https://www.insidecostarica.com/2012/10/01/human-trafficking-continues-in-costa-rica-as-lawmakers-take-a-stand/ Costa Rica's Leading English Language News Source Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.2 https://www.insidecostarica.com/2012/10/01/human-trafficking-continues-in-costa-rica-as-lawmakers-take-a-stand/#comment-1302 Ken Morris Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:18:37 +0000 http://insidecostarica.com/?p=3073#comment-1302 Well, it’s easier to point fingers at traffickers than it is to clean up your own backyard. In 2010 there were 568 arrests of CR adults for sex with children 13-15, which resulted in measly 21 convictions. Most labor force data show that in the neighborhood of a third of all employees in CR are paid less than the minimum wage while their employers even pocket their payroll taxes. So we now have an average of 38 known trafficking victims annually, some of whom arrived voluntarily (Those who supply transportation for willing illegal immigrants are technically guilty of “trafficking”) and we’re all supposed to wring our hands in despair? Well, trafficking ain’t good, but I smell money. NGOs and even the US Embassy dole out money to fight trafficking, so do-gooders jump on the bandwagon to get their share while winking at the routine sexual and labor exploitation that goes on every day.

]]>