title: Epidemiology of rapes in Costa Rica: characterization of victims, perpetrators and circumstances surrounding forced intercourse.
abstract: Since the year 2000, the number of rapes in Costa Rica has increased at a rate of 42 cases per year. In 2011, 1786 rape cases were reported to the prosecution offices throughout the country, but only 1081 reports continued through the investigation process by the Judicial Investigation Agency. A randomly collected sample of 272 reports received by Judicial Investigation Agency, between July 2012 and June 2013, were prospectively studied. The analysis was limited to cases reported within 30 days following the rape. Results indicate that most of the provinces in the country show an incidence of about 38 cases/100,000 inhabitants. Ninety-six percent of the victims were women, 50% of which were between 10 and 19 years old. More than 99.5% of violators were men. The rape was perpetrated by a single aggressor in 85% of the cases. It was found that 48% of the victims were within the first 11 days of their menstrual cycle at the time of the attack. Twenty-nine percent of rapes occurred in "high rape-risk" circumstances--e.g., victims attacked by strangers in public outdoors or indoors. Twenty-five percent of rapes occur in "moderate rape-risk" circumstances--e.g., victims attacked indoors at public locations or at the home other than the victim's by relatives, sentimental partners or acquaintances. Fifteen percent of rapes occurred in "low rape-risk" circumstances--e.g., victims attacked in their homes by relatives or sentimental partners. In 67% of the cases the perpetrator was an acquaintance of the victim. Eleven percent of the cases corresponded to rapes in which the perpetrator was a partner or ex-partner of the victim. Fourteen percent and 25% of rapes could be classified as "proactive drug-facilitated rapes" or "opportunistic drug-facilitated rapes", respectively. Semen in the vaginal fluid of victims and the genetic profile of the alleged perpetrator were detected in 55% and 33% of the cases, respectively.
authors: Sección de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciencias Forenses, Organismo de Investigación Judicial,San José, Costa Rica. Electronic address: LCerdasA@poderjudicial.go.cr.
authors: Loreley
authors: L
authors: Cerdas
authors: Departamento de Análisis Clínicos, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Arroyo
authors: Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Aarón
authors: A
authors: Gómez
authors: Departamento de Análisis Clínicos, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Ileana
authors: I
authors: Holst
authors: Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Yamileth
authors: Y
authors: Angulo
authors: Departamento de Análisis Clínicos, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Marianela
authors: M
authors: Vargas
authors: Sección de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciencias Forenses, Organismo de Investigación Judicial,San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Espinoza
authors: Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Guillermo
authors: G
authors: León
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057237:Criminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011902:Rape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Epidemiology; Menstrual cycle; Rape; Sexual assault