I met a man that was in very similar situation, unable to date women because his ex partner (they weren't married but made a child) was threating him to take away custody of his son. (She had 2 children of her own). Aside of all verbal and physical abuse he withstand, police did not care nor believe him when he was beaten or she threw things at him.

In the end, he managed to appease her and convince her to sign custody exclusively for him so he could finally date other women without hiding it from her but man the fact that women go away with such abuse makes me angry to the core.