June 24 Ask the Experts Lisa Aronson Fontes, PhD Suing for Damages from Domestic Violence: Torts in Civil Courts A civil suit against a domestic abuser can provide survivors with a sense of justice and a financial cushion. There is always more to a separation or divorce case than the single overt incident that may have been “the last straw” provoking a couple to separate. People who manage to escape an abusive relationship want safety first, for themselves and their children. Next, many long for justice.