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20 years

U.S. teen allegedly raped by seven attackers

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UPDATE: Four Nicaraguan men have been arrested as suspects in the case.  Click here for the update to this story.

July 15th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) A seventeen-year-old high school student on a study tour from the U.S. state of Wisconsin, reported on Sunday that she was raped by seven men in La Fortuna de San Carlos, a popular tourist town that is home to the Arenal Volcano.

 

According to the victim, the crime took place on Saturday evening after she left a bar and restaurant when seven men attacked her.

 

The girl told police that the men took her to an empty house on the edge of the main road and raped her on the patio.  She said some of the men appeared to be on drugs.

 

The sex crimes unit of the Judicial Investigation Organization is investigating the crime.

 

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  • roberto

    I have read several different versions of what supposedly happened. The investigation should be revealing more concrete information. Strikes me as poor judgement similar to the Natalee Holloway case in Aruba. Hope that the investigation finds more evidence and we are not left “guessing” about what happened like in the murder of Kurt Heigis.

  • Michael Clarkson

    Hopefully the truth will come out or the CR government will quickly bury this story and probably blame the victim, tourist should know if they come down here they have little to no protection from any type of crime, this is the stuff the CR will not tell in their marketing campaign, so if you come down to CR is at your own risk, do not expect any justice unless you have a few million dollars to bribe the government.

  • NorthendFool

    They will never go to prison ever ever. CR justice is a joke, it will go on forever. This girl will leave as quickly as she can and never return. There goes the case right there. Why was she not with her group? Why was she out late? She made a stupid mistake by thinking she was in lah lah land where all things are beautiful. Pura Vida.

    • roberto

      There is a conflicting report that the alleged attack took place in an empty field near the hotel. A report by Diario Extra says the assailants had intended to rape the girl near the bridge, but decided on an empty lot nearby. A 19 year old high school student from Wisconsin, not 17. The girl told police she had been partying with the rest of the group at the El Establo bar, where you are supposed to be 18 in order to be served alcohol.

  • duke ster

    Dang we all hate to hear this! Well you can thank the bullshit PR put out by the tourist companies. After all Pura Vida actually means” we are going to get you one way or another”. This could have happened in Nicaragua or anywhere else. Sounds like a stupid gullible young girl who should have never gone to a bar alone –especially in a foreign country. And North end is right–probably no one will be prosecuted-the girl will get the heck out of here as fast as she can and never return. Just like the hundreds of tourists who are robbed of their passports and belongings. They return home and tell everyone the truth about Costa rica –yet people still come. You can’t leave anything in your car–even for a second–even in broad daylight because they will break the windows and the cops won’t do anything. If it ever got to a judge he would say” well you have more than this person has” They are so soft on crime.And a Gringo is so hated that he could NEVER expect to see justice– as soon as you realize that they hate us– you will be starting to get wisdom. These Costa Ricans are soft babies and cowards. If they ever get into a war with Nicaragua– it will be over as fast as the Nicaraguans can advance. Remember the story in Tico Times about the Canadian who fell into a ditch and broke his leg on his way home from a bar? His friends dropped him off at Hospital Calderon Gaurdia and the asshole Costa Rican Doctor stole his kidney/ When he woke up he saw his kidney was gone and was told it was bruised so we had to remove it. He ran to the airport–broken leg and all.I was in the same hospital with a heart attack and at 1 am the doctor ran a tube up my leg and into my heart -WITHOUT ANESTHETIC!!!! unbelievable pain— and when I screamed–he stopped and looked down at me and said” you don’t like it–go HOME!!!” I TELL U__THEY HATE US!!!! You surely saw the big stink recently when they finally caught the doctors there selling kidneys right? They got away with it for years/ If you are in Costa rica and don’t have health insurance– and u get in a problem–they will set your bed in the corner and you will die/ An ex cop was getting breakfast for his girlfriend ( asshole–this is why the women here are ruined) and while walking across the street was hit by a motorcycle–they argued about his insurance for months and so he finally lost his leg due to infections by the time they finally did accept his insurance. I could go on and on with horror stories. Get good insurance or…..?

    • Lav

      I’m sorry, but women have the right to go out and have a drink!! To say that women should never go out alone is bullshit; it’s not naive, it’s our given right as humans to expect respect and when it is violated the offenders should be punished. If the court system won’t do it, I am sure real men would step up to the plate an provide the right form. I know my father and my husband would.

      No one, man or woman, deserves to be raped. Period. Don’t blame the victim, which is exactly what you did when you called her stupid and gullible.

