Annabelle Boucher, 48, from Somerset, England, stated that divorcing her ex-husband, David Rogers, 61, cost her more than £105,000. This figure includes £75,000 paid directly to Rogers, despite his admission of coercive and controlling behavior, as well as her own legal expenses.
Boucher expressed her frustration, noting that the divorce proceedings did not adequately account for Rogers' criminal behavior. "I thought being stuck in this relationship I couldn't get out of would be highlighted within the divorce procedure," Boucher said. "But the divorce law doesn't take into account the fact that he was a criminal."
Rogers entered Boucher's life in 2017, and the couple married two years later. Boucher recounted that the relationship took a negative turn after their marriage, with extreme behaviors beginning to emerge. She described a gradual escalation of controlling actions that left her feeling trapped and emotionally isolated.
In response to cases like Boucher's, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has initiated a consultation aimed at reforming divorce laws to better support victims of domestic abuse within family courts.