Se habla Español | Wir sprechen Deutsch | Mówimy po polsku
Spanish Translation German Translation Polish Translation
Contact us for your initial consultation
847.577.8700
When Emotional Abuse Leads to Divorce
posted on 2/2/25

You have been married to your spouse for nearly two decades. And, on the surface, your marriage is perfect: a beautiful home in Arlington Heights, three wonderful children, frequent vacations, and plenty of money.

Just underneath this surface, there is an unpleasant reality: you are being emotionally abused by your spouse, and you have been for many years.

Even though your spouse has chipped away at your self-esteem for quite some time, you know that you have the ability to finally divorce this person.

Going over how emotional abuse can affect the outcome of your divorce and speaking with a Schaumburg divorce attorney will help you obtain the best possible outcome for your divorce.

What Should You Do To Get Divorced?

To get divorced in the state of Illinois, you should work with an experienced divorce attorney. By doing so, you will have an easier time:

  1. Filing the necessary paperwork.
  2. Clarifying the desired terms of your divorce.
  3. Outlining your wishes for alimony, child support, and child custody, among others.
  4. Demonstrating the validity of your wishes.
  5. Obtaining the best possible divorce outcome.

If you do not work with an experienced divorce attorney, the abovementioned things will be much more difficult. You may not be able to obtain the exact divorce outcome – alimony, for example – that you are looking for.

Will Emotional Abuse Affect Your Divorce Settlement?

The state of Illinois practices “equitable distribution,” which means that when you divorce your spouse, you will receive a fair percentage of your shared marital assets.

A “fair percentage” does not mean equal. Instead, it means a percentage that aligns with the effort you put into the marriage and, in turn, the effort your spouse put into it.

If you were emotionally abused throughout your marriage, and you can demonstrate this to the court, you could be able to obtain a very favorable divorce settlement. Some of the reasons for this are as follows:

  1. If you were emotionally abused, and this affected your ability to work and/or move up in your career, you may be entitled to some form of alimony, depending on the amount of time that you have been married.
  2. If you were emotionally abused before you signed a prenup, and you signed your prenup while under the duress caused by that emotional abuse, this prenup may be invalid.
  3. If you were emotionally abused throughout the duration of a long marriage, and this is what caused you to end the marriage, you may be entitled to a larger percentage of the marital assets.
  4. If you were emotionally abused while raising you and your spouse’s children, you may be entitled to a large portion of your shared marital assets.
  5. If you were emotionally abused, and this emotional abuse caused long-term emotional damage that makes it harder for you to live a healthy life, you may be entitled to alimony based upon the amount of time you have been married.

To prove that emotional abuse occurred within your marriage, you must work with an attorney who can help you.

Get Qualified Legal Help Today

If you would like to obtain a divorce in Illinois, then Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to assist you.

When you need an attorney, experience matters.

Speak with one of our Schaumburg divorce attorneys today to obtain the best possible divorce outcome.