At this juncture, we need to point out that in situations where one spouse is abusive, much of the usual divorce “wisdom” may not apply. Domestic violence, by definition, occurs in relationships in which there is a significant imbalance of power. Under those circumstances, mediation or collaboration clearly won’t work—any system that requires parties to negotiate from positions of equality will automatically favor a spouse who has some measure of control over the other, even if that control is very subtle, or even unrecognized by the abused party.
Sections
Separation Violence
The Divorce Process in Abusive Marriages
