Warning for Women Visiting the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica
 

The southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful parts of the country but a serial rapist is currently operating in the area south of Puerto Viejo. I’m sharing this information because someone I know and love was one of the victims, my 16 year old niece, a resident of Costa Rica. She made a police report on her own initiative and would like to warn other women visiting the area so I am passing this message along on her behalf.

If you go to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, please do not visit the beach on your own! Her mother adds that she can't emphasize enough how important it is for women not to travel alone in this area and not to accept invitations from charming strangers.

The May 27th edition of AM Costa Rica ran an article entitled “Caribbean struggles with rape and official delays” which provides additional information about the frustrations of this entire situation. http://www.amcostarica.com/052708.htm

These vicious attacks have been happening for the last year and local residents are convinced all those in Puerto Viejo are the work of a convicted rapist who was imprisoned for 14 years prior to that. Rather than serve as rehabilitation, prison taught him how to avoid leaving DNA evidence and not let victims see his face and he has been able to avoid arrest so far this time around.

The information in the next paragraph was provided by my sister-in-law. Because her parents are Canadian, my niece looks like a foreigner but is actually Costa Rican born and perfectly fluent in both English and Spanish. She has impressed us all with her maturity by insisting on following all the official reporting procedures as well as undergoing a nauseating round of anti-AIDS drugs. She is a survivor but many tears have been shed on behalf of her pain and lost innocence.

“He lives at a beach called Playa Chiquita but has easy access to all of the beaches from Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo. What he usually does is spy and wait for a woman, preferably a tourist, to walk on the beach alone. There are a lot of trees and underbrush close to the water's edge so it is easy for him to surprise and drag away an unsuspecting victim. After an attack he rushes home, changes, takes his dog with him on his motorcycle and goes to "hang out" at one of the more populated beaches. (Punta Uva) “

Because foreigners are usually targeted, the attacks are seldom officially reported because victims must go through a very complicated process, difficult enough for residents to cope with let alone non-Spanish speaking tourists. Besides, only a small percentage of rape victims ever file reports. Currently, a group of Costa Rican residents, including my family, have found each other and hired a lawyer and are attempting to make inroads into the system.

A few days after the brutal rape of my niece, a 50 year old woman was attacked in the same place and manner but was able to fight off the attacker and escape. Even though she saw and was able to identify her attacker and he was the same person locals believe to be the serial rapist, the police would not charge him because he hadn’t actually raped her!

I'm so sorry to hear this, but thank you for posting the warning. All the best for your courageous niece.

Moolyn,
Thanks for posting the warning.
Your niece deserves much credit for carrying through with whatever is needed to try to finally bring this dangerous man to justice.

I had read about the situation on another board. But it really hit home now because I actually have met Moolyn and because I was in PV for the first time just last month. We are often lulled into a false sense of security - that it won't happen to us...

So I guess I will just echo the message to potential visitors to the Puerto Viejo area - be aware of this danger, and be prudent.

raquel

Thank you, moolyn. I hope your niece will find peace with this horror. Bless her heart.

I, too, have met moolyn and feel so bad for what her niece has gone through.
What a brave young woman her niece is to follow through and do all the paperwork involved..
Moolyn I wish her the very best. This whole thing must be very hard on your whole family.

It's so hard to accept that the authorities know who this man is and won't do anything. So terrible.

Thanks for letting everyone know about this.
And lets hope something is done about it.

I'm so sorry about your niece - I'm sure you are all very proud of her. Thanks for posting this important information.

Moolyn,

Sorry to hear about this. I hope everything works out as hard as it may be on you right now. I have asked Skip at our site, if I could repost this and a link to Fodors for this article so the word can get out to protect other females that are traveling in the area. He approved, so there is one more site going to battle for you. I think with enough people and web sites getting the word out, we can at least prevent this individual from being able to do such horrendous acts again. The best case scenario, we can bring him to justice.

God Bless,

Mike

Thank you all for your kind words and for realizing the importance of warning women visiting this area to take the simple precaution of not going to the beach on their own.

My sister-in-law wrote: "If a tourist incurred a physical injury because of dangerous currents or the unsafe practices of tour operators, hotels wouldn't think twice about warning other people. This is something potentially even more damaging and yet hotel owners are hesitant to talk about it.”

This is short-sighted if hotel owners are simply trying to protect their business interests. If my brother’s family had been warned, this most likely would not have happened to one of their three daughters and they would have continued to visit this attractive area. Now they do not ever plan to return for a holiday and they are advising all of their friends to stay away as well.

