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Me again, sorry! How to get partner to understand why I don't want to be in their house

39 replies

Patienceisntvirtuous · 23/05/2023 23:19

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4613356-wibu-yesterday-not-going-in-their-house

Previous thread.

In short, partner lives with her parents. Her dad is a misogynistic, angry, obnoxious character who loves himself and treats her Mother like something he stepped in. He cheats, lies, financially abuses her, verbally abuses her (and has physically in the past). He doesn't do any of this to my partner as she stands up to him.

He's also in the fairly recent past appeared at the door of the bedroom my partner's Sister's wife was sleeping in at the time (by herself) when she was staying over, with his trousers down-and prior to this, had shoved her into an alcove at a family party and tried to make her kiss him. Partner didn't tell me this, I found out from SIL who thought I already knew.

Around a year ago or more I was staying at the house with partner and he laid into me over something trivial about me that he didn't like, shouting at me across the table and getting louder and louder when I didn't 'bite' (I am used to awful angry men unfortunately and wasn't going to argue back with him-just calmy dealt with what he was saying). I told partner after that that I'd not stay there again, if I visited we'd get a hotel. Partner compromised and we'd then stay at her Sister/SILs house (sorry if this is confusing, all of us are gay women).

Anyway, partner's Sister and SIL have since separated. Sister has moved into a flat.

My partner has three dogs. With the old arrangement, the dogs would stay with us in the spare room. Sister's flat doesn't have a spare room, (or a garden) so we're to sleep on a blow up bed in the sitting room. This doesn't work with the dogs sleeping over too-as her Sister has two dogs and they get along but she doesn't trust them all 'left' together while we sleep. This means that if we stay at Sister's flat she has to get up early and go and walk her dogs (who'll be at her parents, where she lives). It's less than a 5 minute walk, for context. At her Sister's old place they could be just let into the garden and we'd get up and go out with them at our own pace rather than her have to get up and rush out to go and walk them.

This means she is now asking if I won't just stay at her parents with her again.
She says It's safe, because I'll never be alone with him, her bedroom door locks, she'll only leave me to shower/go to the loo or we'll be out.

I still don't want to stay there. Yes, I don't trust him but also I don't want to feel uncomfortable. He doesn't want me there-I don't want to be in someone's house who doesn't want me there. I don't like being in someone's parent's house full stop overnight really but I realise that may be unreasonable. I don't like witnessing how he speaks to her poor Mother either.

I've offered to stay in a hotel and just meet up with her in the morning at her leisure if she wants to sleep at home.

I am trying to find a way to get her to understand that It's not that I'm SCARED of him per se, more so that I just don't want to be around him/in his house. I am not sure what to say to her as she just doesn't seem to understand.

Also am I being petty/precious about this? Should I just 'get over myself' as to not disrupt her having a more relaxing weekend?

WIBU yesterday not going in their house? | Mumsnet

I ask because my girlfriend is frustrated with me. We've not argued, she's not upset or anything, I just want others opinions. This is an old thread...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4613356-wibu-yesterday-not-going-in-their-house

OP posts:
Mrsmillshorse · 23/05/2023 23:21

She can't visit you because....?

MadEyeMoodysEye · 23/05/2023 23:23

Is your partner taking any steps towards moving out?

Patienceisntvirtuous · 23/05/2023 23:25

She can and does visit me. I live by myself though, so no such issues.

She is meant to be moving in with me in a couple of months.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

MeinKraft · 23/05/2023 23:28

I wouldn't stay there in a million years, she can come to yours.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 23/05/2023 23:31

Patienceisntvirtuous · 23/05/2023 23:25

She can and does visit me. I live by myself though, so no such issues.

She is meant to be moving in with me in a couple of months.

I hope you have a solid plan in place for when he insists on visiting her at your place when she moves in…

Patienceisntvirtuous · 23/05/2023 23:34

I don't think he'd visit here. He's not the least bit interested in any of his adult children.

OP posts:
PimpMyFridge · 23/05/2023 23:36

Your wish not to be in his house is completely fair (he sounds bloody awful) and the problem is short term temporary, so I can't see why your partner can't just accept it and work round it for a couple of months.

Fraaahnces · 23/05/2023 23:41

I would think twice about parter moving on if she is minimizing how you feel about staying there to make her visits convenient. I would find being anywhere near that man traumatic and would not trust a door lock to keep him out.

WalnutWhippy · 23/05/2023 23:42

I think it's unreasonable to ask you to stay at that house. Why would you even consider it? Don't.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 23/05/2023 23:58

Patienceisntvirtuous · 23/05/2023 23:34

I don't think he'd visit here. He's not the least bit interested in any of his adult children.

I’d still want a plan on your shoes.

I mean, given what he was doing to your SIL’s partner who is he going to perv over once everyone is moved out?

