Number of Prostitutes Reaches 9.000
The daily Spanish newspaper Al Día reports that, with the promise of pleasure and lust, there are now 9.000 prostitutes seducing men on the streets, night clubs, massage parlours, bars and in some casinos around the country.

According to the Unidad de Control del VIH - SIDA (HIV and AIDS control unit) - the number of prostitutes has doubled in the last 20 years mainly to the influx of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Colombian women. The Unidad said that the largest increase has been in the last decade.

The Unidad is a unit of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), known as the "Caja" and according to Caja doctor, Glria Terwes, Caja authorities are concerned because they have under their medical control only one third of the prostitutes, meaning some 6.000 prostitutes out there could be placing their customers and families at risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

Terwes said that the Caja has detected some 4.000 cases of HIV in the country, but the real number could be as high as 15.000.

"Sexually transmitted diseases affecting women are easily detected", said Dr. Terwes, who added that many women are infected and do not know it.

"In the case of prostitutes and women who have multiple partners, the problem can be considerable. From a public health safety issue, these types of women concern us the most", said Dr. Tewers.

Adrian Calvo of the CIPAD, says that the problem is not only confined to female sex workers but also to the increasing number of men who cater to their homosexual clients. Calvo works primarily with male prostitutes, transvestites that offer their services at night on the corners of the downtown streets.

Authorities say that the lack of employment opportunities and the growing immigration, pushes many to enter the sex trade, for both men and women.