www.CostaRicaTicas.com

If that's true, and all the logical corollaries that would accompany the enforcement of this law work to the max, I sure am glad I hooked up with a Tica (not chica) along time ago.

But assume CR tries to enforce this law with some degree of seriousness and has some degree of effectiveness.

I invite opinions as to how that is going to change P4P in CR--eliminate it? Underground it like Cuba?
MP's or personal ads in the classified's like Puerto Rico? ******* like the States?

Given the same assumption, I invite opinions as to who will be the big losers. Certain hotels for sure. But how about other service related businesses? CR tourism in general? And who else beside the chicas and their dependents will be negatively economically impacted?

Time will tell, of course. But, maybe it'll be even better?

I saw a recent post in a thread that I can't find right now where a pretty wise fella concluded this "enforcement" could bring prices down, his point being, I think, that the chicas have won the "Gulch Game".

Alot of us experienced the good old days, and everyone has their theory, but he makes a point worth pondering.

The old fellers will have to start getting back in shape or doing without. It will be a case of can ya still get pu*sy?

I could always go for a massage instead.
I hear there is a place (HLH) that can handle that.

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It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

Thirdworld they passed this? I can not find any information on it.

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Not banned yet...

No, I was just joining in on the silliness. In like 8 years reading the board I've lost track of the times various chicken littles have said the sky was falling. Never seems to fall though...

The law was passed on Monday, October 8 and is waiting the President's signature to go into force. As of today (Friday, 10-12) no lawmaker has ask for a judicial review. There has also been no word on exactly how they will enforce it BUT they law itself establishes a new department to help enforce it which is funded by another $1 added onto the exit tax. There are also a multitude of civil recourse that 'trafficked' persons can use to get financial compensation from those that 'trafficked' them or 'gained' from said trafficking.

"Meanwhile, lawmakers Monday gave a second and final favorable vote to bill No. 17.594 that is supposed to fight trafficking in persons."
http://www.amcostarica.com/tuesday.htm

"The Costa Rican government announced the approval by Congress of a law that increases prison sentences for trafficking and related activities, and it also creates a fund to finance the fight against trafficking crimes such as sexual tourism, and human trafficking.
The “Law against trafficking and related activities” was ratified unanimously in Congress on Monday in the second and final debate, and will take effect once the president signs the country, Laura Chinchilla." (Yes, there are typos in this story but notice the "the fight against trafficking crimes such as sexual tourism")
http://thecostaricanews.com/costa-rica- ... king/13488

What this means for CRT and the hobby in Costa Rica in general is still up in the air. If they enforce it as written, it's all over but the crying...

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

This law is against human trafficking, can't believe anyone thinks human trafficking is ok. I don't see a problem with this law.

I still have not been able to determine if the consider "sex tourism" someone who comes to the country just to have sex with prostitutes, or someone who come to the country looking for sex with minors, as that seems to be where most of the concern is. I hate how vague and open ended the law is because I do not see how anyone, be them tourist or resident who is a legal adult who hires a prostitute of legal age for sex, which is legal, has committed a crime. And they also define a trafficked person as either foreign or local so how could anyone make the determination that the girl they are talking to is a victim of trafficking or just a local chica trying to make some money.

And Bario the problem is not a law about trafficking it is that its defined as “Law against trafficking and related activities”

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Not banned yet...

The problem is the law is so broadly written and makes no distinction between persons trafficked into 'sexual slavery' and those that make a willing choice to engage in prostitution. Here are two quotes from the law in both Spanish and English (Google translate with words in () added for readability).

ARTÍCULO 8.- Turismo sexual. Será sancionado con pena de prisión de cuatro a ocho años a quien promueva o realice programas, campañas o anuncios publicitarios, haciendo uso de cualquier medio para proyectar al país a nivel nacional e internacional como un destino turístico accesible para la explotación sexual comercial o la prostitución de personas de cualquier sexo o edad.

ARTICLE 8. - Sexual tourism. Shall be punished with imprisonment from four to eight years (for anyone) who promotes or carries (out) programs or advertising campaigns, using any means to project the country nationally and internationally as a tourist destination accessible to commercial sexual exploitation or prostitution people of any sex or age.

ARTÍCULO 9.- Sanción a propietarios, arrendadores, administradores, o poseedores de establecimientos. Será sancionado con pena de prisión de dos a cinco años, el propietario, arrendador, poseedor o administrador de un establecimiento o lugar que lo destine o se beneficie de la trata de personas o sus actividades conexas.

ARTICLE 9. - Penalty (for) owners, landlords, managers, or owners of establishments. Shall be punished with imprisonment of two to five years, the owner, landlord, owner or manager of an establishment or place which it is intended (destination) or benefits from trafficking or related activities.

Now, how do they define a trafficked person. Another quote from the law (bold added).

