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AIBU?

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AIBU to feel irritated by DH asking me to cover up when I don't want sex?

433 replies

RaspberryRippleDuvet · 14/04/2024 19:18

There are times of the month when I really don't want sex but my DH will still be really horny.

At these times he will tell me not to sit in a certain way that shows my curves, or he'll cover my legs with a blanket if I'm showing any part of them. When I seem irritated by this he says he finds it too hard to see me in any way he deems sexy as he knows he won't be having sex with me.

To be clear, I'm not attempting to 'tease' him in any way; I'm just going about my life.

AIBU to find this behaviour of his annoying and controlling? Or should I be more sensitive?

OP posts:
Figgygal · 15/04/2024 16:15

None of that is normal op - hes a controlling and paranoid sex pest and that's minimising things

lightmuller · 15/04/2024 16:10

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

lightmuller · 15/04/2024 16:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Codlingmoths · 15/04/2024 16:06

This is sounding more and more like the only possible safe outcome is for the op to work out how to disable the tracker, just grab a bag, a car and leave. Drive to the police station near her parents, file a report for domestic abuse, drive to her parents. Leave everything behind. Never go back, never be anywhere privately with him.

ThisHumanBean · 15/04/2024 15:50

Ihearyousingingdownthewire · 15/04/2024 15:20

Well, I’m utterly shell shocked reading about your life.

He’s one of the most frightening men I’ve read about on here. 😔

This. Whilst I'm as worried about the OP as the rest of us, this thread has given me chills about the sort of man her H is and what he is capable of outside the home. It feel unlikely the manipulative and abusive character is contained within the four walls of home.

WinterDeWinter · 15/04/2024 15:47

You're a possession to this man, not a person. An object.

His worst nightmare is another man stealing his 'thing'.

Not being violent is such a low bar, OP - please get out of this abusive relationship.

Comtesse · 15/04/2024 15:45

Oh love. This is really really bad. His paranoia is not your issue, it’s really not. Please take care Flowers

CharlotteBog · 15/04/2024 15:45

He's never violent, never cheats, not weird with other women at all.

These are not traits to be regarded as good qualities, they are just how decent people behave.

I am sorry this is your life OP. In time I think you will be able to admit it to yourself and only then will be able to consider how to live your life out of the control of someone else.

I remember being asked on MN "so when are you going to leave him then?" and just not being ready to admit it myself.

arethereanyleftatall · 15/04/2024 15:44

Oh op. That isn't 'protective', that's 'controlling'. You are in an abusive relationship.

It is clear that you have no idea about how relationships should be. This isn't it.

GoodAfternoonGoodEveningAndGoodnight · 15/04/2024 15:40

Outliers · 15/04/2024 15:19

My partner has done things like this in a flirtatious and banterous way.

I can see how, when done in a very serious and confrontational way, why this would be inappropriate and aggravating.

I'm not sure if I see it as quite severe as the other posters. Doesn't seem like something that can't be addressed and resolved with a mature conversation.

A mature conversation?
Have you read her other posts?!
He sounds like a controlling nightmare (to put it mildly)

BillieTheFish · 15/04/2024 15:39

ChangeAgain2 · 14/04/2024 22:00

I read this and actually vomited a bit in my own mouth.

Well you couldn't have vomited in anyone else's mouth, not unless you were snogging them at the time 😁

JenFor · 15/04/2024 15:38

This is abuse. Dump and run.

Nanaof1 · 15/04/2024 15:33

murasaki · 15/04/2024 14:50

I recommend separate lives.

I recommend all of the above, along with separate houses, separate countries, separate continents.

Nanaof1 · 15/04/2024 15:31

RaspberryRippleDuvet · 15/04/2024 13:23

I just want to thank everyone for their posts.

I am genuinely shocked at the responses as I thought I was being unfair to be annoyed by his behaviour.

None of you know him so I totally understand why you don't believe me when I say in every other way he's a wonderful husband. He's never violent, never cheats, not weird with other women at all. In fact he idolises me. He is so scared of losing me it torments him, he has nightmares where I've cheated on him or been raped and then he's off-colour for days as it makes him so anxious.

If the tracker doesn't update properly then he calls me or texts me to check I'm okay. He drives me everywhere as he doesn't want me to be anywhere on my own in case I get attacked.

