Abstract
This article addresses perceptions of police response to domestic violence against women in Puerto Rico after police reforms in 2013. Puerto Rico has high rates of fatalities due to domestic violence and police practices preventing fatalities are found to be lacking. Authors address the intersection of domestic violence against women and the systemic failings of Puerto Rican law enforcement and resistance to handling of domestic violence incidents as required by law. The findings of an exploratory, qualitative pilot study with key stakeholders working with women survivors of domestic violence in Puerto Rico are presented. Using a human rights perspective, the study participants note an association between police response to domestic violence and machismo, patriarchy, and colonialism.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al Shraideh, S. (2017). CEDAW in the eyes of the United States. Journal of Legal Studies, 20(34), 18–37. https://doi.org/10.1515/jles-2017-0014.
Alcantara, A. (2019). After countless protests against gender violence in Puerto Rico, Rossello finally met with local feminists. Retrieved from https://www.latinorebels.com/2019/01/15/rossellomeetswithfeminists/.
American Civil Liberties Union. (2012). Island of impunity: Puerto Rico’s outlaw police force. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/islandofimpunity_20120619.pdf#page=103
American Civil Liberties Union. (2015). Failure to police crimes of domestic violence and sexual assault in Puerto Rico. Retrieved https://www.aclu.org/other/failure-police-crimes-domestic-violence-and-sexual-assault-puerto-rico.
American Civil Liberties Union. (2019). FAQ: the Convention against torture. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/other/faq-convention-against-torture.
Beard, M. (2017). Women and power: a manifesto. New York, Liveright. ISBN-101631494759.
Berrios, G. (2018). The crisis of violence against women in Puerto Rico. [Letter to the Editor]. Human Rights. Retrieved from https://truthout.org/articles/the-epidemic-of-violence-against-women-in-puerto-rico/
Brydum, S. (2013). Puerto Rico governor signs local ENDA domestic violence bills. The Advocate. Retrieved from http://www.advocate.com/politics/2013/05/29/puerto-ricogovernor-signs-local-enda-domestic-violence-bills
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241–1299.
Englehart, N.A. (2014). CEDAW and gender violence: An empirical assessment. Michigan State Review, 265, 265–280.
Esplugues, J. S., Marmolejo, I. I., Esteve, Y. G., & Sánchez, P. M. (2010). Partner violence against women: statistics and legislation, 3rd international report 2010. Queen Sofía Center for the Study of Violence. Retrieved from http://www.luisvivesces.org/upload/88/18/informe.pdf
Garcia, M. J. Congressional Research Service. (2009). The U.N. Convention Against Torture: overview of U.S. implementation policy concerning the removal of aliens. Retrieved from https://fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/RL32276.pdf
Guzman, S. (2019). Women in Puerto Rico know all too well why Rossello must resign. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/20/opinions/women-in-puerto-rico-know-why-rossello-must-resign-guzman/index.html
Hirsch, A. (2018). The problem with a name. The Times Literary Supplement. Retrieved from https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/women-and-power-down-girl/.
Katz, J. (2006). The Macho Paradox: why some men hurt women and how all men can help. Illinois, Chicago. Sourcebooks. ISBN-13 9781402204012.
Lowen, L. (2018). Why won’t the U.S. ratify the CEDAW Human Rights Treaty? ThoughtCo.com. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/why-wont-u-s-ratify-cedaw-3533824.
Manne, K. (2017). Down girl: the logic of misogyny. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN: 9780190604981.
McQuigg, R. A. J. (2018). Is it time for a UN treaty on violence against women? The International Journal of Human Rights, 22(3), 305–324. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2017.1359552.
Medina, C., & Rios, D. (2011). An alternate HIV preventive strategy: sex scripts in media for women of color. Journal of Social Work in Public Health, 26(3), 260–277.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, M., & Saldana, J. (2018). Qualitative data analysis: a method sourcebook (4th ed) (ISBN-13978-1506353074). New York: Sage Publications Ltd..
Mollett, S. (2017). Irreconcilable differences? A postcolonial intersectional reading of gender, development and Human Rights in Latin America. Gender, Place & Culture, 24(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2017.1277292
Padgett, D. K. (2017). Qualitative methods in social work research. New York: Sage Publications Ltd..
Reichard, R. (2019) Women and femmes leading the Puerto Rico protests on their permanent revolution. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/p/women-femmes-leading-the-puerto-rico-protests-on-their-permanent-revolution-18544005.
Rivera, J. (1995). Puerto Rico’s domestic violence prevention and intervention law and the United States violence against women act of 1994: the limitations of legislative responses. Columbia Journal of Gender and Law, 5(78), 1–39.
Roure, J. G. (2011). Gender justice in Puerto Rico: domestic violence, legal reform, and the use of international human rights principles. Human Rights Quarterly, 33(3), 790–825 https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/islandofimpunity_20120619.pdf#page=103.
Sack, E. J. (2006). Report on domestic violence practices and services of the Puerto Rico court system and its partners: assessment, evaluation, and recommendations.
Savage, C. & Alvarez, L. (2012). Justice dept. and Puerto Rico agree to overhaul the island’s troubled police force. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/us/justice-dept-and-puerto-rico-agree-to-overhaul-the-islands-troubled-police-force.html
Seelau, S. M., & Seelau, E. P. (2005). Gender-role stereotypes and perceptions of heterosexual, gay and lesbian domestic violence. Journal of Family Violence, 20(6), 363–371.
Sokoloff, N. J., & Dupont, I. (2005). Domestic violence at the intersections of race, class, and gender. Violence Against Women, 11(1), 38–64.
Stake, R. E. (2005). Qualitative case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (pp. 443–466). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd..
Tighe, C. & Gurley, L. (May 12, 2018). Officials reports of violence against women in Puerto Rico unreliable after Hurricane Maria. Centro de Periodismo Investigativo. Retrieved from http://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2018/05/official-reports-of-violence-against-women-in-puerto-rico-unreliable-after-hurricane-maria/
UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). (1992). CEDAW General Recommendation No. 19: violence against women. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/52d92c054.html
UN General Assembly. (1948). Universal declaration of human rights. 217 A (III). Retrieved from http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3712c.html
UN General Assembly. (1993). Declaration on the elimination of violence against women. A/RES/48/104. Retrieved from http://www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f25d2c.html
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. (2011). Investigation of the Puerto Rico Police Department. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2011/09/08/prpd_letter.pdf
World Health Organization. (2002). World report on violence and health. Retrieved from www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd..
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics and research approval was granted by the institutional review boards for the protection of human subjects at the investigators’ educational institutions.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Medina, C.K., Becker, J.M. & Negroni, L.K. Perceptions of Police Response to Domestic Violence in Puerto Rico: Law 54 and Human Rights. J. Hum. Rights Soc. Work 5, 201–211 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-020-00123-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-020-00123-3