Denise Richards wins five-year restraining order against estranged husband Aaron Phypers amid abuse claims in bitter divorce battle – Daily Mail

Report on Legal Proceedings and Their Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Case Summary: Richards v. Phypers

On November 7, 2025, the Los Angeles Superior Court issued a five-year restraining order in favor of petitioner Denise Richards against respondent Aaron Phypers. The ruling concludes a series of hearings concerning allegations of domestic violence. This case serves as a practical example of institutional mechanisms working to address issues directly related to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning gender equality, justice, and personal well-being.

Upholding SDG 5: Gender Equality

Addressing Violence Against Women

The core of the legal action aligns with SDG Target 5.2, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. The petitioner presented claims of sustained abuse throughout the seven-year marriage, which, if substantiated, represent a significant breach of personal security and gender equality.

• Physical Violence: Allegations included frequent choking, violent squeezing of the head and arms, and slapping, resulting in at least three alleged concussions.
• Emotional and Psychological Abuse: The petitioner cited regular threats of physical harm and extreme stress and anxiety.
• Digital Violence: The respondent was accused of disseminating private, nude photographs of the petitioner, a form of abuse often referred to as “revenge porn,” which the court acknowledged as a disturbance of the petitioner’s peace.

Protective Measures as a Tool for SDG 5

The court’s final order represents a direct institutional response to protect an individual from gender-based violence. The restraining order’s stipulations are designed to prevent future harm and enforce accountability, contributing to a safer environment for the petitioner.

1. The respondent must maintain physical distance from the petitioner.
2. All threatening and harassing behaviors must cease.
3. Any firearms in the respondent’s possession must be surrendered to law enforcement.
4. The dissemination of any private photos, videos, or emails of the petitioner is prohibited.
5. Personal property, including a laptop computer and all private media, must be returned to the petitioner.

Strengthening SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Function of the Judicial System in Providing Access to Justice

This case highlights the critical role of strong institutions, as outlined in SDG 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies and provides access to justice for all. The court proceedings provided a formal venue for the petitioner to seek legal protection. Judge Mark Juhas, after hearing arguments from both legal teams, determined that the petitioner’s peace was disturbed by the respondent’s actions and found the testimony of the petitioner and her witnesses credible, thereby granting the protective order.

Criminal Justice System Engagement

The matter extends beyond civil court, engaging the criminal justice system in alignment with SDG Target 16.3: “Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.” The respondent was arrested on October 17, 2025, and subsequently charged with multiple felonies, demonstrating a coordinated response from law enforcement and the judiciary to address serious allegations of violence and witness intimidation.

• Two felony counts of injuring a spouse.
• Two felony counts of dissuading a witness by force or threat.

Promoting SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Impacts on Physical and Mental Health

The allegations detailed in the court filings directly contravene the objectives of SDG 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The petitioner’s claims of physical injuries, including concussions and bruising, and the stated experience of “extreme stress and anxiety” underscore the severe negative health consequences of domestic violence. The court’s intervention, therefore, also functions as a measure to safeguard the petitioner’s immediate and long-term physical and mental health, in line with SDG Target 3.4, which aims to promote mental health and well-being.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article’s central theme is domestic violence, with Denise Richards accusing her ex-husband of physical and emotional abuse. This directly relates to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, including the elimination of violence against them.

2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The narrative extensively covers the legal proceedings involved in the case, such as restraining order hearings, arrests, felony charges, and court rulings. This connects to SDG 16, which focuses on promoting peaceful societies, providing access to justice for all, and building effective and accountable institutions like the court system described.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article details the health impacts of the alleged abuse. It mentions physical injuries like “at least three concussions” and a “black eye,” as well as psychological harm, stating that Richards was subjected to “extreme stress and anxiety.” These issues align with SDG 3’s goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, including mental health.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. The article is a direct case study of this target, detailing allegations of intimate partner violence within a marriage. The accusations include physical abuse (“violently choke me,” “violently slap me”) and psychological abuse (sharing nude photos, causing “extreme stress and anxiety”).

2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article highlights efforts to reduce violence through legal intervention. The physical abuse described, including choking and blows to the head, represents the type of violence this target aims to curtail.
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. Richards’s actions of seeking and obtaining a “five-year restraining order” and the subsequent arrest and charging of her ex-husband with “two felony counts of injuring a spouse” demonstrate the use of the legal system to seek justice and protection, which is the core of this target.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article implies a direct threat to mental health and well-being. Richards’s lawyer states that Phypers subjected her to “extreme stress and anxiety,” and the judge noted that “her peace was disturbed by the photographs.” This aligns with the target’s goal of promoting mental health.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

   • Prevalence of intimate partner violence: The article provides a qualitative account of physical and psychological violence by an intimate partner. Richards’s statement, “Throughout our relationship, Aaron would frequently violently choke me…violently slap me,” serves as an anecdotal data point for the prevalence of such violence (related to Indicator 5.2.1).
   • Non-consensual sharing of intimate images (“revenge porn”): The lawyer’s description of Phypers sharing nude photos as “revenge porn” and a form of abuse is an example of technology-facilitated psychological violence against women, a modern indicator of harm under Target 5.2.

2. Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Reporting of violence to authorities: Richards’s action of filing for a “domestic violence restraining order” is a direct example of a victim reporting violence to a competent authority (related to Indicator 16.3.1).
   • Functioning of the justice system: The article implies indicators of a functioning justice system through several outcomes: the granting of a temporary and then a “five-year restraining order,” the arrest of the alleged perpetrator, and the filing of “two felony counts of injuring a spouse” and “two felony counts of dissuading a witness.” These actions serve as measures of the institution’s response to reported violence.

3. Indicators for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

   • Incidence of physical injury from violence: The claims of having sustained “at least three concussions” and the submission of a “graphic photo of herself with a black eye” are specific, measurable health outcomes resulting from violence.
   • Reported psychological distress: The mention of “extreme stress and anxiety” and the judge’s finding that Richards’s “peace was disturbed” are qualitative indicators of the negative impact on mental health and well-being resulting from the abuse.

4. Table of Identified SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: dailymail.co.uk