According to a study revealed this Wednesday, 45% of 362 Women Sex Workers (MTS) interviewed in the country said they had had sexual intercourse with an officer of the security forces, that is, Public Force or Municipal Police.
In addition, 84% of them indicated that the police requested free sexual services, 50% used inappropriate vocabulary against them and 43% said they had been physically assaulted by said forces.
According to the collected data,
there are several policemen who hide each other, thus perpetrating their power, impunity and, of course, institutional patriarchy.”
The study was conducted and published in 13 countries at the same time by the Network of Sex Workers of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedTraSex). In Costa Rica it was led by the organization La Sala.
National legislation does not prohibit Sex Work but it does not recognize it either. This situation leads to the violation of rights for female sex workers,”
says the report.
Nubia Ordóñez, national coordinator of La Sala , indicated that with the launching of these and other data they hope to raise awareness so that sex workers can be legally protected. She added that they do not defend those who link their sex work to criminal acts such as robberies or drug sales.
The Public Force of San Jose vehemently denied a study in which sex workers claimed to have been “violated” by officers of this police force.
Intendant Allan Herrera, said through a press release that he has promoted intense training for law enforcement officers as well as approaches with various groups working in the capital, including transsexuals.