Human trafficking in Costa Rica is real, but the subject is often discussed with numbers that are difficult to verify. Good anti-trafficking work requires accuracy. National statistics, identified victims, criminal investigations, prostitution, sexual exploitation, and local observations are not interchangeable categories.

This page summarizes what reliable public sources actually tell us—and what they do not.

For definitions first, read our guide to understanding sex trafficking and exploitation in Costa Rica.

What does the U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report say about Costa Rica?

In the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, Costa Rica was placed in Tier 2. Tier 2 means the government did not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking but was making significant efforts to do so. We use the year here deliberately so an older tier designation is not presented as a current 2026 status.

In the 2024 country report, Costa Rican authorities reported 37 investigations under Article 172 during 2023, including 36 sex-trafficking investigations and one labor-trafficking investigation. Courts convicted 11 traffickers that year.

The report also states that officials identified 36 trafficking victims in 2023: 28 adult women, seven girls, and one adult man. Twenty-nine were Costa Rican nationals, six were Nicaraguan, and one was Panamanian.

See the U.S. Department of State Costa Rica trafficking profile for the full report.

Who is considered vulnerable to trafficking in Costa Rica?

The State Department profile says traffickers exploit both Costa Rican and foreign victims. It identifies Costa Rican women and children as vulnerable to sex trafficking within the country and notes particular vulnerability in Pacific coastal zones and near the northern and southern borders.

The report also describes vulnerabilities among migrants, children, LGBTQI+ people, and workers in sectors where forced labor can occur.

Official cases show exploitation is not theoretical

Costa Rica’s Ministerio Público continues to prosecute trafficking and exploitation cases. In May 2026, prosecutors reported a six-year prison sentence in a case involving the sexual exploitation of four adult women, including Costa Rican and Nicaraguan victims. Prosecutors said the victims were heads of household facing financial vulnerability. See the Ministerio Público case summary.

In August 2026, prosecutors reported a separate investigation involving a minor and suspected trafficking for forced labor or services along with sexual exploitation-related offenses. See the Ministerio Público case summary.

Individual cases do not tell us the national prevalence of trafficking, but they do demonstrate how vulnerability, coercion, financial pressure, and exploitation can intersect.

Why trafficking numbers can be misunderstood

The number of identified trafficking victims is not the same as the number of people actually being trafficked. Trafficking is hidden by nature, and official statistics reflect cases that authorities identify, investigate, or prosecute.

Likewise, the number of people involved in prostitution or commercial sex should not automatically be described as a trafficking statistic. Adult trafficking requires specific elements such as prohibited means and exploitation. A person can experience exploitation without meeting every element of the trafficking definition, and individual circumstances differ.

What does the data tell us about sexual exploitation?

Public reporting consistently shows that sex trafficking is a major form of trafficking investigated in Costa Rica. The 2024 U.S. report noted that 36 of the 37 Article 172 investigations reported for 2023 involved sex trafficking.

That does not mean every person engaged in commercial sex is trafficked. It does mean sexual exploitation and trafficking remain significant concerns that deserve careful, evidence-based attention.

Why Pacific coastal communities matter

The U.S. trafficking profile specifically identifies Pacific coastal zones as areas where Costa Rican women and children can face increased vulnerability to sex trafficking. Tourism economies can bring together money, migration, nightlife, housing pressure, and unequal economic opportunity in ways that create risk.

Divergent Life serves in Jacó, a Pacific-coast community. Our ministry approach is not based on assuming every person’s story. We begin with relationship, listening, and consistent presence.

Read how anti-trafficking work in Jacó begins with trust.

What should supporters be careful not to claim?

Anti-trafficking communication can become sensational very quickly. When a number cannot be traced to a reliable source, it should be clearly identified as an estimate or local observation rather than presented as an official trafficking statistic.

• Do not label every person in prostitution as a trafficking victim.
• Do not treat arrests or investigations as convictions.
• Do not use national statistics as though they describe one neighborhood.
• Do not identify victims or share personal stories without appropriate consent.
• Do distinguish verified public data from field observations.

How Divergent Life approaches the issue

Divergent Life’s mission is to bring hope, opportunity, and freedom to men, women, and children affected by exploitation and trafficking through the transforming power of love.

We believe presence comes before programs. We seek to build trust, understand the need a person is actually expressing, and help create practical pathways toward education, meaningful work, mentoring, discipleship, and greater independence.

To learn more, visit our mission in Jacó or explore ways to get involved.