“Artículo 172.- Trata de personas. Será sancionado con pena de prisión de seis a diez años, quien promueva, facilite o favorezca la entrada o salida del país, o el desplazamiento dentro del territorio nacional, de personas de cualquier sexo para realizar uno o varios actos de prostitución o someterlas a explotación, servidumbre sexual o laboral, esclavitud o prácticas análogas a la esclavitud, trabajos o servicios forzados, matrimonio servil, mendicidad, extracción ilícita de órganos o adopción irregular.

Article 172. - Trafficking. Shall be punished with imprisonment of six to ten years, who promote, facilitate or encourage the entry or departure, or movement within the country, people of either sex to perform one or more acts of prostitution or subject them to exploitation , sexual or labor servitude, slavery or practices similar to slavery, forced labor or services, servile marriage, begging, illegal harvesting of organs or illegal adoption.

The sex tourism part seems to be applicable to promoting Costa Rica as a sex tourism destination NOT for actually engaging in it. But when the say a trafficked person can be anyone of "either sex that is moving within the country to perform one or more acts of prostitution" that seems to open up taxis that pick a girl up at her home and take her to DR as being in literal violation of the law. And the other part that makes it a crime to be a destination of these trafficked persons or derive any benefit from it (like a guest fee or perhaps just renting a room?) seems to leave the door open to a broad interpretation.

Now I am no lawyer and I too would like clarification on this law so if anyone has legal knowledge of how this law can be enforced in Costa Rica, I'd love to hear it.

Edited to add this link to the entire law in Spanish and translated by Google:
http://www.gaceta.go.cr/pub/2010/06/03/ ... c263240887
http://translate.google.com/translate?s ... c263240887

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

If the law were enforced as written in a consistent manner, it would soon cause such havoc that it would be repealed very quickly. It would end the profession not because the country can't live without mongers, but because it would effectively end the 'not-illegal' status of the profession. Read the above translation and see if there is any part of the profession that wouldn't be subject to some of its sanctions.

I do think they primarily want to shake the 'sex tourist destination' label. However, as I said before, they law is enforced arbitrarily and if they decided to lock somebody up, they can find something to hang around your neck if they want to. How many of the 'brotherhood' have sent an email to a friend or posted on a forum about how there are prostitutes in Costa Rica. The way the law is written, you could be prosecuted for that. And the way the law is enforced here, be careful whose toes you step on.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

Thanks for the info Steve. Possible the translation makes it more confusing then the literal Spanish version?

If not, I don't think we will know what it really means until after she signs it and the police begin enforcing what they are told it means.

The use of the prostitution in the law seems significant to me because of what that means in CR as opposed to the US. The hobbyists aren't employing prostitutes in the gulch hangs.

My read is it is targeting traffickers, not the hobbyist, the Gulch hotels, or the workers.

CR was on the US State Dept's watch list for trafficking in 2011 which carried economic sanctions/foreign aid. I think that was the impetus for this statute.

The Tico Times reported on it June 2011:

http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Editio ... ne-27-2011

It's also true they know very well who CRT is...remember when they were setting up TV cameras a few year's back outside the SL for the anniversary party?.... they hate us and have resented us for a long time now...now they have a law

I suspect the very open and public nature of boards like these will have to change... information will need to be shared more privately

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Why settle for just one woman when you can enjoy them all?

Let's go ahead now and schedule the date for the final party before the party's over....

Oh, go fuuck yourself buddy! Us old (don't leave out FAT) guys will do just fine....

What is beyond amusing is the number of YOUNG fellers who end up "old fellers" whilst they're yet still in their mere twenties! WTF?! Can't get "free" (is there really any such thing....."free" pusssy>>???!) puusy in your primo years? I don't get it.....write about social ineptness. 20's, 30's, 40's....hell....even into 50's there was so much poon......ahhhhh.....the good old days......

We ain't in Saigon no more....back then hanging out in a whorrehouse was beyond understandable after a three week hunt for Charles.....but in 2012 when you're "in your prime"? Shame, shame, shame.....

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

haha I'm an old feller myself Steven1! Well, not a spring chicken and definitely getting there. I'm talking about the stereotypical old fella. I know plenty of older gentleman that have their swag on. Some of the ones I see around the gulch though wouldn't be getting it if P4P went away. I hear ya about the younger guys! I have smoked guys 20 years my junior on pulling a chica out from underneath them and I definitely don't have any green to flash around. Actually, my opening line with the chicas is telling them that I don't have any money like all these other gringos here on vacation. One night in the Del Rey I could tell this chica just didn't believe me. Wanted to go home with me at the end of the night. Told her I was staying in a dive hotel. Still don't think she believed me, but when we got to the Hotel Johnson she didn't flinch. The cost of that one: 3 Pilsens. Haven't seen you around as much. Have missed your posts.