rica is a transit and destination point for children trafficked for purpose of prostitution. Most trafficking victims originate from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, as well as from Russia, the Philippines, Romania, Eastern Europe[1].
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