      • duke ster

        Take it easy Honey- Ok women have the right. Go ahead, go out alone, go right ahead. I said she is stupid and gullible only because she went ahead and exercised her right to go out alone, and she got what comes to a young girl who is stupid and gullible –she was brutally raped. So go ahead and exercise your rights. Go out alone–at night–get drunk in the presence of several horny drunk wild men who are accustomed to raping all the time and getting away with it in Nicaragua.. If a person walks into the lions den and there are hungry lions in there– I believe it is stupid and certainly gullible to believe they won’t attack you. But remember–you have the right !! haha If you walk into a lions den am I blaming you? Well– I don’t think blaming is any word I used–you did. I am simply pointing out the facts. Walk into a lions den and see what happens. The lions also have the right to attack you don’t they? Especially when you make it so easy for them. Do you think this girl will exercise her “rights” again in this same fashion or might she wise up and not be so gullible as to think the lions won’t attack or will she be so stupid again or will she maybe be smarter next time? I remember a case in Ft Lauderdale Florida when a judge let a man go who raped a girl who was walking around the streets half naked. The judge said she got what she was asking for or deserved by walking around almost naked. She certainly was stupid and gullible to think she could walk around naked and not get raped wasn’t she? She had the “right” as you point out–but did she have common sense and was she smart? I don’t think so. We don’t want to see a young girl get raped but when you girls go out naked or get drunk in front of wild men and go out alone– do you consider it smart? Well you have the right to do all the stupid things you want– So don’t get mad at me for pointing out the obvious– why don’t YOU go out alone in downtown San Jose– at night===half dressed.. exercise your rights..-when you get raped will you still believe you are smart and not gullible?

        • SDPUS

          Pretty harsh words. It is rather assinine to compare a Lion to People. If it were your daughter I highly doubt you would have the same view. A couple years back, a serial rapist (Tico) was attacking foreign women in Tamarindo. Everyone knew who he was. He would party with the girls and get them all messed up and then rape them. The local police did nothing. But locally a group of Tamarindo vigilantes had seen it happen enough. Everyone new who this guy was. One day he raped the wrong person. She had a relative that lived in town, and he was irrate, after seeing that this was happening over and over. He beat this guys ass vigilante style when he found him at the usual rotunda selling drugs as usual. The rapist moved to San Jose after. This relative went and beat his ass again there. The rapist hasn’t returned to Tamarindo since. The local police never would do a thing. The tourist girls always returned home rather than going through this long humiliating corrupt system of justice. Many of these women had even started the process of demanding this individual. I guess because they were foreigners and the rapist was Tico, OIJ Jefe Victor Chavez Chavarria did nothing. These rapes went on for years in Tamarindo. Why was this kid never apprehended? Because Victor Chavez Chavarria is just another corrupt bigoted leader (Santa Cruz OIJ Jefe). I have a lot of experience with this man. Until “Governments” get serious and remove leadership like his, it will continue to be same old story. One must wonder, are Nicas being made the scapegoat again in this story? I certainly have my doubts. We will have to see what comes to light by the investigation. Quite often this government invents culprits, and unfortunately for some, too often it is the “foreigner”…

        • Lav

          All I got from this was women who are around drunk men are stupid and gullible. Well my husband goes out and indulges in a few too many drinks on occasion and yet, he has never raped anyone. I bet if I ask my friends… They can say the same about their men. Your logic about drunk men not being able to control their urges is half assed, I can find many men who can drink and not violate their fellow people.

          You one again blamed the victim and brushed off the revolting behaviour of the men. You really think that being drunk is an excuse to brutally rape someone? If you can’t control yourself, then don’t drink.

          PS. Lions don’t view humans as part of their diet. Polar bears on the other hand include humans in their diet. Just an fyi, incase you want to make a case for rape.

        • Lav

          I have to laugh at your last remarks. Do you honestly think all women are helpless? Seriously…

          I have been in a boxing ring since I was 5… If someone tried to rape me, they’d be picking their teeth up from the pavement. I know many many women who are more than capable of protecting themselves. Funny story though… The singles ones always go out “half naked” and yet they never get raped. They even do it here in Ticoland.

      • expatin paradise

        I agree with you completely. In practice, however, it is unwise for a woman who does not have defensive skills (which would include lightning speed to evade would-be attackers) to venture out alone at night. This same rule applies to anyone who would have difficulty defending himself – I walk with a limp and feel very vulnerable at times, so I feel the need to be extremely careful.

        If a woman does go out alone, especially at night, her radar should definitely be up. The problem with people on vacation, especially if they have been drinking, is that they let their guard down and only become aware of danger when it is too late. Certainly, women have the right to go out alone, but most are less powerful than the men who might try to assault them. That doesn’t make it right to rape anyone, but being right is no consolation to someone who has been gang-raped.

