Costa Rica’s image as a peaceful haven is cracking—not just on the streets, where homicides are spiking, but inside homes, where domestic violence has more than doubled in four years. Official figures paint a grim picture: in 2021, the country logged 9,406 cases of domestic violence, a number that ballooned to 23,046 by 2024—a staggering 145% surge. Even in the first few months of 2025, reports already tally 2,659 cases, signaling no slowdown in this troubling trend. Experts warn this isn’t just a crime wave; it’s a symptom of a broader social crisis hammering the nation.
Poverty, unemployment, organized crime, and shrinking social programs are fanning the flames, according to Ana María Jurado, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Costa Rica. “It’s a boiling pot,” she says. “When a social crisis hits, violence spikes—and it’s the most vulnerable who bear the brunt.”
She points to the pandemic’s aftermath as a tipping point, with economic fallout and isolation amplifying tensions that spill into homes. Women, especially girls, young adults, and the elderly, are the primary targets. In 2021, 75.2% of victims were female, compared to 24.8% male; by 2024, that split shifted slightly to 68.4% women and 32.4% men, showing the burden remains heavily gendered.
Domestic violence here spans physical, psychological, sexual, or financial abuse, often between family or intimate partners. Sylvia Meza, president of the Feminist Network Against Violence Against Women, sees it as part of a larger web of “unleashed social violence” hitting women, children, and seniors hardest.
She ties the surge to rising femicides—killings of women due to their gender—and a flood of pleas for protection. In 2022 alone, Costa Rica’s 911 line fielded over 72,000 domestic violence calls, a hint at the scale of desperation. Femicides are climbing too: from 27 in 2022 to 31 in 2023, with at least 10 reported by May 2024, per the Judiciary’s Gender Observatory.
What’s driving this? Beyond the social crisis, Jurado flags “symbolic violence”—cultural norms that embolden some men to dominate their partners. Meza agrees, adding that government inaction is pouring fuel on the fire. Cuts to prevention programs and a lack of investment in support services leave victims with few escapes. “The state’s absence is glaring,” Meza says. “We’re seeing more cases because women are reporting, but the system isn’t keeping up.”
Here’s a snapshot of the numbers:
| Year | Cases | Rate per 100,000 Women | % Female Victims |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,406 | 340.8 | 75.2% |
| 2022 | 8,725 | 316.1 | N/A |
| 2024 | 23,046 | ~835 (est.) | 68.4% |
| 2025 (Jan-Mar) | 2,659 | N/A | N/A |
The data underscores a crisis that’s both urgent and complex. While reporting has risen—thanks to growing awareness of rights, a trend noted by the UN since 2016—the response lags. Jurado calls for more than band aids: “We need investment in education, jobs, and shelters, not just laws on paper.”
