Abuse is not have to be primarily, or even partially physical. Though we do know Lowtax is not beyond that. His abuse of Ashley primarily stemmed from the fact that he would not proceed with her immigration paperwork. She could not get a social security number, a driver's license, a bank account, a phone plan, a job, etc. She was completely dependent on him. She alleges he kept it locked away from her in a safe if I recall correctly. He made her an illegal immigrant.
Momtax, who was Ashley's financial sponsor in the immigration process, wanted to have Ashley deported once she would no longer put up with her son's abuse. Ashley's abuse seems to have been a family affair. Lowtax strapped Ashley with non-marital debt related to Something Awful LLC, a business he now claims she had no involvement in and deserves none of the proceeds from the sale of. Ashley was a prisoner trapped in Richard's home raising their young child while he popped pills, drank, and cheated on her physically and emotionally. How many ex-wives help the current wife flee to a domestic violence shelter?