One reason that the predator has been able to continue for so long is his deliberate choice of foreign women. "Few women want to hang around long enough to press charges and subject themselves to the wretched police treatment of the situation so he keeps going." He does not wait long between attacks so the potential number of victims over the past year is staggering.

His fatal mistake may have been to unintentionally attack some Costa Rican residents. A well respected lawyer - a former judge - was moved to contact these victims about taking on this case. He is familiar with the system and hopeful that charges can soon be brought on the basis of the testimony of my niece and three other Costa Rican women. A fifth woman will come forward once the rapist is in custody; she is too afraid to act until then.

M,

Kodi brought this post to my attention this weekend.

On a personal level, let me say that I am thinking of and saying a prayer (it's my thing, as you know!) for your niece--my sister was attacked at 16 by a stranger who dragged her into the bushes right here in our own community. She had the courage to go through the system and see her attacker brought to justice and, at 50, she is very glad she did. It was not easy and the support of family meant a great deal to her.

I am also sending this thread to a group of 'gals pals' from BC who go to CR quite often. One owns property there and a couple more are thinking of retiring there. This is is a timely warning.

L

A couple years ago there was a gang rape at Manuel Antonio. The police released the perpetrators since the woman didn't stay in CR and press charges.

You have to be careful where ever you travel.

LJ, thanks for your prayers and for passing this warning along to others who might be in the Puerto Viejo area.

RBCal, thanks for sharing. It seems that this particular rapist isn't the only one who realizes that targetting foreign women can help to avoid prosecution.

Women on their own are vulnerable everywhere, not just on holidays.

I'd like to give kudos to the people on this forum calling attention to this problem as well as to fodors for allowing a discussion of this important information.

I was following this story on another forum until administration decided that it was in their best (business) interest if single women were not warned about the dangers of this specific location and consequently, started to shut down any and all discussion of this topic.

As of last week, the serial rapist is still out and about - please pay heed to this warning.

And thank YOU for topping the post. We need to keep it at the top as long as incidents are occuring. Even if there ARE no incidents, I don´t think I´ll ever feel comfortable walking alone on the beach down there again. That said, I NEVER have felt comfortable alone on a beach that was deserted.

Nothing much has changed about the situation in Puerto Viejo so my warning still stands but AM Costa Rica included an updated report in their July 4th edition, actually naming the suspect this time:

http://www.amcostarica.com/morenews2.htm

Moolyn, I could not find the article, but thanks for keeping everyone posted.
It's so hard to believe the authorities have a suspect and don't act on it.

It's also hard to believe another forum would shut down any discussion. The safety of women is so very important. It doesn't make sense to delete threads that heed a warning.

Thank you Moolyn and Thank you fodor's.

For those interested try this link
http://www.amcostarica.com/070408.htm
It is about half way down.

Fully agree that this is an important issue. The other forum did not seem to realize that the issue was not to bash PV - it has some good things going for it - or cause some type of a scare or scandal. It was just to provide information on an issue that is out there right not in order to make people aware of their surrounds and prevent them from acting in a manner that could put them at risk.

Thanks again Moolyn.

raquel

Kodi, I'm sorry that my link didn't work. Raquel, thank you so much for providing the correct one!

Some of the information I provided earlier was incorrect. The rapist was previously sentenced to a longer term but only ended up serving about half the time. This type of thing happens here as well.

I also don't understand why the other board doesn't want women to get the truth so they can avoid a dangerous situation. Nobody ever suggested that Puerto Viejo be boycotted. All women going there need do is avoid deserted beaches when they are on their own. Thank you Fodors for allowing this crucial warning to stand!

On the positive side, the overextended Costa Rican judicial system is hard at work on this case and some local hotels actually are warning their female guests. I even heard about a policeman who approached a woman on the beach alone and told her it was not a good idea for her to be there by herself. Local residents are actively trying to do something about the situation even though the culprit is said to have connections and seems to be related to almost everyone in the area.

A young woman who recently visited Puerto Viejo on her own sent me a report of her stay. She had asked on another board whether PV was a safe place for a woman on her own and had booked after being assured it was safe, even though some of the men assuring her were locals who were well aware of the rapist preying on foreign women but chose not to disclose this information for whatever reasons.

