WWYD? Would you feel responsible? *possible trigger*

[slinkybidinky]

I've namechanged for this as I don't want to get into any trouble and I don't want to put my family at risk in any way.

I have an ex partner who I have a child with. They have no contact with child, this was ordered by a court with social services backing.
There is also a restraining order in place.

He seemed great when we met, lovely, had a great job, position of trust, seemed to come from a nice family, they were wealthy and seemed normal. All unraveled during pregnancy.

He did some really really dispicable things. I won't go into too much detail but what started off as "I'm depressed" escalated to violently assaulting me, and when he was arrested and imprisoned he would call me from the prison, he was sent back to prison multiple times for breaching restraining orders and turning up to my house. He would threaten suicide, he drove cars into walls, he would try to hang himself whilst taking pictures and sending them to me. In and out of prison constantly coming back and banging my door down or calling me. Police where great.
Even after the last time he went to prison he had my name tattooed on his chest.

He blamed his actions on drink addictions, drug problems, being sexually abused by his mother as a child. None of this had been disclosed to me before. He was diagnosed with add, adhd, bpd and multiple personality disorder.

He has since moved away and not bothered me for 2 years which I'm very grateful for, and I guess a bit reluctant to actually rock any boats and do anything with, but I've found out this week he has married somebody. I know she's an adult and it's her choice and people that offend have the right to live private lives ect. But part of me feels like I just wish I could telepathically tell her to check out Claire's law and look into his past before she ends up in the same situation. He's a very dangerous man.

I'm too scared to do it though because I don't want him finding out and coming after us again.

What would others do in this situation?

[RestingBitchFaced]

Leave it. If there is even a slight risk that this could get back to him, which there is, it's really not worth it.

[slinkybidinky]

So the general consensus only confirms my gut feeling which is that any risk to rocking the boat and risking the safety of my family is the main priority and it would be stupid to risk that.

I know a few people have said report anonymously, but this will still be a risk if she confronts him and he comes for us. Also I don't know enough about them to do that.

All I know is her first name is [redacted] which could be short for anything. The town they live in, and that she organised her own wedding on Valentine's Day, it says on the post that the groom only knew about it half an hour before. And that it looks like there were only about 6 people there.

He changed his last name by deed poll a few years ago so no idea whether he is still using old or new name. No address or anything. I really don't want to dig any deeper and for my social media to appear on her friends list or anything. I think it's best I leave alone and value my security for now.

[Anique105]

Why on earth would you go looking for trouble and put your dd and yourself at risk?
Do you really think he wont realise that an anonymous person might be you?

[MrsGarethSouthgate]

Police sometimes contact new partners themselves to give Clare's Law disclosure (when the new relationship has come to their attention) so you could make a Right To Know application via 101 without it seeming as if it definitely came from you.

[outpinked]

Stay out of it, you have to prioritise your DC and keep both of you safe before worrying about someone else. May sound selfish but she is an adult and I’m sure there must be some red flags that will point her towards his past (huge chest tattoo anyone?!)

[TooManyPups]

I'm pretty sure if you email the police then you can request that his new partner be visited discreetly and informed of his past.. Having been through similar myself I found out that my eldest father was in a new relationship via a newspaper report of him being charged with assaulting and seriously injuring another man in a pub who had spoken to his new partner when he was in the bathroom.. I emailed the police and requested that she be visited and informed of his past and they said that they couldn't tell me any outcome but that she would be visited and informed.

[user1493413286]

Based on your scenario I wouldn’t for your own safety.
I told my ex’s new partner and as he’d told her I was a liar and a psycho etc she didn’t believe me and all I got was abuse

[ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine]

I apologise for my lack of paragraphs. Typing on a phone and couldn't see how long that was.

[ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine]

Given his history there's a chance he's legally obliged to inform the police of any new relationship. If social services were keeping tabs on him to be able to inform you he'd moved away they might be still keeping tabs on him. I think I'd phone whoever your contact was at social services to get their input first, or the police should have experience of dealing with thses things delicately. Definitely don't try to contact her yourself, but if he's previously been monitored due to his crimes it shouldn't be that suspicious if someone official makes contact shortly after his marriage with a claim that "the system" flagged it up. It's entirely possible that they already have done and his wife already knows. You should absolutely protect yourself first, and you are in no way responsible for his future behaviour, but I suspect it will distress you a great deal if he does something awful to her and you believe that you could have helped prevent it. It's not your responsibility but I think I'd have to try to get her informed.

