Husband ordered to pay fine to wife over her nickname he saved on his phone. Court calls it emotional abuse

In a bizarre yet eye-opening ruling out of Turkey, a husband found himself on the losing end of a lawsuit over a seemingly small but deeply offensive act: saving his wife’s contact under a derogatory nickname. The case, heard at the Uşak 3rd Family Court, highlights how emotional abuse and economic pressure can tip the scales in divorce battles, even when adultery claims are thrown into the mix.

The dispute began with a mutual divorce filing under Article 166 of the Turkish Civil Code. While the husband accused his wife of adultery, the court found no concrete evidence of such an affair. During the proceedings, shocking details emerged, including messages sent by the husband asking for money while belittling his wife with phrases like, “Go away, I don’t want to see your face,” and the offensive contact name “tombik”, which means chubby, saved in his phone. The court ruled these actions constituted both emotional and economic abuse.

Although the wife’s social media activity was flagged as disruptive behaviour, the court determined she was less at fault. The husband’s insults, financial pressure, and derogatory remarks were deemed far more serious. The Court of Cassation ultimately rejected the adultery claim, confirmed the divorce on the grounds of the marriage’s breakdown, and awarded the wife pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages. Additionally, it called for a reassessment of child support to better match the child’s needs and the couple’s economic circumstances.

This ruling underscores that abuse doesn’t always come in obvious forms—it can hide in texts, nicknames, and financial coercion, yet still carry legal consequences.