After discovering the truth, the young woman contacted the hotel where she was staying, Tierra de Suenos, right beside Playa Chiquita. The owners, Angie and Brendan, were so open and honest that she decided to go ahead with her trip, even though they offered to refund her money if she no longer wanted to go. They even offered her the use of their dogs to take along with her when she left the hotel. Forewarned and forearmed, she made sure that she was never on the beach alone and was able to have a wonderful and safe trip.

She wrote:

I found out exactly where he lived, what he looked like, etc. I guess his mom has moved in with him, so that is part of the reason he has been laying low, along with the pressure of the community. Most people of the area seem to think he will be "taken out" fairly soon. And the reason he has not been "taken out" yet is due to dad being the drug king guy.

The Playa Chiquita community (is annoyed) that he has disturbed the community the way that he has and they are quite frustrated about it.

I am continuing to put the word out regarding (the other board’s) unwillingness to keep their forums honest.....

So once again, many thanks to Fodors for operating a board where people actually can get the truth before they go and have a safe holiday as a result of simply being aware.

Moolyn, thanks for the update, and thanks to the woman who sent you the update. That was great of her to do so.
Also great to hear the owners of the hotel were so honest and open.

Still so hard to believe this guy is on the loose.

The young woman I quoted in my last update sent me another message about an attack that occured the week after she returned home. Fortunately, this attack didn't have the outcome the preditor expected but it serves to show that he will keep on trying.


The rapist struck again......The owners of the place where I stayed...Tierra de Suenos.....emailed me to update me....the week after I returned he attacked another woman! But this time he attacked the wrong woman! She has her blackbelt in karate and kicked the ____ out of him. She got away after leaving her mark on him. I guess she beat him up pretty bad.....but Angie and Brendan told me that since this girl did not know about the history of the rapist, she left the next day as planned. But I guess they are trying to get her to come back to testify since she saw him and also left quite a few marks on him!

Pretty crazy, huh?

Thought you would want to know.....let everyone know!

Good for her!! I'm so glad she was able to fight him off.

When will this end? What if this woman had not been a black belt?

I can't believe the authorities are not doing something...
What an aweful thing to be going on , and many are totally unaware of it.

Let's hope they do something soon.

moonlyn, I am sad and sickened to hear what happened to your niece, and I am inspired by her courage and strength. I hope they catch this guy soon.

Does anyone have any updates on this situation?

There's a story in this week's Tico Times:

http://www.ticotimes.net/topstory.htm

Molly, the rapist is still on the loose but he's a coward who will not attack women unless they are on their own.

Things are proceeding slowly within the justice system in regards to the women pressing charges. There are some positive developments but nothing I can share at this point.

Rader, thanks for sharing the Tico Times article. This will help people to understand the overall situation in Puerto Viejo.

This link is to the story of the week but anyone reading this after the story has changed can search the Tico Times archives.

Thanks Moonlyn - I am traveling to the area next month with my soon-to-be husband and was hoping something had changed for the better in this situation. I will just have to be careful. Like it has been said previously, many thanks to everyone who has spread the word on these types of issues; keeping travelers aware of dangerous situations is SO important and greatly appreciated.

Moolyn;
I am so sorry to hear about your niece and I hope and pray that she can get through this difficult time peacefully.

I had not heard about the problems down there with rape-- other crimes, yes, but not rape. I have been there about 11 times and most recently in February. However, I did have an incident myself with someone who I am sure had intended to rape me. At the time I was 48 years old. It was 8 years ago.

My husband went fishing for a day and a half in another part of C.R. and I was happy to stay at the Villas del Caribe and wait for his return. They knew me well there and I was comfortable and happy to read and relax. It is the only time I have ever been alone in that area and I would never be alone on the beach or even on the road ever again.

The perpetrator was not local but was from another country in Central America and had lived in Puerto Viejo for a few years at that point. He was a man who was hanging out in a little roadside restaurant owned by a French woman which is not there anymore and either is she. My husband and I had eaten there a number of times and had been friendly with the owner.

The restaurant was close to the Villas-- less than a kilometer-- and easy for me to walk or ride my bike to have dinner there while my Husband was briefly away.

One early evening after I arrived at the restaurant while it was still light out there was one of those sudden tropical storms and it was relentless. I waited it out which led me into the night time. The road is pitch dark with only the rare occasional dim light--as I am sure you know. I had a small flashlight.

