WARWICK, RI — Claiming unauthorized transmission of the Playboy Channel caused them “great pain, anxiety, nervousness and mental anguish,” a Warwick, RI, family has filed a civil lawsuit against Verizon Communications’ cable television division.Filed November 24th in Kent County Superior Court, the suit alleges Verizon failed to block the Playboy Channel from the family’s home television, despite repeated requests. Robert Bourne and Denise Roy and their daughters, Elise Roy and Danielle Bourne, call the continued transmission of what the suit refers to as “patently offensive sexually explicit hardcore pornography” an invasion of privacy.

“The emotional distress suffered by the plaintiffs is so severe that no reasonable person could be expected to endure it, and the emotional distress has resulted in physical symptomatology of emotional distress,” according to documents filed with the court.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of compensation for “hospital care, medical care and attention, medications, other materials and supplies” in addition to punitive damages.