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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being unreasonable - he’s playing the victim.

60 replies

Lou1913 · 24/02/2022 11:00

My husband put our then 22yr marriage on the rocks a few years ago and due to deceit there are trust issues. We separated twice but on his last return spoke about a new way forward. It was short lived.

In October he started a new job. Last Wednesday he travelled to Poland. He rang on arrival and said the weather warning may delay his return - he’d keep us posted. We had a text Thursday but it didn’t mention the return flight Friday. At 216am Friday he rang me but hung up. I text by return. At 6am I had a gobbledegook response. Our youngest text him asking about his flight. Nothing.

At 3pm Friday he rang (from his work phone) to say he’d landed but there’d been storm delays. I told him I was pi**ed off at his total silence and he said his personal phone was dead as he’d not plugged it in to charge properly early hours Friday.
He walked in a bit later and went upstairs, showered, unpacked and led down. He spoke a few words to reiterate it was a charging issue and he’s home now. Saturday he was sheepish. Sunday I initiated clearing the air. After being told I’m not moving on and it digressing to historical stuff he told me to sit down and he’d tell me what happened in Poland.

On Thursday evening after food and drinks they went to a lap dancing bar - he told me he’s not done it before. He ‘got separated’ from his colleagues and went into a private room with two women. He said they made him pay for drinks and after lots of hassle with cards working he said he remembers day light and being on a street in Krakow. His boss rang and my husband made it back to the hotel foyer to his packed bags. He said he looked at the cc app and they had charged him £350 more than they asked for but that he’s lucky cos he’s in one piece.

My immediate thought was my worries were founded and also told him to canx the cards. Also said did you have sex? You’ll need to test. He said the cards are fine he’ll monitor it (yes!!!) and he can’t remember anything but he didn’t have sex.

Three days later it flashed up on our joint bank account £2500 withdrawal in Poland. Plus it transpires a further £3,500 was attempted but the bank security declined it due to the pattern of requests.

Although the scenario is different it’s the same behaviour traits being shown again. I am not a prude, the main arena of a lap dancing bar is totally different to choosing to go to a private room. It seems these establishments main industry is the card scamming and not the dancing but he put himself into that environment through macho drinking. He’s not even been employed by them that long. His recount to our children (we have no bank cards currently and it’s half term) has been one of a victim. I am struggling to have any sympathy to these cyclical man made dramas that are just spiralling…..

OP posts:
SamphiretheStickerist · 24/02/2022 17:01

Remember you can divorce for any reason at all.

He lies, he lies, he drags the kids in, he lies. His boss knows, he lies, he lies.

Mamamamasaurus · 24/02/2022 17:03

You've already separated twice - it doesn't sound to me like he deserved a third chance anyway. You're mad to have agreed to try again.

I wouldn't be swallowing any of this latest yarn though - he's thinks you've got 'MUG' written on your forehead.

AmyDudley · 24/02/2022 17:09

So essentially he went to Poland, spent £2500 on prostitutes and then lied about it? That would be an end to it for me. I don;t give people a second chance to hurt me and disrespect me. And seems he's already had one chance in the past and he hasn't changed.
Also how dare he drag your children into his sordid behaviour. What a creep.

tkwal · 24/02/2022 17:25

Someone who previously put your marriage on the rocks like he did should have been tucked up in bed by 10 o'clock not out trying to prove the size of his cojones to his new (and probably now not very impressed) boss. At least the rest of them managed to get back to the hotel so he can't even blame peer pressure

FavouritePi · 24/02/2022 21:17

I'm really surprised a bank would return money like that without a police investigation. Have you seen the bank account and are you sure it's not a loan he's taken out?

Either way, there's no way in hell you can trust this man if he can't resist temptation.

Sparticuscaticus · 25/02/2022 01:07

@Lou1913
I have to agree with the other PPs about DH.

Whilst it is possible his drink was spiked and all of this was stolen /scam etc , it's too coincidental that he has past history (as you indicated) for similar and shows a disrespect and lack of care about not repeating old problems.

Whatever the truth is, he made disrespectful decisions to put himself into that position despite previous promises. He took himself to a lapdancing club on a work trip - not a nightclub- work events don't include compulsory attendance at lap dancing clubs - and he had the choice to say "no thanks" and return to his hotel.

I'm sorry OP but I wouldn't trust the yarn he's spinning -it doesn't sound like you'll ever get the truth- And sometimes you don't need it for your gut feeling to be accurate that he's shifty & can't be trusted.

Thursa · 25/02/2022 02:45

I have seen news stories about men getting taken this way in Poland and the Czech Republic. It’s a not unknown scam to drug and rob men, or threaten them to hand over large sums of money in order to leave safely.

