Over 28,000 Costa Rican women seek domestic‑violence protection in first half of 2026

More than 28,104 women in Costa Rica filed requests for protective measures against domestic violence between January and June 2026, according to data from the Costa Rican Judicial Power. This represents an increase of 384 requests compared with the same period in 2025. The figures were highlighted by researchers at the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), who warned that the surge underscores the need for public policies grounded in scientific evidence. UNED scholars also noted that 45 femicides were officially recorded from 2025 through 10 June 2026 (36 in 2025 and nine in 2026). The university’s commentary follows Costa Rica’s representation to the United Nations Human Rights Council, where it rejected the use of concepts such as reproductive violence, patriarchal masculinity and intersectionality. “La violencia contra las mujeres está ampliamente documentada por la evidencia científica y por las estadísticas nacionales…”, said UNED researcher Ana Rita Argüello Miranda.