When the storm slowed down to a drizzle I decided to leave as I was very uncomfortable there at the restaurant alone. Later I read in the Lonely Planet guide that women should NEVER walk on that road alone. The woman who owned the restaurant insisted that the odd young man who sort of worked there walk me back. I insisted that I didn't want anyone to walk me back that I could handle it on my own. He had been staring at me and I felt uncomfortable. So I left but when I turned around he was behind me and he caught up to me. He knew that I was married. "Where is your husband?", he kept saying, as I was picking up speed and by now at a slow trot. "Why are you running, are you afraid of me"?, he said, trying to force me to hold his hand. By the way, the area there is called Playa Chaquita, as you know. Not long before you get to the Villas there is a path through the jungle onto the beach. He tried to drag me to that path and insisted how much nicer it would be to walk on the beach. It is not a pleasant path even in the daylight and there was no moon that night. It's rocky and muddy. I was quite afraid by this point. Not a soul around and it was darker than dark out.

I broke away and ran to the Villas with him running behind me. The Villas always has an armed security guard sitting in the front at night. The perp. knew that and stopped chasing me right before the entrance to the villas. I ran to my room.

The next day I told the people at the front desk but they couldn't have cared less and acted as if it was commonplace. My husband was coming home that afternoon. We went to the French woman's restaurant that evening (not to eat!) and the man was there. My husband-- a big guy, threatened him. The woman said that I had made the whole thing up and that I only wished he would attack me. Not a shocking response because there are people like that in this world.

We skipped the following year and have been back there probably 4 or 5 more times. I think it's a fun area for young people who stick together and are smart and careful but for us, we feel that we are finished with Puerto Viejo as we are older now and long for other locales. I never walked to or from the beach alone again.

I have met wonderful people down there. People who are looking for a life off the beaten path. Good people who are trying to make a living who are being robbed, often. It's not an easy life. It is a very beautiful little place with a big dark side.

God bless you and your niece. I hope that this man is brought to justice. I am not saying that it's the same man that tried to attack me but I do think that criminals can get lost in a place like that and it's not uncommon.

Molly, local people in Puerto Viejo are well aware of the situation so ask when you’re there and you’ll get the latest information. Then you can report back to us!

As long as you don’t wander around on your own, you should be perfectly safe. Puerto Viejo is one of the most beautiful parts of Costa Rica so stay close to your soon-to-be husband and enjoy your vacation.

Marie, thanks for sharing your story. I have read it several times. It sounds like you were very fortunate. As you write so accurately about Puerto Viejo, “It is a very beautiful little place with a big dark side.”

There has been a long history of oppression, drug trafficking and police corruption in this area that helps explain the dark part. But local people are now expressing concern and hopefully will be able to bring about changes without destroying the positive aspects. All we can do is warm other women who are travelling there not to go places on their own. This is wise advice anywhere in Latin America.

My niece is doing very well, considering. Although she doesn’t yet want to talk about her experience, she has a loving support group and she is part of the group of Costa Rican women proactively building a case within their own justice system.

Amazing story. . .and something I've always "felt" was probably true. My husband got out-of-distance ahead of my on his bicycle one time and I didn't speak to him for 2 hours! When I did . . .whoa baby! LOL

It has always just seemed to me very possible in that location. Jungle right next to the road, etc.

I meant to say "out of sight distance". . .makes more sense! :)

Let's keep this at the top. Is there any more recent info available? Two of us, females, are heading that way in February. Thanks to all who have shared this sad story - and made your fellow travelers safer.

This is a very very sad story, I am sorry for anyone who has been affected, and important for people to know about who are traveling to this area.

But I don't think it's quite fair to say that women should not travel on their own in all of Latin America just because there is a known serial rapist operating in this one specific location.

cactushugger, I will try to post an update within a few days. I know that there has been progress and setbacks but am not sure how much I can share because of the upcoming court case.

suze, I'm sorry if I gave the impression that women should not travel to Latin America or even to Puerto Viejo on their own as the problem I wrote about is very specific and can be avoided as others have written.

Please don't visit the beaches in Puerto Viejo alone, day or night, if you are a woman. This warning applies even to women who are traveling with others as Raquel pointed out. After all, my niece was there with her family and simply headed in the wrong direction when she tried to catch up to her mother and sisters. She wouldn't have attempted this had she been made aware of the specific danger. Hopefully, sharing her experience will prevent others from undergoing this trauma.

Here is an update courtesy of my sister-in-law in Costa Rica:

"I recently made contact with the government agency that looks into issues of violence against women. There have been other reports about violence in the same area so they are looking into it. The problem in the area seems to be corruption of a few key members in the police force. That's what I hear from residents not from the authorities.

