Guanacaste is the province with the highest rate of domestic violence in Costa Rica. According to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Public Health (Spanish initials: MSP), the northern province registered 346.6 cases of domestic violence per 100,000 residents. This figure, which is from 2012, is part of an ongoing qualitative analysis that the MSP is conducting so that proper action can be taken.

Online news daily CRHoy.com published the MSP findings and interviewed sociologist Francisco Barahona on the matter. Mr. Barahona believes that the high incidence of domestic violence in Guanacaste can be traced to the region’s inadequate access to government institutions that can help individuals and families to deal with certain issues that escalate into abuse. Low levels of education as well as high unemployment in Guanacaste are also problematic.

A great part of Guanacaste consists of rural communities where homes are considerably spread apart. This creates social isolation as well as difficulty for MSP workers to conduct outreach programs. Mr. Barahona also mentioned that machismo tends to be more prevalent in such living conditions.

The coastal province of Puntarenas is the second most problematic in Costa Rica with regard to domestic violence, followed by San Jose. Heredia is the province with the least incidence of domestic violence cases: 125.4 per 100,000 residents.

The Abangares canton in Guanacaste reported a 2012 domestic violence rate of 1137 cases. This canton, however, did not top the MSP list. Palmares, in the province of Alajuela, registered 1257 cases. Palmares is also known for its popular and massive holiday festival, which attracts thousands of intoxicated revelers each year.

The MSP also released some demographic data on victims of domestic violence in Costa Rica. Young people between the ages of 10 and 19 are the most affected, followed by elderly people who have already celebrated their 75^th birthday.