Civil Law
Not every survivor finds justice through the criminal courts. Civil law provides an important route to accountability by enabling survivors to seek financial compensation, public acknowledgement of wrongdoing and, where appropriate, formal apologies from those responsible.
At Proudmans, we represent individuals in civil claims arising from sexual abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and other forms of gender-based violence. We act against individual perpetrators as well organisations that have failed in their legal duty to protect those in their care.Our lawyers have extensive experience in abuse litigation and in pursuing claims where organisations ignored warning signs, failed to investigate allegations properly or breached their safeguarding duties. We work alongside psychologists, psychiatrists and other experts where necessary to ensure that the full impact of the abuse is properly evidenced and reflected in any claim for damages.
Married At First Sight UK
Proudmans has expertise in representing survivors in high-profile and complex cases that attract significant media attention.
We represent "Lizzie", a former contestant on Married At First Sight UK, produced by CPL for Channel 4, who alleges that she was raped and subjected to abuse by her on-screen husband during filming.
Dr Charlotte Proudman represents Lizzie and featured in the BBC Panorama investigation, which raised widespread public concern about participant safety and safeguarding within reality television. Following the broadcast, Channel 4 removed previous series of Married At First Sight UK from its platforms while an independent external review into contributor welfare and the handling of safeguarding concerns was undertaken.
Reality television producers owe significant duties to participants. Where warning signs are overlooked, welfare concerns are not acted upon, or commercial interests are prioritised over participant safety, civil law may provide an important route to accountability.
Our experience enables us to identify safeguarding failures, obtain disclosure of relevant documents and pursue claims against organisations where there is evidence that they have breached their legal obligations.
Supporting survivors beyond the courtroom
Civil claims are about far more than financial damages. For many clients, they represent an opportunity to regain control, obtain recognition of the harm they have suffered and help prevent the same failures from happening to others.
We understand that bringing proceedings can be daunting, particularly where the case involves media scrutiny of powerful organisations. Our team has extensive experience managing high-profile litigation while protecting our clients' privacy. We work closely with each client to ensure they remain informed, supported and empowered throughout the process.