Basically nothing has been happening with the case. There is flooding in the area right now so tourism is down. However, our "summer" is coming soon and women tourists are just as unlikely to be warned or protected as ever."

Thank you Moonlyn. Do you know if all of the attacks have been on the beach? How about women biking down to Manzanillo or hiking in the jungle? The more info that's out there the safer we can keep ourselves.

I want to thank you all for posting this information. I am a female in my 30's and was minutes away from booking a solo trip to Puerto Viejo to spend some time chilling on the beach and relaxing by myself. I decided to check the forum to get some suggestions and this was the top posting. Talk about signs! Looks like I better explore some other options.

cactushugger, since you are going with somebody else, you should be fine if you stick together. I don't know whether the other places you mention are safe. Talk to the staff where you are staying and ask other locals, especially women, as they will have up to date information about the situation and can give you better advice than I can offer.

I know that the rapist tried to leave the country at least once but was turned back by customs officials in Spain.

raceloughren, this is not a wise destination if your priority is to spend time on the beach on your own. I'm glad that you read this warning before booking.

Here is a recent Tico Times article about this case.

8 | NEWS | THE TICO TIMES – May 1, 2009

The Rapes Are Real, But Prosecution Elusive

Although several women can name Puerto Viejo serial rapist, legal obstacles remain

By Meagan Robertson Tico Times Staff

A local man charged with having raped two women and suspected of assaulting several others, including a 16-year-old girl, continues to walk the streets and beaches of the Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo, according to victims and locals.

All thirteen Puerto Viejo residents interviewed by The Tico Times for this story believe this one man is the rapist, although most refused to have their names used for fear of reprisals, from the man’s powerful family or the suspect himself. One, said it was too risky to talk too much in a small town. “He’s a big guy, he’s scary, and he knows where we live,” she said.

Each of the attacks took place around the same location and under similar circumstances between 2003 and today. In each, the rapist used the same strategy: He approached the victims from behind while walking along an isolated stretch of beach on Playa Chiquita, covered their heads with a bag and choked them. Only one victim has claimed to have actually seen his face. In several of these cases, the victims have said, the rapist asked the same questions and made the same threats. He has also been very careful not to leave any physical evidence, using a condom and gloves during the assaults.

Similar Circumstances

The suspect was sentenced in 1997 to 13 years in prison for rape, but was released for good behavior after having served only six years. And when a Chilean woman who was attacked on the beach in 2003 named him as the attacker, he served an additional eight months in prison pending trial. At the trial, the judges ruled that the evidence was inconclusive, and he was released. Since then, at least five more women have reported rapes or attempted rapes under similar circumstances.

A Nicaraguan woman who was attacked declined to press charges against this man because she was certain her aggressor would kill her, according to residents. Another, “Beth,” a U.S. citizen living in Puerto Viejo, was raped in August 2007 and named the same man as her attacker.

According to Beth, a further traumatizing element of the rapist’s attack consisted of his asking questions and making threats. “He asked me my name, where I was from and where I hid my money,” she said. “Then he told me he was going to kill me, but rape me first.”

She has decided to come forward and tell her story, so that it may push the judicial system to resolve her case and make further investigations into rape cases in the area and Costa Rica in general.

Seven months later, in March 2008, two more women claimed they were raped, both within a week of each other. The first of these victims was a 16-yearold girl who was visiting the area with her parents when she was attacked in the middle of the day in the same spot as Beth. Her parents rushed her back to San José for medical examinations, and although it was
determined that she had been raped, no physical evidence linking the suspect to the crime was found.

Though reluctant to share the traumatic experience at first, the 16-year-old opened up when she and Beth met last week to discuss their cases. According to Beth, when she first spoke to the young victim and described her own experience, the girl kept repeating “the same thing happened to (me).”

Five days after the attack on the girl, a Brazilian woman, “Clara,” was walking the same stretch of beach. She was attacked from behind in the same way as the others. When attacked, she struggled as best she could, though she was thrown to the ground. According to her friend and legal adviser, “Oscar,” the attacker pinned her down and tried to pry her legs open. She struggled so violently that he gave up and ran away, taking with him the sole valuable she had on her: her wedding ring.

Later that night she picked the suspect out of a line-up and recounted what had happened to the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ). The suspect was in jail for 24 hours and then released pending trial, with some restrictions: He is required to appear before the court every 15 days and prohibited from approaching the victim.