But if he has a history of this behaviour, I’d be sceptical.

billy1966 · 25/02/2022 04:10

I wouldn't be believing a word from his mouth.

Total deal breaker.

Get rid of him.

He's an utter sleaze.

Flowers
Changeee15467 · 25/02/2022 04:38

Why are you with this disgusting man OP.

WotsitsMadeIn1927 · 25/02/2022 22:38

I’ve said YABU…. To be staying with a lying cheating scumbag. He didn’t learn the first time and what he’s just done was intentional. I know I am not the one dealing with this, but you deserve a much better man OP.

cakewench · 25/02/2022 22:45

You can’t believe anything he says.

Does he still have a job? Did his boss pack his bags?

Lou1913 · 26/02/2022 12:17

Historically we separated because of a relationship with a co-worker that he called a ‘friendship’ and he felt he was managing it. After separating I was told that it amounted to flirting, some banter, a kiss and talks regarding their respective marriages. Apparently there was an offer from her to leave her husband. He was deluded in the midst of it and did his utmost to cloud and confuse me with his lies and changed behaviour snapchats blah blah. The dynamics of that scenario he was in changed so a sort of fresh start/we ‘go again’.

The bank personnel told him drugging is often involved and the pattern of transactions indicates fraud. Being the victim of drugging is now his focus regarding the experience. No one else in the party was ‘drugged’ which would indicate if it happened it was once he intentionally entered the private room. He didn’t want to be at the club but the customers did. He went with the girl because she said he’d be two minutes and he couldn’t be rude to her!

Yes he still has a job. His bags were packed for him but whether his boss or other colleague did this I don’t know…. it feels there’s a lot I probably don’t or ever will know.

OP posts:
lockdownalli · 26/02/2022 12:28

I can't believe you went back to him after all the lies and disrespect in the past.

He's a disgusting piece of shit. Time to see a solicitor and separate for good.

HerRoyalHappiness · 26/02/2022 12:33

Seriously leave him, he's not worth the aggro.

thenewduchessoflapland · 26/02/2022 12:39

I don't mean to be a killjoy here but there was a hussle ran by a couple of strippers in the USA not ended up being made into a film.They'd taken men into private rooms for lap dances,drugged them and then charged as much to their cards as possible.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 26/02/2022 12:42

He couldn’t be rude to her?

My.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 26/02/2022 12:42

And my arse.

Gilly12345 · 26/02/2022 12:55

The trust unfortunately is gone now in this relationship.

I don’t think you can know what to believe or what is a lie.

It won’t be easy but if you stay together it will be difficult but a separation won’t be easy either.

Good luck 💐💐

SantaHat · 26/02/2022 13:04

He told the kids about this??!! Wtf?

Dontbeme · 26/02/2022 13:11

He went with the girl because she said he’d be two minutes and he couldn’t be rude to her!

Your poor innocent lamb of a husband being peer pressured by a sex worker, how awful. I presume she hog tied him and dragged him in to a back room, forced him to watch her perform and then forced sexual activity upon him. Please get support for him and get him to reach out to a support group, maybe one like "I fuck prostitues, my wife believes any old bollocks and we drag our kids through this shit show anonymous".

Short version; get your kids and yourself out of this please OP, for your own physical mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

Whatsonmymindgrapes · 26/02/2022 13:12

I’d be
Livid if he didn’t cancel the card and they took that much money from yiu

Faevern · 26/02/2022 13:22

How old are your children, why are they involved?

It’s hard to give up a marriage after 24 years or so but he has destroyed the trust. How many chances can you give without it affecting your own self esteem?

AllOfUsAreDead · 26/02/2022 13:23

Op, these are the most likely facts:

  1. He was not drugged and he went in and paid willingly.
  2. He paid for sex, willingly
  3. He has had at least 1 affair behind your back, with the intention to leave you
  4. He may have lost or is likely to lose his job

If you want to stay with him, then accept these things, accept he has no love for you, doesn't care about you, and just sees you as a carer and babysitter. That's it.
a
If you want more than that, then you're going to have to leave him. He will never, EVER offer you a good relationship. Ever.

Peachtoiletpaper · 26/02/2022 13:46

OP do you want to spend your life with him coming up with this kind of shit time and time again only it escalating? It's a pattern of behaviour that isn't going to stop.

RoastedFerret · 26/02/2022 13:51

It isn't unknown for scams to happen in these places. notesfrompoland.com/2020/01/01/the-free-drink-that-can-bankrupt-unsuspecting-tourists-the-murky-world-of-polish-strip-clubs/

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