[MRex]

I'd anonymously call from a payphone and ask her local police station for a "right to know" for her, give both of their details. Then leave it at that and let the police do their thing or not, but that's the limit of your involvement. He'd probably imagine it's a friend of hers.

Sounds like you had a horrific time because of him, I'm happy for you that you got away.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

My friend has the “target” thing, I think she calls it Code Red linked to her address and telephones.

She had her ex and other men banging on her door for an hour one night and the police came out the following day and found no one.
The police have said that friend has made numerous calls saying her ex is on her property but on investigation nothing was found. (Well it wouldn’t be if they don’t come out till the following day)

[slinkybidinky]

I'm glad that my instincts around not risking my kids safety are spot on.

[slinkybidinky]

@Oliversmumsarmy that sounds horrific and like a worst nightmare situation. I had to have a plan in my head for if it got to that. We have moved house now but I had a landline in an accessible place upstairs and downstairs, and I would drill the same plan into my head every day, if something happens, phone is already in youngest daughters bedroom which had escape window onto street below if needed. Plan was to grab ds really quickly, into dds room, call police, slide solid wooden cot and wardrobe against the door to barricade and then start shouting out of the window for help. Pass children down to neighbours/police if needed. It's sad but that was ingrained in me every day.
I had something called target hardening on our house so that might be worth asking about, it was organised by the domestic violence team.
It had alerts on my mobile phone and landline so that if I dialled police, all units in the area would divert to my address quickly, and obviously only as many as needed would stay. This saved my life in the end too as when I called the police on one occasion he broke my phone as it dialled and I was scared they wouldn't come because they didn't have my address or anything, but within a matter of seconds they were there.

They attended each and every time he showed up, they took a matter of seconds, I think the longest I had to wait was about 3 minutes but I do live very close to a police station anyway. They locked him up and took him away. I think because he was breaching exsisitng restraining orders it was a case of a quick court hearing and straight back to prison. Only ever for about 4-6 months at a time for that but it happened enough times.

[Wakk]

Nooooo don't get involved.

What if he thinks it's because you're jealous and wants him back and he comes back into your life?

Don't risk this.

[chocolateroses]

My DC's safety would come first. Sorry you are going through this OP

[Kneehigim]

That's interesting SForsh. The officer who called me had some sort of weird title that I can't recall, but it may have been domestic violence something or another.
I suppose if I read the Star in a year and read about a woman murdered by him and I haven't at least tried, I will feel guilty. As it stands, I've done all I can. I presume if he commits another crime, it will bring up the entire history of allegations (no convictions)? I've no idea what police hold on their records? I know my address was on a priority call sort of thing with police due to him. I wonder if he does assault the new girl and she makes a statement will the police see all the incidences I've reported? And will they be able to tell her?

Interestingly, after his first assault on me, my father for some reason was talking to a police officer (he must be my next of kin and they called him or something) and asked the officer what sort of person is this dude? The officer told my Dad that 'he's dangerous', but they never elaborated or if they did he didn't tell me. Different jurisdiction to England though.

[Sforsh49]

In Claire's Law there is "Right to Know" and "Right to Ask". You can do a Right to know for her where you ring the Police or go into the station. Give them the details you know about him and her however vague they are and say you're concerned. If they ask your name refuse to give it if you're not comfortable but say you know enough that his new wife should have a disclosure about his past.
The request will be looked into by the specialist in that force. If they believe a disclosure should happen a panel will convene and discuss what should be disclosed and the wording of the disclosure and then a specialist DV officer will do it with his wife without him present. They leave no written information with the wife. From what you've described they will definitely disclose.
They will not disclose any personal details of you, but will give a generalisation of what he did to you - the idea of Claire's law is to keep people safe so there is no way they would put you at risk.
Right to Ask is if she went to the police about him.

[Kneehigim]

Within the last month, I have had a similar situation. Almost identical, though in my case he hadn't served time and he isn't married that I know of, but I know that he now has a baby.