I'll confess that I'd happily go the rest of my life without sex as I really don't enjoy it but I make myself do it for him, as the longer he goes without, the more weird he gets. Years ago I woke up to him masturbating over me.

Thing is, I really really love him, and he's given me a good life. Our children are grown up and out of the home now but he lets me work part-time so I can look after the house and our pets, and look after my parents.

Anyway, you've all given me a lot to think about - I feel a bit shellshocked actually.

It's possible he's reading this as he's an I.T. professional and it wouldn't surprise me. I suppose a part of me wants him to read it, and see how wrong it is. Maybe he doesn't know it's bad because I've always allowed it?

Thanks again. As much as I'm tempted to delete this as it hurts so much, I'm going to leave this thread up so other women with similar situations will know they're not alone.

Goodbye xx

Do you read your own posts? I am actually praying this is a wind-up. The truth is too heavy on my heart.

You say: "he idolises me. He is so scared of losing me it torments him, he has nightmares where I've cheated on him or been raped and then he's off-colour for days as it makes him so anxious."

That is not idolizing you. That is obsession and the fear of losing his control over you. This is not something "kind and sweet". Instead, it is horrific and scary as hell!

You say: "If the tracker doesn't update properly, then he calls me or texts me to check I'm okay. He drives me everywhere as he doesn't want me to be anywhere on my own in case I get attacked."

Again, this is not fear for YOU. It is fear that he cannot control every, single second of your life. He keeps tabs on you because he is AFRAID that you may make a break for freedom. He has had 25 years to break you down, and you have Stockholm Syndrome concerning him. The fact that you think that these behaviors are showing you LOVE instead of the control that it actually is, proves that he has broken you down into a Stepford wife.

You wrote: " I make myself do it for him, as the longer he goes without, the more weird he gets. Years ago I woke up to him masturbating over me."

This is not NORMAL. Not even a little! I will say that you have needed therapy to get through the trauma you endured as a child but he should have been helping you, not coercing you by "acting weird". Of course, ALL of his actions are weird, controlling and obsessive. You just cannot see it. I wonder how your children REALLY are like in life, living in this controlled, obsessed world of your NAAFC DH.

You then share: "he lets me work part-time so I can look after the house and our pets, and look after my parents."

He LETS you? Seriously? So YOU can look after the house, the pets AND your parents? I bet he makes you feel he is doing you a favor, and I wonder how he can "let you go" long enough to work PT. Oh yeah, he has a tracker on you! WTALF? I am surprised he doesn't go in the public restrooms with you...or does he?

You end with: "It's possible he's reading this as he's an I.T. professional and it wouldn't surprise me. I suppose a part of me wants him to read it, and see how wrong it is."

Don't worry, he KNOWS how wrong it is and has known for 25 years +. He will only be astonished that YOU have seen just how wrong it is! Of course, he is in I.T.! What better way to know ALL the ways to keep you under his thumb, under his control and you believing that this abuse is love?

Do you realize that if one of your children is a daughter, THIS is what she will allow in HER life? That, if you have a son, that he will think he can treat another human being as YOU have been treated and it's "okay"?

I have never, ever hoped and prayed that this is fake or a wind-up more than I have right now. My heart breaks for you, but mostly for your children.

Blogswife · 15/04/2024 15:30

This is really disturbing. 😔

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 15/04/2024 15:30

And if they were lovely, they wouldn't be here scolding abused women, they'd be out trying to do something about abusive men. It's male behaviour and men are the ones who need to take responsibility, as a class, for changing it.

👏👏👏

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 15/04/2024 15:25

MumInBrussels · 15/04/2024 04:32

So, he makes you cover up because you're not available for sex, makes pointed comments reminding you he wants sex, tracks your every movement, gropes you "in his sleep" to the extent that you've had to move to a separate bed, and accuses you of cheating regularly because you're not having sex wherever he wants.

I know you've put up with this for 25 years, but it doesn't mean you have to carry on putting up with it. This is controlling, abusive behaviour. It's not normal. It's not ok. There is no good behaviour on his part that outweighs this. Just because he doesn't (yet) beat the shit out you doesn't make him an excellent husband.

Sums it up.

What a controlling nightmare he is!

