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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to refuse to see him?

11 replies

eringramochroi · 29/08/2012 22:10

I'm going to try to keep this rather complicated problem as simple as possible, so here goes. My sister has been seeing her partner for less than a year, after calling off a wedding with her previous partner a year earleir. She and her current partner moved in together quite quickly, which I voiced my concerns about but supported her decision. He seemed like a nice bloke, down to earth, looked out for her, and she appeared very happy. There was always something about him though, that I couldn't put my finger on and some other family members mentioned it too.

Anyway, I got a phonecall from her at 2 o clock in the morning about 3 weeks ago. She was in hysterics, crying down the phone and I instantly thought something awful had happened to her partner. HOWEVER, I eventually got it out of her that they had been out drinking, got back home and had an argument. She stormed upstairs screaming in frustration and kicked the bedroom door (very out of character for her). So her partner comes into the room, shouts at her to calm down and the next thing she knows he has his hands around her throat, pinning her to the bed. She said she was in such shock she couldn't move. It was only when she started to try to tell him that she couldn't breathe that he realeased her. After that she phoned me. She was absolutely terrified, so needless to say I went and collected her straight away. She was so upset, couldn't stop crying . We talked for about an hour when we got back to mine and she told me about a drink problem he has and how he gets argumentative and paranoid when drunk, trust issues to mention just a few. She was adament that it was over. The more I listened, the more happy I was with this decision. So I brought her home the next day to deliver the news. I waited in the car just incase alything else happened but she came out a minute later and sent me home. She stayed there that night-even though I begged her to stay with me.

The next day she met with me and told me that they had talked things through. He didn't even say sorry for what he had done. His response was "What, so it's all my fault now? I just tried to restrain you to calm you down. I reached for your arms but missed" !! WTF? Anyway, yadda, yadda, I can't imagine my life without him, we're going to give it a try, I wound him up, we're not going to drink that much again. I told her I thought she was in a destructive relationship and that I wanted nothing to do with him. She asked me not to tell other family members. It is only now getting tricky because we are both being invited to my sisters birthday meal with our partners. I have told her that I don't want to see him. I just can't ring myself to forgive him like she has. So, aibu? Should I just support her decision and pretend that nothing has happened? He has texted me now too asking to meet so we can "clear the air". My stomach does somersaults when I think about even seeing him.

Okay, that was a bit of a ramble, sorry. I would appreciate your opinions/experiences though xxx

OP posts:
Bellyjaby · 29/08/2012 22:40

Now this is coming from a person who has, after many bad things, disowned her own sister but...

you should probably try to swallow it and attend your sister's birthday meal. Its not going to be easy, you never have to like the guy and you can try to keep your distance as much as possible. But I know from experience with family and friends that rallying against the partner can drive the person closer to them.

though I'd seriously suggest not clearing the air with him! you could quietly make it clear that you are only being pleasant for your DSis' sake.

OAM2009 · 29/08/2012 22:46

I have no expericence of this sort of thing but I wouldn't refuse to see him.

If this relationship continues and it proves to be as destructive as you think, your sister will need your help in the future. Refusing to see him now could alienate her and even as the poster above said, push them closer together.

Keep your distance from him at the meal, be normal with your sisters and play nice. Be the bigger adult that this sister needs.

As for clearing the air, I would be tempted to clear the air by telling him exactly what I (and women's refuge organisations) think of men who do that sort of thing Angry

zookeeper · 29/08/2012 23:03

He sounds really dangerous. Grabbing her around the throat,the drinking and blaming her for his actions would have huge alarm bells ringing for me. Is he jealous and controlling too?

Having a go at him would only give him the excuse to make it difficult for her to see you and eventually isolate her. I would play along with him but make it clear that you are not happy about what he did.

I would bet he has been violent to his ex girlfriends and the chances are he will be violent to your sister again. If nothing else she could keep her mobile phone on her and charged at all times so she can call the police if he attacks her again.

There's not a lot you can do if she won't leave him other than to be there for her. Perhaps you could give her some books to read on the subject of domestic violence (although obviously without him knowing) and direct her to the many threads on this site so that she can begin to understand the cycle of domestic abuse she is caught in and why she stays with him.

