In an 22 January 1997 InterPress Service (IPS) report, the coordinator of the National Plan for the Attention to and Prevention of Domestic Violence (PLANOVI), Ana Hidalgo, states that a judge will be able to force an aggressor to leave his home while the domestic situation is resolved through the application of the Law on Domestic Violence. She further states that "the law is the only protection resource and is only being applied as an emergency measure" (ibid.).

The same report adds that women's defense centres, as well as legal offices which are on the increase, have been set up to inform abused women about their rights and about the services available to them (ibid.). Furthermore, the Center for Women and Family Development (Centro Nacional para el Desarrollo de la Mujer y de Familia, CMF) has established a temporary shelter for women who have no independent means of support and plans are underway to establish more women's centres in other parts of the country (ibid.). For additional information on the Law Against Domestic Violence, please consult the attached article.

According to a 19 September 1997 Notimex report, the CMF attended the Regional Workshop for the Advance of Public Policies for Taking Care of Domestic Violence to improve its overall work.

According to their website, the Feminist Centre for Information and Action (Centro Feminista de Información y Acción, CEFEMINA) offers support to abused women through its campaign called "Mujer No Estas Sola" (which can be translated to "Woman is not alone") (CEFEMINA 1997). Support groups, which have served to assist women to empower themselves in the last five years, are the central component of the campaign. They are active in six provinces: Limón, Alajuela, San José, Heredia, Cartago and Puntarenas, and (ibid.).

A copy of the Law on Domestic Violence could not be obtained by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Centro Feminista de Información y Acción (CEFEMINA). 1997. "Mujer No Estas Sola: Una Propuesta Alternativa." [Internet] http://www.cefemina.or.cr/mnes_alt.htm [Accessed 5 Nov. 1997]

_____. 1997. "Mujer No Estas Sola: Apoyo ¿Para qué?." [Internet] http://www.cefemina.or.cr/mnes_apo.htm [Accessed 5 Nov. 1997]

_____. 1997. "Mujer No Estas Sola: El Impacto del Grupo de Apoyo en las mujeres que participan en ellos." [Internet] http://www.cefemina.or.cr/mnes_imp.htm [Accessed 5 Nov. 1997]

InterPress Service. 22 January 1997. Yanory Obando. "Cutting Through the Veil of Fear." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.]. 20 Jan.-2 Feb. 1997. Vol. 11. No. 26.)

Notimex [Mexico City]. 19 Sept. 1997. "Costa Rica/Family Recommendation to Strengthen the Protection of Womens [sic]." (NEXIS)

InterPress Service. 22 January 1997. Yanory Obando. "Cutting Through the Veil of Fear." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.]. 20 Jan.-2 Feb. 1997. Vol. 11. No. 26., pp. 1-2)

Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1996-1997.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1996-1997.

Latin America Weekly Report [London]. 1996-1997.

Latin America Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America [London]. 1996-1997.

Mesoamérica [San José]. 1996-1997.

Resource Centre country file: Costa Rica. 1996-1997.

WIN News [Lexington, Mass.]. 1996-1997.

The Women's Watch [Minneapolis, Minn.]. 1996-1997.