Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I am livid with DH and men in general. AIBU?

112 replies

whatwhenwhy · 08/05/2018 08:44

This morning my husband has gone to work, but I'm still feeling livid. AIBU?

I know that sometimes when he's away on business he might watch soft porn as a "mechanical aid" or "to speed things up" as he puts it Hmm I have seen the kind of thing he might watch and it's basically women on women group sex. He assured me he never watches anything with any form of bondage or violence and I have no cause to think otherwise. I have sometimes watched the female group sex videos with him and find it all fake and a bit of a joke to be honest, but each to their own.

Anyway, he came back from a business trip on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he was taking my daughter (10) somewhere. She went on his phone and saw an indecent image. I am not entirely clear what the image was. DH grabbed the phone from her. DD apparently had said, "Im going to tell mummy - ew" or words to that effect. DH obviously felt terrible and told her it was an advert that had randomly popped up. DD believes this because she has no concept of porn sites. DH told me what has happened when he got home - he was highly embarrassed. I asked him for the name of the site and when you google it, the homepage is various images including a woman about to give head and other flashing images inc women exposing their vaginas. I'm mortified that my daughter has even had a second's glimpse of this kind of thing.

Sorry if this is long, but I was very upset and we then had a conversation about the ethics of porn in general and how would he feel if his daughter ended up in the sex industry. In the course if this, DH revealed that "every stag do (except his) ends up in a strip club". This is historical because we're now in our 40s and I think there's only been a couple of weddings in the last ten years, but he's been on probably about 20 stag dos over the years and is "not sure" if the groom had a private dance or other extras. I know all these wives and also know that if they had known their DH had had a private dance before their wedding, they would have called the whole thing off. I told DH he had colluded with deceiving these friends of mine on their wedding day and it makes me feel sick. Plus, he never felt the need to tell me he had been in these clubs at the time or find out how I felt about them. Some have been in stags in Eastern Europe.

I am feeling lied to, even though this is all in the past and livid on behalf of some friends. Sorry, I know the phone thing and the historical stag strip club parties are two separate issues, but AIBU to feel absolutely livid? For context, we have been together 20 years, he is generally a kind and considerate husband and father. Our sex life has always been good. We have our "roles" in that I've been at home with the kids and he's the "provider" as such, but it works that way for us and we have few tensions. We have 3 DC. AIBU and over-reacting? Sorry this is so long.

OP posts:
Cheetoburrito · 08/05/2018 11:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

reddington · 08/05/2018 11:10

*Ah, so they aren't men. They are sheep.

Glad my male friends aren't like you and yours*

Not so, I’m ambivalent towards them. If I didn’t want to go then I wouldn’t. I’m just as happy sat at the bar, don’t feel the need to have private dances. For many of the wives the behaviour of their husbands would be a complete deal breaker that’s why these things are never discussed with anyone outside of the group that was there, the shit that goes on is crazy. I’ve heard the tales, seen the pics and videos. European stags are just mental.

Frosty66612 · 08/05/2018 11:10

My OH went to Stringfellows in London once for a works Xmas do. He said the majority of the men there were all the professional looking types. There are strip clubs that cater for all kinds of men and it’s naive to think it’s only 18 year old rowdy laddish types who ever step foot in them

SunshineandRain18 · 08/05/2018 11:11

Ugh I despise sleaze balls who go to strip clubs. Ew!

WomaninGreen · 08/05/2018 11:18

OP you've realised your DH is that guy
Now you have reevaluate
He won't change, he'll just pretend to.

whatwhenwhy · 08/05/2018 11:44

Yes he is "that guy" and "re-evaluate" is the right word. The problem is, I just see all men as "that guy" now and my whole perspective has changed.

He is a great dad to his daughters. Very protective of the teenage one, to the point of over -protective sometimes. He encourages them all the way with whatever they want to do. He is proud of their academic achievements and wants them to have every opportunity in life. So the fact that my daughter's first sight of porn should be on her own dad's phone, the man she trusts above anyone, disgusts me. Even though it wasn't intentional at all, the hypocrisy in the situation says it all.

OP posts:
WomaninGreen · 08/05/2018 12:13

OP I'm sorry for the ironic reply but...me too.

You know what they say, men are so over protective of their daughters because they have more knowledge of what men are really like.

Though when the world is run by a man who likes to comment in his daughter's body I think men won't worry any more actually.

I'm sorry you're having this experience.

Cheetoburrito · 08/05/2018 12:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

4seasons · 08/05/2018 12:15

OP I really feel for you . A very similar thing happened to me after 35 years of marriage , grown up children , grandchildren etc. My DH is also considered a “ good man” and has strong views about a lot of global / national issues .... and puts his money and effort where his mouth is.
The shock of finding the other side of him was horrendous and for a time I was considering divorce. I also had a couple of counselling sessions just so that I could tell someone the whole story without judgements being made.
We had a very difficult and stomach churning weeks. In the end I decided to stay married to him but made my terms clear. I also told him .... and had to accept myself ... that I would never feel the same way about him again..... or trust anyone 100% ever again. It has hardened me but made me more realistic. It has certainly informed my new view of men.

However , I had a well paid job so was financially independent and he knew it ! He knew I could walk away at any time. We have been together now for over a decade since it all hit the fan and I am happy with him but ,.... I will never again make the same errors of judgement. On the positive side it has made me more assertive in my relationship and this has been no bad thing. He has “ feet of clay “ and now I know it. He also knows how close he came to being a divorced man.