Plus if he’s an obnoxious bully that has a specific dislike of you I would not be risking him deciding to try and do that in your home with no plan in place.

you need a plan before she moves in imo

FictionalCharacter · 23/05/2023 23:59

It's quite concerning that she doesn't seem to see quite how foul her father is. It's completely obvious why you don't want to be in his house when he behaves like that. She seems to have got so used to that toxic environment that she finds it quite normal, which is not good.

In a previous thread you said that she didn't tell you about his attempted sexual assault on her sister's partner. That's quite an omission when you're staying there. It really sounds like she's in denial.

A pp on another thread said she sounds immature. She does, and although it isn't uncommon for adults to move back in with their parents for a while, they'd normally act like adults in their parents' homes, not revert to being teenagers with mum tidying up after them and doing their laundry. It's an abnormal dynamic they've got going in that family. Hopefully when she moves in with you she'll leave that behind. But I suspect she'll still visit them and fail to understand why you won't.

Patienceisntvirtuous · 24/05/2023 07:52

I'll reply to other responses later (thank you!) But last night she also told me that he's asking questions about why I don't visit and stay over any longer.

I told her to just lie and say I'm just not comfortable staying at someone's parents' house. If she tells him the truth he'll lay into her Mum Sad which I really, truly do not want.

Her Mum's one of the most lovely, kindest people I've ever encountered but whenever he's annoyed about anything at all he'll take it out on her. Is that a reasonable thing to say? I couldn't think of anything else.

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 24/05/2023 08:06

Your partner isn’t your partner anyway - you don’t live together!

just say there’s not enough room.

Patienceisntvirtuous · 24/05/2023 08:17

'Not enough room' would seem silly I think. 1 because I've stayed there more than several times before and 2 because I now stay at her sisters 1 bedroomed flat where there isn't really enough room strictly speaking (but where I'm much happier nonetheless).

There is enough room at her parents house, it's not a small house.

What do you think I should call her? Girlfriend seems too casual and I feel too old, plus I don't like using it for certain people (revealing my sexuality).

OP posts:
DirectionToPerfection · 24/05/2023 08:28

You just need to be firm and say no. Be clear with your partner that her dad's aggressive behaviour is the reason you feel uncomfortable, he has already had a go at you once for no reason.

It's up to your partner how she conveys that message back. At this point it's really not your issue anymore.

If she tries to push you to stay after that, stay firm and tell her no as you don't feel safe there. It would be completely unreasonable of her to do that, but it sounds like she sadly doesn't understand how bad her dad's behaviour is.

Don't accept any pleasing or reasoning, just be firm.

DirectionToPerfection · 24/05/2023 08:29

That should say don't accept any pleading, bloody autocorrect.

WalnutWhippy · 24/05/2023 15:01

Your partner honestly doesn't understand why you don't want to stay in a house with an angry, aggressive thug who shouts at you and physically assaults women? That's a worry.

WeeOrcadian · 24/05/2023 15:04

underneaththeash · 24/05/2023 08:06

Your partner isn’t your partner anyway - you don’t live together!

just say there’s not enough room.

Erm.... What now?

CalistoNoSolo · 24/05/2023 15:07

I actually couldn't be in a relationship with someone who goes along with the abuse of her own mother. I think it reflects really badly on your partner that she doesn't seem to care how toxic, abusive and potentially dangerous her own father is to any woman who crosses his path, and in particular, her mother. How do you get beyond that OP?

CalistoNoSolo · 24/05/2023 15:09

underneaththeash · 24/05/2023 08:06

Your partner isn’t your partner anyway - you don’t live together!

just say there’s not enough room.

FYI - that's bollocks.

Brefugee · 24/05/2023 15:14

Remind her what happened with her sister's girlfriend. And that he has shouted at you previously.

You do not have to be around people like that and, frankly, if your gf doesn't understand that you might want to have a good long thing about her moving in with you.

Just be honest: I can't be around your father.

Hoppinggreen · 24/05/2023 15:17

I would be very concerned that she is minimising his behaviour.
No way would I be within a mile of this man let alone under the same roof - what if he wants to visit you?

Brefugee · 24/05/2023 15:19

also with pp who say they couldn't be with a partner who allows their dad to abuse their mum like that.

Sparkletastic · 24/05/2023 15:29

Partner should just visit you for now and you contribute 50% towards her travel costs.

Newestname002 · 24/05/2023 16:04

This man has no respect for women at all, it seems to me. Abusive, physically violent, perverted/sexually and financially abusive, angry, obnoxious, misogynistic...

it sounds like your partner has managed to find a way to live with this, though not effectively and minimising how he behaves and you, unsurprisingly, want to keep a distance between you and him. How will that work if he discovers where his daughter moves to, especially if she's not wary enough to keep the new address to herself and/or NEVER lets him into your home for any reason whatsoever? Or never gives him access to your door keys for any reason? BTW do you have a camera doorbell so you have a record if she does let him into your home? 🌹