Victim - Libra, Perpetrator - Scorpio
[Physical violence and harm] [Sexual and reproductive abuse] [Emotional and psychological abuse] [Following, harassing and monitoring] [Exposing children to domestic and family violence] [Risk] [Women] [People with children] [Children] [Pregnant women] [People with mental illness] [Victim experience of court processes] [Legal representation and self-represented litigants] [Protection orders – management of application proceedings; breach; undertakings] [Family law proceedings – family reports; parenting orders and impact on children]
Libra and Scorpio were in a relationship for three years and had a child born in the year they separated. Libra is university educated, professionally qualified and has always been in well-remunerated employment apart from during leave following the birth of the child. Scorpio did not complete high school, however trained in a trade and earns a modest salary. Scorpio has a history of intermittent drug and alcohol misuse, and when younger attempted suicide on a couple of occasions during periods of depression. After separation, Libra consulted a psychiatrist to deal with the anxiety she experienced as a result of the abusive relationship, and took medication for a time until she felt it was affecting her capacity to function properly; she was also concerned that she may be prejudiced in the Family Court if her Medicare records revealed that she was taking a medication that was indicated for bipolar disorder (but prescribed to Libra for anxiety).
Libra and Scorpio casually dated for a brief time some years before living together when Scorpio was going through a difficult divorce. Scorpio became resentful and obsessive about Libra dating other men after the brief relationship ended. They eventually got back together and Scorpio quickly moved in with Libra at a property she owned. While the first six months of their relationship were happy and without incident, in the remaining two and a half years tension and conflict grew between Libra and Scorpio, there were periods of separation and reconciliation, and Scorpio’s behaviour became abusive. Libra’s income was considerably higher than Scorpio’s and, while she did not highlight the point and was happy to make a greater contribution to joint expenses, Scorpio would accuse Libra of belittling and humiliating him for his limited earning capacity. Increasingly he became frustrated and angry, and would lash out at Libra. Scorpio is more than a foot taller than Libra; and is athletic and strong. On one occasion, when loading a large and heavy metal crate in the car, he threw it so as to hit Libra who was standing nearby. She was knocked off her feet, her thick-lens glasses cracked and the impact caused a black eye and bruised lip. On another occasion, Scorpio grabbed Libra around the neck and held her down on the bed.
When Libra became pregnant, she found intercourse painful and preferred to avoid it. Scorpio began seeking sexual satisfaction elsewhere. While Scorpio was away visiting his parents, Libra discovered videos of Scorpio’s sexual encounters with multiple other women (as well as herself) on his computer. When Libra confronted Scorpio on the phone, he was enraged that she’d invaded his privacy. Libra then discovered that Scorpio was having an affair with one of these women. Scorpio returned to try to salvage the relationship and Libra allowed him back as she didn’t want to raise the child alone. Soon after, Libra discovered on Scorpio’s phone that he was contacting a former girlfriend on Facebook. Libra left Scorpio a week before the baby was born and went to stay with her parents; however they told her she must return and try and make the relationship work. Scorpio made her apologise and taunted her about having no interest in her welfare.
For three months following the birth, Scorpio’s behaviour settled down and they both focussed on adjusting to being new parents though Scorpio had little to do with the day-to-day care of the infant. Scorpio came up with a business idea that involved selling internet-based camera systems to away-from-home workers. Libra funded the establishment costs as Scorpio didn’t have the resources himself, however the enterprise did not succeed and ended in financial loss. Scorpio set up a remotely-controlled camera system in the home, and monitored Libra’s movements in every room, including when she was showering and breastfeeding. She repeatedly asked him to disable the system, and at one stage feared it had been hacked. She recalls one occasion, as she walked out of the bathroom, the camera moved to follow her.
Six months after the birth of their child, Scorpio told Libra that he would marry her only if she agreed to go to a swingers club with him; she refused and told him the relationship was over. Libra left and returned to her parent’s house for a couple of days when Scorpio’s parents became involved. Eventually he told Libra that he ‘could live with it’ if she did not wish to go to a swingers club and the relationship continued for one more month.
Scorpio was known for his outbursts of road rage. He would throw heavy objects out of his van while driving, with reckless disregard for the consequences. He was required to attend a police interview about an incident where he allegedly smashed another car with a crow bar. When Libra told his parents, again he was enraged that she breached his privacy. This came shortly after yet another fight about Scorpio’s infidelity; it was the tipping point for Libra and she decided to leave Scorpio for good. Their child was seven months old at the time.
