Litigation abuse occurs when a perpetrator utilizes a range of tactics to continue to
abuse, harass, and control their victim through the courts. The research question for this study
was: what are the voices present in the experience of litigation abuse following intimate partner
violence for women? Seven women who experienced litigation abuse following intimate partner
violence volunteered to participate in this study. The listening guide methodology was used to
explore voices related to the women’s experiences. Two categories of voice emerged within all
narratives: voices of apprehension and voices of freedom. This study explores litigation abuse
through a counselling psychology research lens and contributes to counselling theory and
practice by introducing the beyond the barrier model. Furthermore, increased knowledge will
contribute to a greater awareness, improve therapeutic interventions, and generate community
responses to support victims of litigation abuse.
