Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Can I recover years of cheating with escorts?

158 replies

lalunedujour · 22/01/2021 14:19

Ladies, I turn to you for impartial advice, by this I mean if possible not to project yourself onto my situation and think - what would I do? Don't, because you will never know what you would do until it happens to you. You think you know your partner and above all you think you know yourself, but then something like this comes up and all is out of the window.

Long (wish) story short - I discovered in July that my husband had been seeing prositutes, escorts, whatever is the correct term for it, for years, as in since I was pregnant at least so about 4 years ago. All in the midst of coronavirus and being in full isolation, with me out of a job and him being the only provider (first time in our lives).

I can't begin to explain the rollercoaster of emotions at the time (still now) but there and then it was intense and a sever shock. He was never 'the type' and in fact I always had a higher sex drive than him and he hardly initiated sex in our relationship, well past the first year at least.

He confessed straight away and went into a full meltdown, confessing a long addiction since his teens as it was how he broke his virginity (the things we learn!!) His excuse or reasoning was that it had been a secret for years and he always thought he could get rid of it, but it was an addiction.

He saw a therapist since then and did everything he could, whatever that means, to regain my trust, to apologise and to express his own disgust.

I have tried my hardest to forgive him but of course I cannot - I am constantly reminded by the thought of it all, the betrayal, the lies, the ability he had to do it for YEARS, while I was pregnant, working hard, trying to get back to my female self after birth etc etc but he was content in his sex life I guess because he was visiting countless places at least once a week.

No need to bang on about the details as to how I found out but lets say Uber rides is a wonderful app to look at..

So here I am, 6 months later, trying to get over this with immense struggle. My main source of strength is my daughter who I simply cannot destroy over this.

I don't have concerns as to him doing it again, but I can't move past what has already been done.

I appreciate your insight.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 22/01/2021 14:42

Do not stay with him for the sake of your child. Would you want her as an adult to remain within such a marriage?. No you would not and it is not good enough for you either. She will not be "destroyed" either if you left her dad.

You certainly do not have to move past it and or to forgive him.

Lauren551 · 22/01/2021 14:41

I’m so sorry I can’t offer you any advice other than that I share your heartbreak , I also found out last July my partner of 11 years and father to my 3 children was contacting prostittues and also seemed to be some Kind of habit he had gotten into after having a drink ... I can’t find solid concrete proof he ever went though with it but I think he probably did at least once , we seperated for 6 months I let him come back in December it’s been so hard not a day goes by when I wonder how he could do that or if he’s scheming to do it again. Like your husband you would never think my partner was the type at all it was and is soul destroying , my daughter was 2 weeks old when I found out and I was recovering from a very tough c section x

BornIn78 · 22/01/2021 14:40

I wouldn’t think at 6 months post discovery you’d be anywhere near “getting over it”, and as for him doing “everything he can” to regain your trust, at 6 months down the line he’s barely even scratched the surface of what he can do to regain your trust.

Are you feeling some kind of pressure to move past it and if so, from who?

CaraDuneRedux · 22/01/2021 14:39

Short answer: no.

Long answer: no.

So sorry the scummy fucker has put you through this. And your daughter will be miles better off growing up with a mother who didn't take crap and stood up for herself as a role model than one who let herself be treated like a doormat.

Rainandspirit · 22/01/2021 14:35

Sorry you are in this situation. How old is your daughter ? Have you spoken to anyone in real life??
My long story short. Found out my husband of 20 years was having an affair. Turns out he was online dating for a few years ! All the time I thought nothing was wrong. It is 19 months since I found out amd I can say is I will never forgive him.
I have done 1 to 1 consulting which has helped me. We did try for the kids (we have 5) but at the end of the day we need to do it for us . They will grow up and move on and then with will just be us 2 (youngest is 11) they know we are not getting on . Sleep in separate rooms. I can’t move passed the fact he has living a double life taking time from our family to have “time for himself “
Yes he is sorry, he will not do it again bla bla bla . But now when I look at him it’s lies I see. . I bit of advice I had given at the time was .
You don’t have to make a discussions now. You can stay and see how things go and next month,6 months next year you can still leave. But at the end of the day don’t stay for your child . They will
Know and as much as we try to be happy for ours they are happy. They don’t want him to leave either so where do I go from here I don’t know .
Best of luck . Take care of your self . It’s a shit club to be part of.

SunnySideDownBriefly · 22/01/2021 14:34

That's truly awful.

Can I just ask why you don't have concerns that he's going to do it again?

I don't think you will be able to get over this. It's been too long - it's not a one off. It's a whole other life that he has been leading.

Is he getting counselling? He will need a lot of it. And you will too plus lots of time to heal...although it will never go away and will never be the same.

MechantGourmet · 22/01/2021 14:28

Why would you want to?
Your daughter is young, she won't be 'destroyed'. Would you want her to stay if her partner did this?

Whatsnewpussyhat · 22/01/2021 14:25

You are allowed to leave him. You don't have to move past it or forgive him at all.
It will not "destroy" your daughter at all for her mum to be happy out of a situation that will continue to eat away at you.