Does she have Dcs? If so I would seriously be reporting this to Social services so that she can get the help and support she needs or will need because this is not going to be a happy relationship.

zookeeper · 29/08/2012 23:05

perhaps you should post this in the Relationships thread where you will get loads of useful advice

SmellsLikeTeenStrop · 29/08/2012 23:07

Oh the old ''I was restraining you'' excuse.

He doesn't want to clear the air, he wants to try and worm his way back in to your good books. You could meet with him for the lulz factor and maybe take a little abusers bingo card and mark off when he insinuates your sister is a liar, a psycho, what a saint he is to put up with her etc. These guys follow a script. But then again, if you do meet him, he'll run back to your sister and tell her whatever filtered distorted version he pleases.

He wants to get you on his side so your sister feels alone and that nobody believes her.

Regarding the meal, that's your call. I personally would go along and stare daggers at this guy and then whisk your sister off to the loo to tell her that you believe her and you'll be there for her if she needs you again.

squeakytoy · 29/08/2012 23:14

Nothing that you say is going to stop her being with him.

Without wanting to sound like I am condoning violence, at the time she rang you, she was pissed, she was angry, and she hated him. It is possible that she exagerated what actually happened. In the cold light of sober day, it is possible that she knew she had blown things out of proportion. Equally, he could also be a complete tosser, and you could be 100% right about him, but he is her partner, and she is the one who knows him best.

I would say for the moment, clear the air, speak to him, and let this one incident be in the past. She is your sister, and if he is a twat, at some point in the future she will need you, but right now, alienating him will just upset her.

eringramochroi · 30/08/2012 22:05

Thank you so much for your replies, I really appreciate it. zookeeper she doesn't have any dcs, although he has one from a previous relationship who he sees every other weekend. When he was telling us (quite openly) about the court case with his ex to get custody he said she was making up all sorts of lies about him. My sister told me the night of the incident that some of the allegations were of violence and that although she thought this was ridiculous at the time, she was beginning to wonder now.

Alienating her is what I am afraid of. She said that she would continue to be compeltely open with me, but I'm not so sure. She said she totally understands why I feel this way and if the shoe was on the other foot etc...

I hate the thought of him thinking he has gotten away with it, eating with my parents, joking with them and so on, but I guess it's going to eat me up inside if I keep this up.

A part of me hopes that he messes up again and another part of me is worried about what will happen if it's worse next time. What will my family say if something worse happens and they find out that I knew and said nothing.

Aarrrgh! So frustrating. Right, I think I will take your advice, speak to him, make it clear that I do not forgive him, will tolerate him for sister's sake and just keep my distance as much as possible. I know that my DH (who knows everything) will not have him anywhere near our DCs, ever though, which will make things difficult but I totally respect his wishes.

Thank you again. It's good to get other perspectives on things xxx

OP posts:
zookeeper · 31/08/2012 09:51

You sound a lovely sister. I hope it works out ok for her. I really don't want to be alarmist but the hands around the throat, especially so early on in a relationship, is a really bad sign. Don't underestimate what a risk he is to her.

MadamFolly · 31/08/2012 10:34

You need to be careful of him trying to isolate your sister from family. This will be much quicker if he thinks you are on to him so it might be best to say nothing at all about the incident ans smile through your teeth

Her needs are more important.

VintageEbony · 31/08/2012 11:42

Lose/lose situation, you sound like a great sister mine believed the twunt Be civil, non confrontational as he'll use anything against you to isolate her/cause upset between you and her and hope she gets out soon.

You could openly state you're considering training as a domestic violence police officer at the dinner, that way you get the subject out there without directly confronting him which would be a mistake

MissPants · 31/08/2012 11:59

Tell everybody. Bullies rely on secrecy to keep on intimidating people, if everybody knows then when or if he does try and alienate your DSis from her family and friends everyone will know why and he has lost the upper hand.

Go to the meal though, safe in the knowledge that his behaviour is out in the open. You can afford to be the bigger person when he knows he is being watched carefully.

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