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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think he needed to be spoken to?

14 replies

Watson956 · 02/01/2020 15:07

Just looking to find out if myself and my DP have been unreasonable or not.

My younger sister (19) has been in a relationship with her boyfriend for about a year. At first he was lovely, we all got on really well with him. My DS decided to move in with him in October as his flat was close to her uni, she was very excited and bought some things for the flat. She moved her things in and bought a throw and some cushions etc for the bed, she asked him if she could put them out and he was fine with it. Later that evening whilst at mine she got a text from him saying he wanted her to chuck them away because they looked like 'tacky B and M crap'. The cushions are lovely and even if they were from B and M why would that matter, she's only a student! That annoyed me slightly but I bit my tongue.

On Christmas Day they both agreed to see their parents individually in the day and he offered to come over to ours later in the evening as his parents are quite a bit older than ours and tend to just watch a film etc whereas we have more of a party. He text her at 3pm to tell her he wasn't coming over as he had drunk quite a bit, she replied that was fine and she'd see him tomorrow. He then phoned her and shouted down the phone that she 'couldn't love him that much as she didn't even want him there'. My DS then ended up driving to pick him up before we'd even had dessert. When he arrived he was quite drunk and miserable. They ended up going up to her old room and when she came down later that night I could see she had been crying.

The next day they exchanged their presents, my DM had bought him a designer shirt that my DS had picked out. He opened the present and literally turned his nose up at it. He didn't say thank you and hadn't even bought my parents a box of chocolates! My DS was visibly embarrassed and tried to thank our DM for him but there wasn't much point as we had all seen his face.

I invited the whole family to my house for New Year, I have young DC and so do my cousins etc so we all wanted to do something that involved the DC. My DS arrived around 7pm on her own. Her bf had switched his phone off and wasn't answering. She actually seemed to enjoy herself funnily enough and had a great time. Her bf showed up around 11pm, he had walked in from town and was very drunk. He took her out to the garden straight away and we could hear the shouting over the music.

My DP went out to check that she was ok as we could hear him screaming at her. Her bf then told my DP to 'fuck off and mind his own business'. My DS then asked her bf to leave as he had been rude to her family and she felt that she didn't want to be around him. He left, shouting and swearing through the house and making all the guests feel uncomfortable and even making the DC cry.

My DS has gone back to his flat today and plans on trying to make another go of it. Would I be unreasonable to have a word with her and encourage her not to?
I understand she's an adult and needs to make her own choices but he really seems to be a nasty piece of work and I am honestly afraid for her. I have asked my DM to have a word with her but she won't, she has said its not her place to stick her oar in. I feel like myself and my DP are the only ones worried?
Her bf is her first proper relationship, she has always been very studious and not really bothered with dating.

OP posts:
Canadianpancake · 02/01/2020 15:13

At the end of the day she is the only one that can make the decision to leave him. The most you can donis let her know that his behaviour is not normal or acceptable in a relationship and be there for her when she comes to her senses. Sometimes we just need to know that we've done all we can to make a relationship work, which is what it sounds like she is doing now. I'm sure it won't be long because he is obviously a prize dick.

RhodaDendron · 02/01/2020 15:14

You can’t tell her what to do but now might be a great time to say you love her and are there for her whatever happens. And mention any practical support you can offer. Sorry this is happening OP, you must be so worried.

ohwheniknow · 02/01/2020 15:17

She's in an abusive relationship so you need to tread carefully. Telling her to leave won't help, it'll likely have the opposite effect. Abuse is about power and control. If you tell her what to do you're just replicating that.

This has really good advice I'd encourage you to read before you do anything:

www.womensaid.org.uk/the-survivors-handbook/im-worried-about-someone-else/

If you think she's ready to do the Freedom Programme course then you could bring it up gently. If not maybe do it yourself so you better understand what's going on and how to help.

Www.freedomprogramme.co.uk

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 02/01/2020 15:18

Agree that she'll need you when she realises that she's in an abusive relationship.

Just tell her that you'll always be there for her if she needs you. You risk pushing her towards him if you slag him off to her.

But yes, horrible situation.

LolaSmiles · 02/01/2020 15:19

He sounds like a prize dickhead.

What I would say is that it sounds like your sister, having not dated before, may be more inclined to rush things or try to run before walking etc. For example, moving into his flat rather than keeping her own student let, on moving in buying things to spruce up the flat etc.

I think your mum is right as parental involvement in relationships often doesn't get taken well and can leave the child feeling they can't turn to their parents if and when they need advice.

All you can do is support her and be there for her when she realises he is a dick.

Watson956 · 02/01/2020 15:19

She told me on New Year’s Eve that she has noticed how nasty and horrible he can be. She admitted that she felt panicky before she goes home as she doesn’t know what mood he will be in. It’s like she’s almost ready to leave but he says the right things and pulls her back in again. I’ve obviously assured her I’ll be here no matter what and she knows that she can move back home if she does leave. I just don’t want her to shrink herself for him, I hate that she’s nervous to come home In the evening! I couldn’t imagine living like that.

OP posts:
FenellaVelour · 02/01/2020 15:20

I’m going to guess he’s quite a bit older than her and has probably targeted your sister as someone he is able to manipulate due to her age and inexperience.

As PP has said you can’t make decisions for her but maybe some guidance on what relationships ought to look like, and be there to pick up the pieces.

sarahjconnor · 02/01/2020 15:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Smelborp · 02/01/2020 15:26

I would tell her that his behaviour isn’t normal and she deserves better. Ultimately the choice will be hers but it may help to know that others are worried for her.

SusanneLinder · 02/01/2020 15:36

I sympathise OP. DD3 when she was 18 was in a similar relationship ( thankfully not living with him). Similar behaviours though. All we could do was watch and wait and offer her a shoulder to cry on, and I just calmly told her during it, that his behaviour was unacceptable and she really didn't need to put up with this shit, but I had to tread a fine line between being there for her, and criticising him too loudly .
Luckily she ended up dumping his sorry arse ( took a while but her MH suffered). She has now met a lovely guy who treats her the way she is meant to be treated.

Watson956 · 02/01/2020 16:36

Thank you all for your advice.

I am going to ensure that I do not bad mouth him for fear of pushing them together.

She knows I will always be here for her so I will make sure I keep reminding her.

He is slightly older than her at 23 so I think that is playing into it, he told her that his previous girlfriends had cheated on him and verbally abused him so that is why he is so insecure and has a temper. However, I have told her that is no excuse for being abusive towards her.

OP posts:
mclover · 02/01/2020 16:42

Absolutely help your sister out - she's young and inexperienced and keeping quiet is a silent acceptance. I had this when I was younger and when I finally broke up with the bastard so many people said thank god to me. And I felt a bit betrayed because I wish they had said to me whilst I was in it, I felt like I must be the only one to think he was horrible as no one else ever mentioned it.

Watson956 · 02/01/2020 16:45

I have mentioned it to her, we had a heart to heart at about 1am on New Years Day after all the guests had left. She got upset and asked me why he was behaving this way. I very honestly said it was because he was manipulating her and just generally was not a nice person.
She agreed with me and suggested she might move back home. However, by the time I spoke to her again this morning he had sweet talked her and convinced her that he was having a hard time over the festive period and he'll never behave like it again.

OP posts:
thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 02/01/2020 16:58

I agree with PPs that it's a fine line between pushing her to him and opening her eyes to his abuse (my Dsis married hers and predictably he's got worse now that he feels she's 'trapped'). Although being exposed to positive relationships should hopefully help her join the dots that this isn't normal/right.

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