The mother-of-two believed both audio and video surveillance equipment had been installed in the family home and her parent's house, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunual was told last week.

The woman understood that some of the equipment was hard to detect as it could be as small as a matchstick. Her husband said the family would be under threat if they disobeyed instructions from a set of characters with names including Mick, Tony and John.

VCAT heard the woman's husband would arrange for his mobile phone to ring at times during sex and say one of the characters demanded further variation.

Other times, more mundane requests were made, for example that she spring clean the house.

The woman made a complaint to Ballarat Police in 2005 after her husband told her she was required to have sex with him while their one-year-old son was in a cot in the same room.

Police told the woman her husband was playing mind games. She eventually realised this was the case and the couple divorced. The man was not prosecuted.

The woman made a claim for compensation, which was dismissed by the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal.

But after successfully appealing the result the matter came before VCAT last Monday.

VCAT deputy president Michael Macnamara said he accepted the woman was traumatised, but said there was no evidence she suffered from a mental illness or disorder.

He said the case was most unusual.

"I believe the circumstances are exceptional where a married woman has been the victim of this most extraordinary deception as (the woman) has."

Mr Macnamara said the woman had suffered adverse affects, including feelings of loathing, disgust and worthlessness.

She was awarded a total $5700 in compensation.