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 15/04/2024 15:21

@commonsense12

I'm not single Confused

There's an implied threat in his statements - if you can't see that, maybe you don't have the experience some of us have had of abusive relationships.

I'll say what I like and OP can take whatever advice she likes - you're not the judge of who can post what.

Now off you trot.

Ihearyousingingdownthewire · 15/04/2024 15:20

RaspberryRippleDuvet · 15/04/2024 13:23

I just want to thank everyone for their posts.

I am genuinely shocked at the responses as I thought I was being unfair to be annoyed by his behaviour.

None of you know him so I totally understand why you don't believe me when I say in every other way he's a wonderful husband. He's never violent, never cheats, not weird with other women at all. In fact he idolises me. He is so scared of losing me it torments him, he has nightmares where I've cheated on him or been raped and then he's off-colour for days as it makes him so anxious.

If the tracker doesn't update properly then he calls me or texts me to check I'm okay. He drives me everywhere as he doesn't want me to be anywhere on my own in case I get attacked.

I'll confess that I'd happily go the rest of my life without sex as I really don't enjoy it but I make myself do it for him, as the longer he goes without, the more weird he gets. Years ago I woke up to him masturbating over me.

Thing is, I really really love him, and he's given me a good life. Our children are grown up and out of the home now but he lets me work part-time so I can look after the house and our pets, and look after my parents.

Anyway, you've all given me a lot to think about - I feel a bit shellshocked actually.

It's possible he's reading this as he's an I.T. professional and it wouldn't surprise me. I suppose a part of me wants him to read it, and see how wrong it is. Maybe he doesn't know it's bad because I've always allowed it?

Thanks again. As much as I'm tempted to delete this as it hurts so much, I'm going to leave this thread up so other women with similar situations will know they're not alone.

Goodbye xx

Well, I’m utterly shell shocked reading about your life.

He’s one of the most frightening men I’ve read about on here. 😔

Outliers · 15/04/2024 15:19

My partner has done things like this in a flirtatious and banterous way.

I can see how, when done in a very serious and confrontational way, why this would be inappropriate and aggravating.

I'm not sure if I see it as quite severe as the other posters. Doesn't seem like something that can't be addressed and resolved with a mature conversation.

Miyagi99 · 15/04/2024 15:16

This is really gross.

PenguinLord · 15/04/2024 15:06

OP has Stockholms syndrome...

murasaki · 15/04/2024 15:01

GingerIsBest · 15/04/2024 15:00

@murasaki yup. Sexual assault on top. Pretty dire.

I just want to be clear that I'm not saying any of this is okay. Just commenting on how I think it happens sometimes.

Totally got that!

GingerIsBest · 15/04/2024 15:00

@murasaki yup. Sexual assault on top. Pretty dire.

I just want to be clear that I'm not saying any of this is okay. Just commenting on how I think it happens sometimes.

KreedKafer · 15/04/2024 14:57

OP, you say your husband is 'not violent'... but he is. No, he doesn't hit you. But he does sexually assault you. Masturbating over you while you're sleeping is sexual assault. You also said that he touches you without your consent if you share a bed. Again, that's sexual assault.

He has nightmares about you being assaulted by other men, but he assaults you, regularly, himself. This would be horrific in any relationship but it's even more horrific when you have a past history of being sexually abused as a child. He is no better than your abuser. In fact, I would say that he is exploiting your past history.

'Idolising' you is not an excuse for the amount of control and paranoia in your marriage. He is a coercive controller and he is abusing you sexually and emotionally, and he has gaslit you into believing it's just because he loves you. He probably does love you, but that doesn't mean he is a good man or that any of his awful behaviour is OK.

FWIW, I often have nightmares about bad things happening to my partner. I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder and a lot of my anxiety relates to me worrying that I might lose him. But I would never EVER try to control and monitor him in the way your husband is doing because it WOULD BE ABUSIVE. Anxiety isn't an excuse to behave like this. It just isn't.

It's incredibly disturbing that you clearly suspect he monitors your online activity because he is an IT specialist. That is not OK. Neither is having you tagged so he can tell where you are. It's all about control. He is controlling you. You don't even have control over your own body and sexuality.

Honestly, this is one of the most chilling threads I've ever read on Mumsnet.

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