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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.