Commonly Asked Questions
Page Contents
Find answers to commonly asked questions about trafficking in persons and child trafficking in Costa Rica below.
The commonly asked questions are organized into two categories: who can be a victim of trafficking? and, can a victim receive help and assistance?
Who Can Be a Victim of Trafficking?
How does someone know if they are a victim of child trafficking?
Someone is a victim of child trafficking if they are under 18 years of age and are being sexually exploited or exploited for other reasons (like forced labor, forced or servile marriage, or forced begging). In Costa Rica, the law recognizes the following forms of exploitation:
Some children and adolescents are exploited in more than one way, for example:
– exploited to work in a bar and to provide sexual services to clients;
– exploited to clean someone’s home and forced to have sexual relations with that person.
Even if someone is not a trafficking victim, every vulnerable child and adolescent in Costa Rica is entitled to protection and support.
Can boys be trafficking victims?
Yes, boys can be victims of trafficking. Any child or adolescent can be a trafficking victim. Children and adolescents of all genders and sexual identities can be trafficking victims. They may be trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labor, begging, or any other form of exploitation.
All child and adolescent trafficking victims are entitled to protection and assistance, regardless of gender or sexual identity.
If a child or adolescent's parents sent them to Costa Rica to have a better life, could they still be a trafficking victim?
Yes. A child or adolescent can be a trafficking victim regardless of whether their parents or guardians agreed to the arrangements.
If someone is being exploited but agreed to do the "work", "tasks" or "favors" that they are doing, can they still be a trafficking victim?
Yes, a person can still be a trafficking victim even if they have agreed to the work, sex, or sex-related activities. Even if they signed a contract they can still be a trafficking victim.
If someone agreed to enter Costa Rica without proper documents, can they still be a trafficking victim?
Yes. Some people enter the country illegally but are tricked or forced into an unexpected situation (for example, forced to work or engage in sex or sex-related activities). If a person is from another country and is being exploited in Costa Rica, they are entitled to protection and assistance, including help getting back home if that is what they want.
Do you know someone who may be a victim of trafficking?
Learn more about trafficking in persons on the Practitioner Platform
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