Economic abuse in Puerto Rico: when the control is over your money and your job

Economic violence is considered a form of domestic violence because the aggressor uses economic abuse as a tool to exert power and control over the other party: through a series of behaviours they keep them at a disadvantage and, at times, without resources. That can affect their mental and emotional health and makes it harder to leave the abusive relationship. It can occur as a single act or as part of other forms — physical or psychological abuse, threats, sexual violence — and it can occur during the relationship or after separation as a tool to keep control: withholding child support without reason, hiding assets or stopping mortgage payments, for example. The Judiciary also warns that manifestations of economic power and control keep evolving as technology advances.

Anyone can be a victim of this form of domestic violence, regardless of sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status. Like the rest of Ley 54-1989, it is alleged in the context of a partner or former-partner relationship. The Judiciary’s page groups the acts into three families: economic control, threats, and workplace interference or sabotage.

• That the conduct occur in the context of a partner or former-partner relationship, like the rest of Ley 54-1989.Verified against the official source
• The protection applies regardless of sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status.Verified against the official source
• The protection order is requested through the Tribunal Electrónico, remotely or with the technology available at the nearest courthouse.Verified against the official source

• A list of the essential-service accounts: electricity, water, internet, among others.
• Identification of the financial information, documents or portals you do not have access to.
• If possible, copies of: bank statements for your accounts or those shared with the aggressor, joint debts including the mortgage if any, the house deeds or the residence lease, and the tax return.

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   Step 1: Safety first

   In domestic violence situations the priority is safeguarding life and safety — yours, that of any minors, and of pets. You can go to the nearest police station and ask for a criminal complaint against whoever abused you, and request a protection order through the Tribunal Electrónico or with the technology available at the nearest courthouse. In an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.

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   Step 2: Recognize economic control

   The Judiciary’s page describes it with examples: absolute control over bank accounts, wages and earnings; hiding information about accounts and income; withholding or confiscating cash or credit or debit cards, including social benefits such as PAN or TANF; constant, intimidating supervision of your transactions, making you hand over receipts or checking transactions digitally; setting a limited allowance or stipend you must live within; closing or freezing joint accounts without telling you or without your consent; removing you as an authorized party on joint accounts or benefits — insurance, pension plans — without your consent; using your identity to open accounts, cards or contract services; and forcing you to sign financial documents through deceit or intimidation, such as mortgage or car loans, cards or instalment purchases.

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   Step 3: Recognize economic threats

   Threatening to cut off essential services — electricity, water, mobile phones, health plan, tuition for minors — and threatening to withhold payments: child support for shared minors, power and water, rent or mortgage, social benefits such as PAN or TANF, or any other obligation affecting your financial stability. Also conditioning access to financial resources on obedience or submission, and using the fear of losing access to resources or of failing to meet financial commitments.

4. 4

   Step 4: Recognize workplace sabotage

   Blocking you from getting or keeping a job by forbidding you to attend interviews or meet work commitments; damaging your performance by contacting you by any means or showing up at your workplace to interrupt your work or harm your professional reputation; causing unjustified absences so your performance review suffers; controlling transportation so you cannot get to work; damaging your reputation with employers or clients; and preventing you from attending academic activities — courses, internships, conferences — to harm your performance.

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   Step 5: Ask for the financial remedies in the order

   Through the protection order, the court can order the person it is issued against to: keep paying the rent or mortgage on the main residence while the order lasts; not bother, harass, pursue, intimidate, threaten or in any way interfere with your job or work activity, including any attempt to damage your reputation or professional standing; share all financial information on accounts or finances in which you or your dependents may have an interest, keeping you accurately informed about communications, actions and claims relating to receivables, mortgages, rents, administrative or judicial debt-enforcement actions, notices about government assistance and any other related information; not use your money, property or financial or credit information improperly or against you; vacate the home both parties lived in; limit their possession of movable and real property during the order’s term, granting you that possession; and pay for property repairs, medical expenses, lodging and other costs.

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   Step 6: Gather the paperwork once you are safe

   Once the emergency is handled and while protecting your safety, the Judiciary recommends gathering information, both for your recovery and in case you seek court remedies. Make a list of the essential-service accounts — power, water, internet. Identify the financial information, documents or portals you cannot access. If possible, review and keep copies of bank statements for your accounts and joint ones, joint debts including the mortgage, the house deeds or the lease, and the tax return. Keep copies of important documents in safe places, physically or digitally, or both.

7. 7

   Step 7: If the weapon is child support, there is another route too

   If the aggressor uses withholding child support to perpetuate economic violence, you can start an administrative proceeding at ASUME to have support set, reviewed or enforced, and also go to court for those remedies. And if you were married and divorced, the law allows spousal support to be assigned for the party without sufficient means to live, subject to several criteria and depending on the circumstances.

The criminal complaint, at the nearest police station. The protection order, through the Tribunal Electrónico or with the technology available at the nearest courthouse. For child support, ASUME or the Court of First Instance. In an emergency, 9-1-1.

• Believing there is no domestic violence without blows: Ley 54-1989 recognizes economic violence as one of its forms.
• Thinking it no longer counts after separation: it can occur afterwards, precisely to keep control.
• Not requesting the concrete financial remedies in the order — rent or mortgage, non-interference with your job, sharing financial information, not using your credit: they have to be asked for.
• Signing financial documents under pressure without telling anyone: forcing a signature through deceit or intimidation is part of the conduct the law describes.
• Losing the paperwork when you leave: the account list, bank statements, deeds or lease and the tax return are what support the petition.
• Treating withheld child support as a separate matter: beyond the order, there is the ASUME route to set, review or enforce it.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Poder Judicial de Puerto Rico

  Poder Judicial

  poderjudicial.pr

• Judiciary’s Tribunal Electrónico

  Poder Judicial

  poderjudicial.pr