No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaCosta Rica enacts law against street sexual harassment

Costa Rica enacts law against street sexual harassment

Costa Rica on Monday put into effect a law that criminalizes street sexual harassment and punishes it with jail terms and fines.

“It is a great regulatory change that helps us to protect mainly women, who will travel free from sexual harassment, who feel safe and free,” said President Carlos Alvarado when signing the law that has been approved by the Legislative Assembly.

Alvarado added that “for men, (the law is) a call to exercise a new masculinity that respects the integrity of women.”

The new law meets a long-standing demand from organizations that claim women cannot move freely on the streets and public transport without being subjected to comments of sexual content or groping.

“With this signature, we begin to pay off the historical debt of the State and of society with the vast majority of women who have suffered this form of violence in public spaces since we were children,” said Patricia Mora, Minister of Women’s Affairs, at the signing ceremony.

Under the new law, anyone who takes photos or videos with sexual intentions in public places can be punished with prison terms of one year to a year and a half. The penalty may increase to two years if the material is shared.

It also imposes a six-month jail sentence on anyone who masturbates or exposes their genitals in public places.

Someone who follows or corners another person for sexual purposes may be punished with eight months to one year in prison.

Meanwhile, the use of words, noises or gestures with a non-consensual sexual purposes toward another person is punished by fines.

Critics say it is difficult to accuse someone for violating the law’s provisions, while women’s organizations hope that the prospect of punishment will motivate a behavior change on the part of men.

Trending Now

Low Dollar Exchange Rate Threatens Costa Rican Industry

Ten of Costa Rica’s leading business chambers have sent a joint letter to the Central Bank calling for an immediate adjustment to the country's...

El Salvador at Center of Controversial U.S.-Venezuela Detainee Exchange

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele received the 10 Americans exchanged on Friday between Washington and Caracas for 252 Venezuelans who had spent four months in...

Panama Union Leader Saúl Méndez Goes into Exile in Bolivia

The leader of Panama’s main union, Saúl Méndez, accused of fraud and money laundering, left for exile in Bolivia this Saturday. He had taken...

Keylor Navas Joins Pumas UNAM in Major Liga MX Transfer

Keylor Navas has agreed to become the new goalkeeper for Pumas UNAM, marking one of the biggest signings in recent Liga MX history. The...

Costa Rica Court Sanctions Road Official Over Delayed Wildlife Crossings

Costa Rica’s wildlife faces perils, as authorities have continously failed to build wildlife crossings. Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court has taken a firm stance in...

Costa Rica Launches Traceability System to Tackle Illegal Logging

Costa Rica is advancing with the creation of a National Forest Traceability System, a key tool to guarantee the legality and sustainability of timber...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica