Costa Rica recorded 83 human trafficking victims in 2025, the highest single-year figure since at least 2010, according to the country's National Coalition Against the Illegal Trafficking of Migrants and Human Trafficking (CONATT). The announcement came as the country marked the International Day Against Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking.
The longer picture is sobering. Between 2010 and 2025, Costa Rican authorities officially recognized 611 trafficking victims. Women made up 72% of cases, and 234 victims — 38% — were children or teenagers. Contrary to the common assumption that trafficking is mainly about people smuggled across borders, Costa Ricans are the majority: 330 of the 611 victims were nationals, against 281 foreigners. Trafficking here covers forced labour, sexual exploitation, servitude and forced begging, and victims can be recruited, moved or controlled through deception, threats or abuse of trust.
One detail officials emphasised is how ordinary the recruitment can look. Melissa Bermúdez Otárola, representing the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) before CONATT, pointed to fake job offers, relationships built on trust and emotional manipulation as common tactics — which is exactly what makes cases hard to spot when the exploiter is someone the victim knows. Economic hardship, dependence on others, discrimination and abusive relationships all raise the risk, particularly for women, teenage girls and children targeted for sexual exploitation.
The country's health system has been set up as a frontline response. CCSS hospitals and clinics follow a nationwide protocol for suspected trafficking, and victims receive medical and psychological care regardless of nationality or immigration status. Staff are trained to spot warning signs and coordinate with protection agencies.
The official numbers likely understate the reality. Victims often stay silent out of fear, financial dependence on their exploiters, or because they don't recognise their own situation as trafficking. Still, 2025 stands out: more officially recognised victims than in any other year of the 16-year period tracked.
For travellers, this isn't a reason to skip Costa Rica — it remains one of Central America's safest and most visited countries — but it is a reason to stay aware. Tourists can play a quiet, useful role: report suspicions rather than intervening personally, be cautious about informal job or volunteer offers that seem too good, and know that the emergency number 9-1-1 covers suspected cases nationwide. Specialised lines exist too, including the Professional Migration Police at 2106-4005, the OIJ's trafficking unit at 2256-5702 / 2256-5703, and the confidential line 800-8000-645. Ethical travel choices — booking through legitimate operators and steering clear of exploitative venues — also matter in a country where this issue sits close to the surface of the tourism economy.
