Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell my husband that if he doesn't start showing interest, I want a divorce?

237 replies

FrustratedFedUp · 07/01/2017 09:57

Husband never into sex. I have to instigate it every time. He denies this and says he does instigate but when he does, it's after I've been moaning at him about it so it's still not exactly him doing it off his own back, it's him doing it out of duty.

On a night he won't come to bed until he's tired enough to sleep. I go about 11, suggest that he comes with me on occasion and he makes excuses and comes much later. By then, we're both too tired.

On the rare occasion that we get a lie in together he stays asleep until well into the morning. If I try and wake him he says he's still waking up an hour or so later. In the end I get bored and get up.

This morning - feeling so frustrated I put his hand on my boob. He touched me for a bit but kept stopping. I tried to keep him going but he wasn't even looking at me, still laid with his head in the pillow, eyes closed, no interest at all.

In the end I asked him what the problem was. Why is he never into it? Why does he never show any interest in me? Why is it such hard work??? He said I was shit stirring and mood swinging and said he was into it until I spoilt it by moaning but he clearly wasn't!!! He kept stopping, wasn't even looking at me, never tried to instigate anything else - it was ducking obvious he wasn't into it and that's why I got him to stop because it just started to feel awkward.

He stormed downstairs in the end and I've told him that if he doesn't start showing an interest I'll leave.

I feel so rejected. I'm only 35, not overweight or anything different to what I was when he met me (when we had a sex life!!). He's 10 years older than me. I feel like I'm missing out. I'm laid here on a Saturday morning feeling alone, rejected and frustrated. He makes no effort at all.

The other day I found myself so frustrated I started searching for porn. I feel like shit. Never had to beg for intimacy before. AIBU to tell him that if he doesn't make the effort I want a divorce? I don't want to live like this. I'll end up having an affair and that's not me.

OP posts:
Middleoftheroad · 09/01/2017 17:57

I have never forced the issue as nothing worse than unreciprocated advances. Sadly if somebody doesn't want sex and you explore all.options as we did (counselling hypnotherapy and viagra) then you have to make a tough choice.

ShastaBeast · 09/01/2017 19:39

Boobs are not interchangeable with penis. Far from it. I fed my babies with my boobs and don't mind my kids seeing or touching them in the course of day to day life. I would not allow them to touch or see my genitals. Guiding is not forcing. Some people have fucked up ideas about sex and there is shame attached to women wanting sex. I know women who don't like sex at all, they've never orgasmed or felt turned on and I can understand how tough it is to be in that position. It's ok to feel either way but it's not ok to make someone feel ashamed for how they feel. My husband has often guided my hand to his penis or his own hand into my knickers, sometimes in play or to test the waters - it isn't assault, I trust him completely and if I said no he would stop. Same goes the other way except I'm not strong enough to force him anyway. The OP did not force sex, she wouldn't physically be able to keep his hand there against his will. She wanted him to want her not to just fuck him for her own pleasure. If he had resisted her guidance it doesn't sound like she'd have yanked it back. I suspect the DH would be horrified to read the accusations that his wife assaulted him, or perhaps find it hilarious how nuts MNers can be.

MyWineTime · 09/01/2017 20:52

Some people really seem to be struggling to understand this issue of when it is and isn't ok to make very direct sexual advances to your partner.

In a relationship where sex isn't a particular problem and both people are happy to be touched intimately by their partner without warning, then there is no problem with one person guiding the other person's hand anywhere. Both people are comfortable with the situation so all is good.

In a relationship where the lack of sex has become a serious issue and one partner has repeatedly refused, ignored or rejected sexual advances, then although it is still perfectly reasonable to want sex, it is not reasonable to guide their hand in a sexual manner. Being on the receiving end of those kinds of unwanted advances is horrible.

This has nothing to do with her being wrong to WANT to have sex - that is a perfectly reasonable and normal expectation in most relationships and there is no shame in that at all. But there are unreasonable ways of approaching the issue. A direct sexual advance to someone when you know they don't want it, that is not a reasonable behaviour. It's also likely to make the situation worse.

Coercion does not require force. Guiding a hand cannot be described as abusive or not abusive just because it doesn't involve force. It can be coercive if the person it is being done to knows there is a threat, ultimatum or even risk of an argument if they don't comply.

ScuttlbuttHarpy · 09/01/2017 21:10

For god's sake, don't initiate an affair, if hes not willing to talk about it, then suggest counselling, if hes not willing to go counselling then end the marriage if it affecting you that much. Then start a relationship with someone new, at least you can be safe in the knowledge that you tried.

ScuttlbuttHarpy · 09/01/2017 21:17

Btw, I know where your coming from, the lack of intimacy is soul destroying, but so is being pestered when you don't want to, the best thing in my opinion is to lay it out on the table, say look, I know your not interested, is there anything I can do to help? is there someone else? will counselling help? I'm feeling like this, and at the minute have just a few options left, or its going to be the end of the relationship because I cant live without the intimacy. Your just going to have to be straight up.

Livelovebehappy · 09/01/2017 21:54

I've been married for nearly 30 years, and there have been times where we have had a sex drought. I recall after I'd had our two DC's, there was a three year gap before we had sex; mainly on my part because I was exhausted with child care etc. We also had a gap a few years ago when DH had a job he hated, and was stressed which made him not want sex for over a year. The thing is, we did have good sex in between the droughts, so all might not be lost OP. He could be a bit depressed or fed up and so he's off sex at the moment, but his sex drive could return. It depends whether you're prepared to hang around to see if it does.

AgathaF · 09/01/2017 22:07

It sounds like the lack of sex is a symptom, not the cause, of the problems in your marriage. Unable to communicate effectively with each other, no affection, not enjoying your life together (not going out, doesn't sound like you have fun together).

Was it like this before you got married? How long have you been together? If your relationship was only what you'd want out of a relationship for a very short time right at the beginning, then it might be time to realise that your marriage is over.

TweedAddict · 09/01/2017 22:33

Hey OP, not much too add but I'm in a very similar place to you. Married 18months, husband doesn't do affection, it's just really crap, alonely and crap.

Also does things like this, he brought home some flowers a few weeks ago, put then straight on the kitchen side (not in a vase, just flat) no word about them at all, went upstairs for a pee. It was his nans birthday the same day, I thought they were for her. I carried on sorting tea and dogs etc. Left them on the side, I went out to my hobby. The next day husband moans that I didn't say thank you for the flowers he got me. Well no, you didn't actually give them to me! They didn't have a card how was I supposed they were for me, he could of said. Yes it's nice thing for him do, but then he can't be arsed to actually give them me, it doesn't feel like there's any care, just that it's something he has to do every now and again, like ticking off a chore from a list

EnormousTiger · 09/01/2017 22:34

This is what happens when you marry someone 10 years older. What did you expect? It's very common indeed.

Do you know if he masturbates by the way?

cherrytree63 · 10/01/2017 14:46

In my own experience age has nothing to do with it.
My husband was 28 years older than me and we had frequent sex 2/3 times a week until he got cancer and was very sick with the chemo. He was 50 when we got together.
My current partner is 2 years younger than me. I was 40, he was 38, and he lost his libido within months of us getting together. 13 years of sex every 2/3 months.

kittybiscuits · 10/01/2017 17:36

I don't think it's age-related at all.

CockacidalManiac · 10/01/2017 17:54

Men don't think the same way as women, they don't see the point of cuddles etc

Well, that's just bollocks.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page