I filled in the form on 101 (or online equivalent) just basically asking whether there was a way they could inform the girl, especially now that a baby has arrived.
I got a phonecall the next day from a police officer and initially they seemed jumbled up that I was making a fresh complaint. Once I clarified all that with them, they said they'd get back to me.
About 2 weeks ago a female police officer called me. I explained the situation, that I haven't heard from him in a year, but know from extended family of his that he has a new baby.
I can't remember the exact details of the conversation but she was lovely, took all his details etc. The only thing was that I don't know where he now lives. I asked her too about the Claire's law thing, and whether it can work in reverse so to speak. She didn't give an answer either way, but said that it is certainly something they would look into.
Got a voice message from her a week ago saying that they couldn't locate him, and that if I got hold of any information on his whereabouts to give her a call back. She said she couldn't find details of him in this particular borough.

I'm not sure whether it's because there is a baby that they were interested, but I presume nothing flagged up on the system of recent arrests or they'd have been able to locate him.

You could maybe do what I did and see if they get back to you? Like you, I sort of wanted to warn this girl what she's getting into. But maybe he's a new man and won't do the same to her!

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I know this is a bit off track but can I ask how you got the police to even turn up when he was breaking the order let alone actually getting him put in prison.
I ask because I have a friend who has an order out on her ex and he has broken it multiple times and continues to break it and the police aren't interested.
I have another friend who was in her home when 6-8 armed men forced entry and she had to barricade herself in a bedroom whilst calling 999 and the police didn't turn up till an hour later and didn't even take one of the weapons that had been left behind with them let alone dust for fingerprints.

Friends were in 2 separate areas so not the same police force.

[Ferii]

I can understand why you feel vulnerable and are worried for the safety of yourself and child. Hats off to you for getting yourself and your child out of such a toxic, dangerous situation.

As you, and others, have said she's an adult and its her choice but to me our choices should be informed otherwise it's not a real choice. She's very likely not in possession of the full facts about this man's manipulative, violent history so she's vulnerable. You were an adult and he abused you, so simply saying the new wife is an adult doesn't sit well with my conscience.

I don't think you should reach out directly to her but if it were me I'd speak with the police, particularly domestic violence teams, in your area and more importantly in the area where your ex lives (separate divisions don't link up as much as the public thinks). It would also be worth speaking to social services in their area and yours, she's a vulnerable adult since he has a history of abusing pregnant women and they're newly married so what if she gets pregnant? I'm a healthcare professional and when I suspect abuse of one of my patients I call the GP, social services and police to see if any discloses have been made, it will all be confidential so your name won't be disclosed but if there's even a scrap of evidence of prior behaviour of this sort it sets off a cascade of care and vigilance in the background to support and monitor the vulnerable party without them necessarily knowing. They may not take it any further but at least you know you've raised it with the relevant authorities and if the poor wife ever does need their help and files a complaint against him she'll receive more help sooner, will hopefully be dissuaded from taking him back and more likely to press charges etc if she knows that other women have been hurt.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you're able to find some peace as this is obviously distressing for you. This must have dredged up some horrific memories and I hope you've been able to access counselling to process the trauma you've experienced. It may also be helpful to contact domestic violence charities as I'm sure they're experienced with this situation so could offer you more bespoke advice and support.

[SnuggyBuggy]

I'd prioritize your DC. Chances are this woman would just think you are being a bitter ex.

[Starfish28]

You have been through so much and deserve to now live in peace. As others have said, you can not get involved in what he does next. It is too big a risk for you and your children. The only person responsible for this is your horrific ex. As hard as this must be, you can’t get involved and it isn’t your burden to carry. Try to look forward not back.

[thatmustbenigelwiththebrie]

There's no way I would contact her. Let sleeping dogs lie. Let her live her own life. She would probably think that you were a weird psycho jealous ex with a grudge anyway.

[londonrach]

Op...leave it. Youve a child you need to protect that sadly matters more than his new wife. Does he pay any Maintenance

[Her0utdoors]

If SS told you he had moved, would they know he had married/would they be interested in knowing? My father was a similarly abusive man. Luckily he died, fingers crossed for you op.