As for you having to explain the porn to your daughter .... why you ?? It would be an excellent lessson in parenting responsibilities for him to do it.

You have my sympathy for your current feelings. Your world has been turned upside down. Good luck with whatever you decide.

whatwhenwhy · 08/05/2018 13:35

Thankyou 4seasons

OP posts:
Amanduh · 08/05/2018 13:42

I think you’re being OTT especially about the ‘colluding’ but strip clubs don’t bother me.
Yanbu about your daughter

thefuckiswrongwithyou · 08/05/2018 14:26

He's honest is all thefuck. I don't mind you see so he can be.

Sure. He's honest but he is friends with loads of men who aren't and isn't bothered by it.

No, he's a creep and hangs out with other lying creeps. The fact that you're a super cool girl just makes it easier to be a creep.

Lupercalia · 08/05/2018 15:15

Ooh bingo. The cool wife comment. I couldnt care less if that makes me cool. I have a DH who doesnt lie, cover his tracks or pull the wool over my eyes. Im happy.

SunshineandRain18 · 08/05/2018 21:16

whatwhenwhy
How's it going, has he had much more to say for himself.
I have to say if I found out my DF had been to a stripclub for his stag do, I wouldn't walk down the aisle either.

I'm not surprised you are angry for your friend who married him not knowing!

GoodStuffAnnie · 08/05/2018 21:20

I totally agree with you OP.

Mountainsoutofmolehills · 08/05/2018 21:23

yup, they are gross. I am sorry you are married to one with 3 kids.

My boyfriend doesn't watch porn, we talked about it, he was the one that said it was so bad as I haven't really seen so much, living abroad without great internet, it didnt pass my mind to. If he does and it's a lie, maybe- but I was impressed, it is seedy, and not all men are gross but 99%.

Lupercalia · 09/05/2018 07:39

Strip clubs etc are seedy and a bit grim.

But they exist and some men go to them sometimes.

So , you accept this and have an honest and truthful relationship or you " ban" him from going and it all gets a bit fudgy because he gets drunk on a stag do and they end up in one and then he doesn't tell you because he thinks you'll react badly etc etc and before you know it you're the OP.

RomeoBunny · 09/05/2018 07:43

You're all mostly nuts. I feel sorry for your husbands tbh. Then again I watch more porn than mine so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Baffles me why other women are so insecure about this stuff.

RomeoBunny · 09/05/2018 07:44

Although I do disagree with him leaving it on his phone for your kids to see. Thats a big no.

mathanxiety · 09/05/2018 08:07

Sad there are so many right on women here who can't see that men who objectify women to the point where they go to strip clubs and use porn actually have no regard for women as three dimensional human beings in their own right.

They are all either fair game up for grabs, or their property that must to be protected from other men. Hence the photo on the H's phone of Carol Vordeman's rear end. Hence also the protective attitude towards the DD.

Neewteb · 09/05/2018 08:16

In my mind it IS the 'well educated', professional middle class men that go to strip clubs. I mean, disrespect and objectification of women is not confined to any one social class or demographic; is it? Did you actually think it was just working class men that did this??

whatwhenwhy · 09/05/2018 09:15

Romeo- I'm actually ok with being "mostly nuts" to be honest. I'm not sexually repressed I don't think, I just see the vast majority porn as cheap and tacky - a lot of it is disturbing.

I went on the site last night in front of DH. I said, "ok I'm going to search for some non-violent women on women sex now, let's navigate the site for that." Cue countless pop up images of women gagging doing bjs, having men ejeculate in their face, being slapped in the face, "the teen section", countless adverts to "find sluts in your area now" - that's just off the top of my head that I can mention.

I said to him, you may say you don't look at this stuff, but even if you don't watch those videos to the end, that stuff is playing out as you navigate the site. There was one video claiming to show a girl "just 16". I said to him, "would you be happy for that to be our daughter in a couple of years. Do you think anyone at 16 has the life experience to make this kind of choice."

He is very ashamed and contrite and he seems at a loss for words to be honest. He has offered to cancel going to the Grand Prix this weekend, as well as another sports trip he has on the week after. I told him I don't care if he goes and I'm not going to start living my life as if I have to track him now. But I do see him in a different light and I need to work through it.

OP posts:
SunshineandRain18 · 09/05/2018 09:42

@RomeoBunny
I'm also okay with being nuts and I feel sorry for women like you that encourage the objectification of other women! But hey we can't all be cool wives can we..

Some of us have morals! 😉

balsamicbarbara · 09/05/2018 09:48

"it's so fake and naff frankly, its ridiculous."

So? If he enjoys it and it gets him off, so be it. I enjoy Love Island and EastEnders and they're both naff and fake but I wouldn't stop watching them for DH. The strip club stuff is another matter.

sashh · 09/05/2018 10:12

He's been very contrite since these revealations.

So he should be he may well have committed a crime exposing his daughter to that kind of image

It is not historical to you as you have only just heard about it.

He has offered to cancel going to the Grand Prix this weekend Why? It's not as if that is going to stop him looking at porn or understanding what it is like to be a woman in a patriarchal society.

Time for a full and frank discussion between you and then he can explain to your daughters.

Swipe left for the next trending thread