Q COSTARICA — Criminal gangs have begun using schools and colleges as recruitment grounds for minors into commercial sexual exploitation networks, according to the report “Explotación sexual comercial de niños, niñas y adolescentes (ESCNNA)” — Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents.
The document, prepared by the Interdisciplinary Program for Studies and Social Action on the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Pridena) at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children and Adolescents (Ineina) at the National University (UNA), describes how educational environments in Puntarenas, Corredores, and Garabito have been used to recruit victims.
The research, cited by CR Hoy in its coverage, identifies that the problem is exacerbated by social exclusion, poverty, student disengagement, lack of opportunities, and the presence of drug trafficking. All these factors have created an environment where minors are vulnerable to sex trafficking networks.
According to the report, educational institutions serve a dual purpose. On the one hand, they are presented as spaces of institutional protection for students. On the other, they can become settings where commercial sex trafficking networks operate.
Within schools, some minors, already linked to criminal groups, seek to recruit their own classmates to integrate them into these networks.
Among the recruitment methods identified, it is noteworthy that the first contact with victims can occur within the schools themselves. Criminal groups use students to approach other students and convince them to join the network with promises of protection and financial benefits. Furthermore, the report warns that social media plays a significant role, as it is used to recruit victims and to promote the objectification and sexualization of the female body.
The study also points out the lack of specific statistics in Costa Rica on legal proceedings related to the commercial sexual exploitation of minors. Although related crimes exist, the lack of data makes it difficult to assess the magnitude of the problem. For reference, the Public Prosecutor’s Office reported a total of 3,203 cases of sexual relations with minors in 2025.
Regarding the institutional response, the research indicates that specialized prosecutors have focused their efforts on increasing penalties, without making equal progress in prevention. The report highlights the need to strengthen preventive actions through greater social investment and the creation of a national program for the prevention of sexual exploitation.
When asked about the actions of the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) —National Children’s Welfare Board, the institution acknowledged that it faces significant challenges in guaranteeing the rights of minors, especially victims. PANI emphasized that the complexity of the phenomenon and the associated crimes requires the coordination of comprehensive, inter-institutional, and inter-sectoral processes.
The research concludes that the presence of drug trafficking, violence, and social inequalities has facilitated the operation of commercial sexual exploitation networks that use increasingly sophisticated recruitment strategies.
This phenomenon affects both the victims and the institutions responsible for their protection, which recognize the need for broader and more coordinated responses to address this problem.