Full Breakdown
Woman Pays Over £105,000 to Exit Abusive Marriage, Calls for Divorce Law Reform
9/9/2026, 5:32:36 PM
Core Event: Costly Divorce for an Abuse Survivor
Annabelle Boucher, a 48-year-old from Chiselborough, Somerset, says the divorce from David Rogers, 61, has cost her more than £105,000. The total includes a £75,000 payment to Rogers—who admitted to coercive and controlling behaviour—and additional legal expenses. Boucher argues that the current divorce framework fails to recognise the criminal nature of such abuse.
Background & Context: Domestic Abuse and the Divorce System
Boucher met Rogers in 2017; the couple married two years later. Under existing law, financial settlements are negotiated without explicit consideration of a partner’s criminal conduct, leaving victims to bear substantial financial burdens.
Official Statements & Responses
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has launched a consultation aimed at reforming divorce law so that family courts better address the needs of domestic-abuse victims. The MoJ’s statement frames the reform as a response to cases like Boucher’s, where the legal process does not adequately reflect the impact of coercive control.
Data & Statistics
Verbatim Quotes
- “I thought being stuck in this relationship I couldn't get out of would be highlighted within the divorce procedure,” — Annabelle Boucher
- “But the divorce law doesn't take into account the fact that he was a criminal.” — The Ministry
- “It creeps up on you and you're in it, and so you don't kind of notice what is happening.” — Annabelle Boucher
