The wife can go to citizens advice and get the times for a free session with their legal dept. - she will probably have to queue but its worth it - if you are friend, perhaps you could go with her, two pairs of ears help to take everything in, take a notebook, write everything down. Also she can get info about women's aid and organizations who help women in abusive relationships from CAB. She can also get a free hour of advice from many solicitors - and can get a list of local solicitors who deal in family law from the CAB. I would save the free session with the solicitor for when she decides one way or another about divorce.
I've been in and escaped from an abusive relationship. They always say they will royally screw you over, it is a means of keeping control because control is what these men are all about. He will try to stop her getting legal advice, because he doesn't want her to be armed with facts and info. My solicitor told me that all abusive men try to stop you getting advice because they don't want you to know what you are entitled to, and because she is being abused she is believing what he tells her about being screwed over. It isn;t true.
I didn't tell my abusive partner I was getting legal advice until I had the divorce underway. A divorce is decided according to need and according to what is fair for both partners - its a no blame system, she will get what is fair and he will be required to produce financial details, if he doesn't he will be threatened with court action, if he lies he will get into trouble.
He will threaten, he will manipulate he will try to make her feel stupid and useless. I had whispered threats of 'if you dare go to a solicitor I will make sure this gets very very nasty and you will regret it' I carried on and the fact that I was reclaiming my life gave me strength, It is hard, abusive people are frightening and they will do anything to keep control.
It is hard, and it is along road - divorces don;t come overnight, and she will get a lot of shit thrown at her by him during the process, so she will need all the support her friends and family can give, but when you get an abusive person out of your life you start to understand how abnormal your life has been, you start learning to live again, and start regaining your self esteem.
It took me years to get out of my relationship, I wish I'd done it earlier, I wish someone had told me, 'this is wrong what he is doing, leave him' but I was downtrodden and brainwashed by him. I hope your friend can make the break and start living the life she deserves. x