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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

not to have sex with DH?

365 replies

lotswife · 19/11/2010 15:01

My libido's been a bit crap since DC3 was born. I used to be up for it loads, but it got harder and harder to get turned on/in the mood - needed more effort on DH's part which he just didn't put in.

We had some talks about it as he was feeling rejected and unloved and I was feeling hassled and like he was only interested in sex.

He said he'd try to make more of an effort to make me feel desired (rather than like a blow up doll - his idea of foreplay was just to grab my tits or my bits and then expect me to be ready and waiting).

Then there were two incidents which really shook me. About 6 months ago I was asleep in DC2's bed (she'd been crying and I'd gone to soothe her and fallen asleep). DC2 had woken up and climbed over me to go and play with the other DCs. DH came to find me - and I woke up with him pulling up my nightie and parting my buttocks. I said 'what are you doing?' - but quietly as I thought DC1 was asleep in the other bed (v disoriented). He said "you're very wet, so I thought I'd take advantage" and put his cock in me! I shoved him away and we had a huge row.

I thought it was totally inappropriate (even though the DCs weren't in the room), and he kept saying that I was wet so he thought I wanted it (wanted what?! I was asleep). I felt really dirty and disgusting and like DH didn't respect me at all as a person.

We barely had sex after that. I just had no desire towards him at all. Then last week he was hassling me again - I was just about to drop off to sleep and he was a bit tipsy after a work night out - and I said I wasn't in the mood and he said I was never in the mood and it wasn't a marriage without sex.

I said that it was hard to fancy someone who'd just stick their cock in their sleeping wife. He said I was making excuses.

We've barely talked since. AIBU?

OP posts:
OTTMummA · 20/11/2010 22:24

Rachy, i don't know wether to pity you or be angry with your ignorance.
I find your posts extremely offensive and am peturbed by your views.

HerBeatitude · 20/11/2010 22:33

Rachy have you actually read the thread?

If so you are simply ignoring the arguments.

dignified · 20/11/2010 22:48

Lots , its worrying he wont listen and has tried to make an issue out of you touching his back. This is typical reflection , mine tried to defend himself by complaining he felt the same when i stroked his legs ( which i never did because he repulsed me )and in fact he would become quite enraged about these times id " invaded his personal space ".

What worrys me is that you may find yourself with a counseller who doesnt get it and starts talking about intimacy , communication , and what you can do to improve things. This would be horrible for you , and a victory for your H.

Perhaps a search on the net will find you a local womens centre, theyre usually charitys , there not well advertised and you do have to search , womens aid could direct you if you felt comfortable calling them. Have you considered the possibility that this could be a way to bully you ?

You H sounds as if he has some very Narcisistic qualitys , have you considered this ?

Rachy its interesting that your refering to others as man haters when you are the one proposing that he possibly has a high sex drive " just wants sex " and that hes so stupid he needs to be taught the basics in communication and foreplay. The general opinion of men is usually much higher than that and i wonder what the reason is for your low opinion of men.

dignified · 20/11/2010 22:54

why isn't everyone helping her work h er issues out with him if she want to stay with him?

Because it cant be worked out. How would you propose she stops her H groping her , manipulating her into sex , starts listening to her and not trying to fuck her while shes asleep ? Any ideas ?

OTTMummA · 20/11/2010 23:15

"why isn't everyone helping her work h er issues out with him if she want to stay with him? "

Because some of us would think this act was too far over the line in our own relationships.

I know i would, i wouldn't be able to sleep in the house again with him.

I think the op feels stuck in this situation, but obviously knows he is in the wrong, but doesn't feel able to make her husband see it the way she does, and sadly she probably has already come to the conculsion that she won't leave him this time.

I'm praying we don't see another thread in a months time " Help me leave my husband, he is sexually abusive "

I'm hoping it won't take a worse incident for her to leave her rapist husband.

I won't encourage a woman to stay with someone i believe is an abuser and rapist, no matter how much they say it wasn't rape to them.
I just can't.

DinahRod · 20/11/2010 23:24

To accept hb is a rapist would mean surely an end to Lotswife's marriage, as who could live with one? Some posters have advised this but it's contrary to Lotswife's wishes, if I'm reading correctly, she wants to work at and improve the marriage because, up until recently, he had been a good father and husband.

However, to term what he did as being a little bit passionate(!) or he's feeling hurt and rejected, well diddums, and is completely missing how devoid of understanding and concern he has been for his wife, selfishly putting only his needs first to the serious detriment of Lotswife and his marriage.

There is, in my mind, a middle-ground which is that he has been an insensitive fuckwit. It's very concerning, potentially his behaviour could end the marriage but it's not unsalvageable.

