Costa Rica News – The Adolescent Clinic of the National Children’s Hospital and the Ministry of Public Education conducted a study in GPL schools, which are those in Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón.
3,074 youth from 31 schools filled out a questionnaire. The results were compared with similar research done in 2013 in the Greater Metropolitan Area schools. That study had 3,373 students from 31 schools.
The results are stunning and, to be honest, a bit horrifying.
15% of young people wanted to die in the last 30 days
10% of Tico high school students said they planned to kill themselves
1 in ten planned how to commit suicide
4.5% have brought weapons to school
9% in coastal areas carry guns on the street
49% of youth in coastal provinces and 35% in the GAM suffer emotional abuse
28% of youth in the GAM and 21% in the GPL have suffered physical abuse
16% and 21% have suffered sexual abuse
6% suffered abandonment
Another report showed that in just three years bullying and ebullying motivated 21 suicides of youth between the ages of 15 and 24.
Communities, society, families, friends and schools must pay better attention to young people.
I wonder why has child services (PANI) not taken away these youth who report suffering abuse and placed them in safe places.
