Beyond the Barriers: Women's Voices in Litigation Abuse Following Intimate Partner Violence

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.