I was wondering, Lotswife, if you could try talking to him again? This time with a proposal, telling him to hear you out without interrupting, rolling his eyes or sighing. And then you'll hear him in return.

Tell him you understand that he is frustrated and would like more sex. Pestering for sex, no tenderness and care for another person's pleasure is not going incline any woman, you included, to want to have sex. So it's a downward spiral and it's damaging your marriage. Tell him you are hurt that he appears to respect you so little - would he really have spoken to you or treated you like that when you first met? You surely both want a marriage that is one of kindness and putting the other one first, as well as the sex - but there is not one without the other.

So the proposal is to set the marriage back on course. For the next two weeks, there will be no sex or touching of erogenous zones but plenty of hand-holding, cuddling, shoulder rubs, foot massage etc is allowed, as is plenty of talking and paying each other compliments. It might feel a bit forced at the beginning but if you have forgotten to be and feel affectionate with one another, it's a habit easy to fall out of, but equally one that you can fall back into.

The next 10/14 days, the ban on erogenous zones is lifted, you can touch anywhere (if the other partner wants to) building out of the affectionate behaviour of the previous two weeks - so not just diving straight to willy/boobs - and importantly still no sex, however much you think you may want to. And then in the next two weeks sex is allowed, but again building from the good work that has gone before. Essentially a form of getting to re-know each other and dating again.

Maybe your head-space isn't here, and if this post is misjudged, I apologise. It just sounded to me like you are both in deadlock and sometimes a concrete and practical 'plan of action' can break that.

And the counselling sounds good too.

Wishing you well, Lotswife.

OTTMummA · 20/11/2010 23:39

How many chances is she supposed to give her husband, even if she considers it not to be rape/assault?

He hasn't even apologised to her, for even upsetting her?! - not the bare minimum you would think a decent husband would do.

Rapists do not apologise for their behaviour/crimes, because they don't think they are wrong.
Isn't that what the Husband is doing?
Infact he is a right gem as he is putting all blame firmly at her feet!

If he was genuinley interested in getting her in the mood for sex, he would of apologised for his 'mistake' and asked her what she wants, or what makes her feel sexy etc.
No effort whatsoever has been made on his part, none at all.
Therefore, he isn't such a great catch aside from the raping anyway!
Any decent man would understand the lack of a sex drive from having young children, this is his 3rd DC am i wrong?

He just grabs her arse and tits when HE feels like sex, EXPECTING her to comply, and then sulks, passes blame when she doesn't 'comply'.

When this doesn't work out to his advantage, he still doesn't make any effort and instead prays on his sleeping wife, and shoves his penis into her without consent.

Does this read like a nice man who is just frustrated and wants love?

It doesn't to me, it reads like he is a selfish, abusive piece of scum who doesn't resepect his wife and sees her as a piece of equipment in the house to be used at his convience.

How anyone can still want to be with this, i can not comprehend.
If i had you here OP, i would shake some god dam sense into you.

dignified · 20/11/2010 23:41

Lotswife im just wondering if youve ever made a marked effort to have more sex with him , and if so , whether it made any differance ?

Im not asking because i think you should by the way. I did this for a while daily and it made no differance at all . It might also help you to focus on the motivation as opposed to the behaviour.

Youve told him you dont like it , yet he continues. Therefore it must work for him in some way , there has to be a positive reward for him or he wouldnt be doing it.

dittany · 21/11/2010 00:02

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Zondra · 21/11/2010 00:15

I think that this thread has gone too far.

I am not a rape apologist.

I currently,am unfortunately, invovled with a case involving rape.

My personal perception of the OP is that she was not raped.

She explictly hammers this home herself.

She is (rightly!)extremely,angry at her husband's rejection of her feelings & thoughts.

He sounds like a horrible man.Sounds like an uncaring man.

I do not think he is a rapist,though.

Yes, a very misguided man & to answer your original questionh,OP,he was extremley out of order!
Yanbu!

I think that it would be very sad to dissolve a marriage where otherwise,they have a friendship & a loving relationship with their children.

Do folks genuinely call for an end to the relationship because of this?

OTTMummA · 21/11/2010 00:29

I've ended a 3 yr relationship because he thought it was ok to ejaculate over my face whilst i was asleep.
So yes i would leave a relationship if my Husband did this.

Why Zondra would it be sad to dissovle this marriage? you have stated in your OP he sounds horrible and uncaring.
aside from the assault, thats not even a good marriage is it?
The children could still have a caring and loving relationship with each parent if seperation was to happen.
Or should the OP just put up with this crap for her DC?

Ted bundy was apparently a good step father, yet i don't think that would be cause enough for people to tell his g/f at the time to stay with him.
Yes that is ridiculous isn't it.

dittany · 21/11/2010 00:30

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dignified · 21/11/2010 00:33

Do folks genuinely call for an end to the relationship because of this?

