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.