Taking the next step

After an abusive partner left her with coerced debt in her name, she turned to us for help taking back control.

Juliette moved from Jamaica to the United States after marrying her second husband. But while Juliette focused on earning her nursing degree and supporting her two children in a new city, her husband’s gambling addiction worsened. Financial pressures mounted, and he became increasingly physically and emotionally abusive, often demanding money from Juliette.

When violence in the home became unbearable, Juliette fled with her children — but found herself followed by nearly $7,000 in credit card debt. Before she had any reason to suspect financial infidelity, her husband had asked Juliette to open a credit card in her name. Now, when she and her children needed freedom most, Juliette was trapped. When she tried to remove herself from the shared credit card account, the bank required both account holders to appear together in person — which was impossible for Juliette given his abuse. Missed payments cut her credit score in half, and the only apartment she could only qualify for had a severe pest infestation and a neglectful landlord.

Her Justice helped Juliette file for divorce, which was finalized in 2023. In addition to a life free from abuse, the resolution of coerced debts in her name has been an unimaginable relief for Juliette. As she rebuilds her finances in the wake of the divorce, she hopes experiences like hers will raise awareness of economic abuse and help other survivors benefit from New York’s brand new Coerced Debt Law, which Her Justice helped to draft and pass in 2025.