What sort of marriage do you have when you are having to tell someone the basics ie " please dont grab my breasts / molest me while im asleep ", or " Please listen when im trying to tell you how your behaviour is affecting me ".

They either dont get it , in which case they shouldnt be married , or they do get it but they dont give a shit.

Either way , when you are having to explain the basics to another adult there is something very very wrong. Ive recently had a bit of a falling out with a freind where she has behaved extremeley badly , and cracked on she doesnt know what the problem is.

A mutual freind suggested i have a chat and tell her that her behaviour wasnt acceptable. Im not going to.
I dont want to be freinds with someone who has to be told her behaviour is unacceptable , she should know , and if she doesnt i dont want to be freinds with her , but either way im not going to waste my time trying to educate her.Im not interested in parenting an adult as though they are a small child.

Ive had personal experience similar to the op , and considering that , a man would have the boot the very first time he tried to manipulate me into sex i didnt want.

dittany · 21/11/2010 00:42

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

earwicga · 21/11/2010 00:55

lotswife - I am so sorry that this happened to you. Your feelings are normal after sexual assault. Help is available for you out there from Rape Crisis or another similar organisation. Your husband shouldn't have done what he did to you. It was wrong and also illegal. Please talk to somebody who will believe you and can help you.

earwicga · 21/11/2010 00:55

'About 6 months ago I was asleep in DC2's bed DH came to find me - and I woke up with him pulling up my nightie and parting my buttocks. I said 'what are you doing?' - but quietly as I thought DC1 was asleep in the other bed (v disoriented). He said "you're very wet, so I thought I'd take advantage" and put his cock in me! I shoved him away and we had a huge row.'

THIS IS RAPE. The man put his penis into the body of a sleeping woman. Because she was asleep she DID NOT consent. Penetration with a penis without consent is rape. If a stranger had broken into the OP's house, found her asleep and inserted his penis would anyone say it wasn't rape?

I am so saddened that so many people on this thread are saying it isn't.

These articles are all from a quick google search about men raping women who were asleep.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/man-jailed-for-raping-sleeping-woman-2082150.html

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/49273/man-guilty-of-raping-sleeping-woman

www.whatsonxiamen.com/news9530.html

None of these cases realy rape either?

Zondra · 21/11/2010 00:58

I'm sorry.

I stuck my neck out.

I said what "I believe".

I am sorry if it doesn't relate to what others agree.

I personally,think this guy was a dick.

However, I reiterate, OP does not feel she was raped.

She asked if she was being unreasonable withholding sex.

I agree.

I do not think for one moment getting rid of her husbans is the answer?

Maybe, I am foolish.

I do not mean any harm to anyone.

OP,if you are reading this,my thoughts arew ith you.

Zondra · 21/11/2010 01:00

Btw- agree withholding sex-yanbu

earwicga · 21/11/2010 01:06

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fairycake123 · 21/11/2010 01:12

For what it's worth, I didn't believe I'd been raped for a long time after it happened - a year or so, I think. And I'd told him I didn't want to have sex with him, asked him to stop touching me, begged him, and cried. He knew it was not consensual. He verbally acknowledged that I did not want it. He held a pillow over my face. And it still took me a year to come to the point where I recognised it for what it was and attach the "rape" label to the experience. So I'm not surprised that the OP is saying it wasn't raped because really, who wants to self-identify as a rape victim?

Maybe the OP never will view it as rape, and maybe she will. Sometimes these things just take time. I labelled it a "misunderstainding" at first. It wasn't a misunderstanding. He knew what he was doing.

OTTMummA · 21/11/2010 01:12

I think some women need to have higher standards if they think this is the behaviour of a man being stupid, or think this is 'normal'and forgivable behaviour from a man in a long term relationship/marriage.

I think the only answer tbh is ending the relationship.
If it had simply been a mistake, his reaction would be completely different, and i would put money on it that the op wouldn't of posted here if she believed for a moment that it was an error of judgement, and that he was suitable horrified at what his actions had caused his wife to feel.

He assaulted her, and he doesn't even give a shit.

OTTMummA · 21/11/2010 01:18

Im glad someone with your views Zondra wasn't on my case, or would you of viewed it for what it was because i was battered to a pulp aswell?

It seems that people excusing this as something other than rape can not give a definate line of what constitutes it in their mind.
( a pretty good thing we have a law defining it then )

Zondra please, tell me, why do you not see this as rape?
And what would you class this act as?

Zondra · 21/11/2010 01:25

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Zondra · 21/11/2010 01:30

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earwicga · 21/11/2010 01:36

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