Has anyone successfully sued for emotional damages ?

[SingleMomSurvivor]

Hi ladies. I’m wondering if anyone has ever sued their abuser for emotional damages and if so what was the outcome? This is something I’m considering doing.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know of anyone but it certainly is an interesting idea.

The only thing I can think of is the Criminal Injuries Commpensation Scheme.
But that is only applicable as far as I understand if there is something that has been proven
like even a caution.

The difficulty I can see is that it would be so difficult to prove.

I have looked at the law on coercive control and I can’t see many if any convictions possible or proven. Which of course doesn’t mean it is impossible to bring a civil action as you say.

I am very interested in this idea and so will look at this thread with interest.

[KIP.]

It’s extremely expensive. Does he actually have money to pay you and the end of the day? Litigation will bring you back into confrontation with him. You might get legal aid but it will be lengthy and emotionally draining. There are all kinds of justice. It took me a while to realise the best justice is having absolutely nothing to do with them and enjoying life without them x

[SingleMomSurvivor]

Kip you bring up really good points. Sometimes I’m just so angry at the abuse I experience that I feel like I just want to sue him for all the emotional harm I’ve suffered. You’re right though, pursuing that course of action would bring me into further confrontation with him which equals even more stress. Plus there’s no guarantee I’d even win a case against him. I guess sometimes I just feel like he should be held even more accountable under the law & have to face more legal consequences for the emotional harm he’s caused. I think that unfortunately the system isn’t really set up to compensate abuse victims in that way.

[KIP.]

You can always ask around. Most solicitors will offer a free initial consultation x

[Anonymous]

I get what KIP says about litigation and different kinds of justice.

However sometimes the law is the way to go. Embarking on representing myself to secure my divorce settlement this year, and taking him to court, although it was exhausting had a meaning that was far beyond the money for me. It was about not giving up, not taking the paltry offer that he had made all those years ago. And so I battled through the trauma of filling in the forms etc almost as if I knew if i didn’t do it this time I would feel as if he had won.

So I get it, but as KIP says there may be other kinds of justice and being happy is definitely one of them.

[SingleMomSurvivor]

How incredibly brave and strong of you to represent yourself in your divorce & get a settlement! I find myself thinking about suing for emotional damages because my ex continues to find ways to be abusive even though we aren’t together, & I feel like I want him held accountable by somebody. On the other hand I do also believe that sometimes just moving forward & being happy & living well is the best goal for me to aim for. I guess today was just one of those days where I was feeling like I wished the courts could do more & there was more compensation available for survivors.

[Anonymous]

Thanks SMS.

It was a bit of a lonely business as these things sometimes are and I should have
had it a decade ago!
For reference though the charity Surviving Economic Abuse was very helpful.
Telephone line and website. I’m just mentioning it here in case it might help.

Lots of things bother me about the laws on coericve control – I can’t see for the life of
me how people can prosecute with it. But I don’t know if that isn’t just the general state
of the so called ‘justice’ system. i.e. not many people get legal aid etc.

[Author]

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