Oscar is an experienced lawyer, and is helping both Clara and Beth pursue their cases, although he is reluctant to become officially involved for fear of being targeted. He says the difficulty with Clara’s case is that, after the facts were investigated, the prosecutors decided to charge the suspect with robbery instead of attempted rape since he ultimately only made off with the ring.

“He was in prison for rape not robbery. He doesn’t have a history of robbery, he has a history of rape,” said a frustrated Beth. “And why would you rob someone on the beach
who only has a towel and a book?”

On May 13 Clara will have the opportunity to present her case in front of three judges at a hearing in Bribrí. She plans to tell the entire story and appeal for them to change the charge.

Pursuit of Justice

Oscar is suggesting that Clara and Beth combine their cases and present them to the judges because he believes that unless the similarity of the attacks is pointed out, Beth’s case will likely go nowhere.

According to the OIJ in Bribrí, Beth’s case was dismissed for lack of evidence. However, one new piece of evidence that may help push Beth’s case forward was her discovery that a phone call was made from her cell phone, stolen by the rapist, to the suspect’s mother the day she was raped.

“The problem is that with rape cases, it is always difficult to accumulate solid evidence,” said one OIJ official. “Especially serial rapists, who are very careful not to leave anything linking them to the crime.”

He said that all the women raped said the suspect’s voice was that of a black man, but “that doesn’t prove anything to a judge, because people can alter their voices.”

Despite the entire town being upset about the rapes, residents say it is hard to accuse someone who is a part of that community.

“It’s a small community,” said Beth. “You see the person who raped you, you see the father, and you just don’t want to believe he did this to you, it’s just too hard. Many people are raped in this world but not many see the rapist afterwards. I didn’t want to believe it was him.”

Oscar emphasized that despite the horror of the situation, having suspicions isn’t enough. In his experience, he said very few rape cases make it past the investigation stage because of lack of evidence.

“(Allegations have) to be backed up by evidence,” he said. “And after such long periods of time, evidence losses its integrity.”

Judicial officials agree with Oscar, and admit that despite having strong suspicions about the same man, they cannot act without substantial evidence.

“I think the most prominent factor is that all the rapes were committed the same way,” said one. “Therefore, if we figure out one of the cases, it should link the suspect to all of them.”

This is precisely what Oscar hopes Beth and Clara can do.

“I strongly believe that if the women unite their cases and present them in such a manner to the judges, the rapist will be convicted and put in jail,” said Oscar.

Beth, a year and a half after her traumatic experience, is still waiting for that to happen.

“I have hope,” she said. “I have hope that I’ll have closure and he’ll go away to jail. …
He’s still a human being but he deserves to be punished. And he will.”

Fighting Back: “Beth,” a victim of a rape near the Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo, is determined to seek justice.

Caribbean Rape Statistics Not the Country’s Highest

While Puerto Viejo has gained a reputation as a dangerous spot, locals claim this reputation is unwarranted. Crime statistics appear to back them up. According a 2008 preliminary survey completed by the Costa Rican Justice Ministry comparing the number of rapes
and attempted rapes in different parts of the country, the Caribbean coast’s numbers
were not out of the ordinary. Alajuela, northwest of San José, ranked number one in the country with just under 200 rapes and attempted rapes, while San Carlos, a canton in north-central Costa Rica and the Puntarenas, the principal central Pacific city, were both just below
150 for year 2008. Limón had 78 rapes or attempted rapes the same year.

“Anyone could go to any community in this country and make a sensational story out of crime,” said Colin Brownlee, who owns the Hotel Banana Azul in Playa Negra, near Puerto Viejo.

– Meagan Robertson

Good post, moolyn. I read that while we were there and intended to post it myself and forgot. Thanks! It's an interesting read, hope there will be some resolution and get that guy out of there.

Finally I can report some positive news which I learned before holidays but needed to have confirmed. These details may not all be totally correct but the important thing is that the Puerto Viejo rapist is presently behind bars!

What I have been told is that, after attempting to leave the country at least once, the rapist started changing his methods and altering his appearance. He also began moving his location to beaches other than Playa Chaquita and his level of violence began escalating, as had been feared.

In May, he attacked a young woman using a knife. He beat her up and cut her but fortunately she escaped without being raped or seriously injured. She clearly saw her attacker and was able to pick him out of a police lineup. She bravely filed charges. Currently he is in jail it is hoped that he will remain there until the court case.

He has been jailed and released before, however, so it is still wise for women not to visit any of the Puerto Viejo beaches unacompanied.

The National Women’s Association, a powerful voice in Costa Rica, has become interested in this situation and is lending their support.