        I hope that the real culprits are made to pay (being gang-raped in prison would not be inappropriate payback), but I wonder whether the four Nicas arrested are actually guilty or just convenient “usual suspects.” As for the Duke Ster, he seems to be here just to stir things up. I’m hoping that he will find another site if people here refuse to engage him.

        • Lav

          Expat I have to ask… Are you a woman? If not, then you are speaking from theory and not experience. Rapes happen all the time, in every corner of this world. If someone is intent on assaulting you, besides physical force, there is little anyone can do.

          However, the vast majority of men take the drunk rejection with a grain of salt, and there is little to fear. Very rarely will you encounter someone who has evil intentions. I am more fearful of my husband being out alone, because of the violence that happens when too much testosterone and alcohol mix, than I am of myself.

          • expatin paradise

            No, Lav, not a woman, but I do know what it’s like to be defenseless, in hat I have numerous orthopedic problems that would make it impossible to elude attackers or defend myself. Since those problems developed, I have realized how vulnerable I am and have modified my activities – when I am in questionably unsafe environments, I am in vigilant mode. Since you are apparently a woman who, while very attractive, has good defensive skills, it is arguable that you are arguing from theory.

            I realize that assaults happen everywhere but are really relatively rare, despite the headlines. The young woman who was reportedly raped could have just as likely raped at home. My point is that tourists often make the mistake of assuming that they are safe just because they are on vacation and everyone is having a good time. Tourists to Costa Rica have also been told repeatedly what a safe country this is with very low (reported) crime rates, and that all Ticos are friendly. Tourist areas are especially prone to crime because there is an element that takes advantage of the fact that tourists are easy targets.

            My suggestion is that all visitors, male and female, exercise normal caution, being aware of their surroundings and safeguarding themselves and their possessions. Tour operators should remind tourists that crime can happen anywhere and that they should take ordinary precautions. Those precautions include avoiding being alone in a dark and remote area, especially if a gang of strangers is present. Anyone in that circumstance should be prepared to run for his or her life, sound an alarm, and/or reach for any object with which to defend him- or herself. This is just common sense, something that is too often suspended during vacations. This is not to say that the victims of such crimes are at fault.

          • Lav

            Well since I have never had to use my skills… I am arguing from experience as opposed to theory. As an “attractive” woman, I have never had to defend myself against men who think they are entitled to me. I have had to ward off the undesirable attention, but it has never been more than that… unwanted attention.

            Everyone needs to exercise caution every where… An assault is an assault… Physical, sexual and/or mental. Man or woman, everyone can be a victim.

          • Playa Hater

            I am a man and also do boxing, muay thai and lift weights and still i try to be very careful, because in the streets there is no referee, skills may help but not like in a steven seagal movie, therefore, if one can carry a gun like a taser, that would be great cause seven against one is not easy even with defensive skills.

  • expatin paradise

    I recall a beautiful young German tourist traveling alone on a bus I was riding from Guanacaste about ten years ago – she reminded me of my daughter, who was about the same age at the time. I asked her is she wasn’t afraid to travel alone and what her parents thought about it; and she responded that it was safe, that she did it all the time, and that her parents approved. I don’t know if it was safe to travel alone then, but it certainly isn’t advisable now. Tourists, especially women should be warned never to venture out without a “buddy.” Of course, these seven guys may have been undeterred if this girl was with a female companion, but we’ll never know. While incidents such as this can and do happen anywhere, one incident can be very damaging to the tourism industry. Every tour operator should make clear the danger of being alone, especially at night.

  • Hydrangea

    Stupid, stupid girl. She’s lucky she didn’t end up like Natalee Holloway.

  • Ken Morris

    Let’s hold off before we (apparently all of us males) call the alleged victim stupid and fault her for not being more careful etc. IT IS NEVER THE VICTIM’S FAULT WHEN THEY ARE RAPED. I don’t care how young and dumb she was, it’s not her fault if she was raped.

    But with others, should this tabloid story have legs, it would be interesting to know the details. Incidents of rape are actually considerably lower in CR than they are in the US, and I don’t think this difference is merely a result faulty reporting or record keeping here. Rape is kind of rare here, and a gang rape like this super rare. Since rape is often understood to be a crime of power more so than sex, the suspicion is strong that something really pissed off these guys. If the details ever unfold, we may have a better sense of what happened and why.

    • http://insidecostarica.com/ Timothy Williams

      Four Nicaraguan construction workers have been arrested. Update coming in about 10 minutes.

  • http://insidecostarica.com/ Timothy Williams
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