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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who do I believe?

206 replies

JohnPrescottsPyjamas · 02/03/2022 11:00

Adult DS and GF have been together for 6 years. Met overseas and she has come back to live with him from another country. Always had a pretty good relationship with her although she can be a little sensitive over certain issues so have learnt to just be diplomatic. She is 32, 6 years older than him.

Hysterical phone call received from her last night telling me he had locked her out of their flat. She said they’d rowed earlier, she’d gone out in her car to walk the dog. When she got back, he wasn’t allowing her back in and not answering her calls. As she was safe, I suggested she just waited in the car until things perhaps cooled down and asked if she wanted me to try and call him to talk to him? She was adamant that wasn’t a good idea so I wasn’t quite sure why I was called.

She was sobbing, told me she was very scared of him and that he had a very nasty temper. This genuinely alarmed me as DS has always been seemed pretty chilled and unless he’s very good at deception, we could be talking about a totally different person. I asked if he had been violent and she told me he had once ‘punched’ her in the arm in the car when they were driving. Without being there, I have no idea what his version of events was and I’m actually very alarmed to think my DS might be treating women like this.

Whilst staying in the phone to me, she tried the door again and got straight in. I could hear her shouting at him for locking her out - he denied he did - clearly he didn’t know it was me on the other end of the phone and I could hear everything. He tried to apologise but she accused him of not meaning it. She made a great big deal out of it to him, keeping on and on. Surely, if she was frightened of him, she wouldn’t have continued to up the anti and be attempting to diffuse the situation?

She regularly goes back to her home country alone to her family. Her and DS have no children, I own the property they are living in and apart from DS she has no ties to this country. If he was that controlling or scary, why does she keep come back or am I in denial about my DS?

I posted on here 18 months ago about a dog saga too. She acquired this part German Shepherd puppy, despite my DS not wanting her to, but he relented. She didn’t agree with formal training and this combined with lack of socialisation in lockdown has made it into a potentially dangerous animal that has already bitten DS. Again, if DS was that much of a ogre, why would he still tolerate the dog or even allowed her to have it in the first place?

When he visits us (she rarely comes because she can’t leave the dog alone without company) she constantly messages him. Maybe it’s because he’s controlling, but again if he was, why would he leave her to do her own thing? She has her own car, comes and goes as she pleases, does online tuition/translation and doesn’t appear to be a ‘prisoner’

My DD can’t believe her brother is as violent as the GF is implying and thinks she was just trying to get her version of events in first. I don’t want to think my DS is an abuser and if I found out he was, adult or not, I would be down on him like a ton of bricks.

DH and DD thinks GF was very wrong to get me involved in their argument and that she’s the one being manipulative but it still worries me that any woman might be scared of my DS. I really want to hear his version of the situation but tbh, also want to keep well out of it too.

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoing · 14/03/2022 15:56

Echoing what @Munchcrip says - if necessary sell the property, get your son to do Freedom Programme etc - don't whatever you do or your son feel sorry for her.

Don't allow her to run up more bills etc if she can do that.

Get someone who's not emotionally involved (friend or family) to deal with her, her belongings etc.

You and your son don't want to meet or see her again.

She might try to get back with your son though or use him when he's at a low ebb to try to get back with him, feel sorry for her etc. So you or someone he's close to really need to block her on everything and keep his spirits up and strong re this woman. You say he doesn't like confrontation, great.

Is there any way he can stay with either with you or by himself go to visit friends in another town/city for a short break?

PancakeBae · 14/03/2022 15:59

I really, really, really wouldn't be letting her in unsupervised - is there no one nearer who can get round there and at least check she hasn't left it trashed?

FirstTimeSecondTime · 14/03/2022 16:00

Oh dear, I hope it goes well

Copin · 14/03/2022 16:07

I’m sorry you’re going through all this stress but at least she’s shown herself to be extremely emotionally abusive and generally unhinged. I certainly wouldn’t be inclined to believe her account of your ‘abusive’ DS in the circumstances.

dworky · 14/03/2022 16:17

@AtrociousCircumstance

Talk to him, ask him. He is your son.
Unfortunately, abusive men (if he is one) spin all manner of lies to friends & family.
AcrossthePond55 · 14/03/2022 16:21

I've been following along but haven't posted until now.

If you do decide to allow her access to retrieve her property, then someone has to either be there OR immediately show up at the close of her 'access window'. She is leaving the country, no doubt she realizes that she could vandalize and damage the property with no repercussions. Leave the taps running in a plugged sink/tub, turn the heat up to some god-awful temp and leave all the lights on to run up the bills. Destroy the walls, furnishings. Who knows what! And you can assume she's going to either take the key with her, break it off in the lock, or throw it away. Worse, she will probably go off and leave the front door unlocked with the key in the lock as an open invite to thieves.

Do you have someone in the area or who is 'free' to go over? Or if not, I know it's 90 mins away, but it would be worth paying for petrol & a couple of meals to have a friend/relative do it.

I realize this may be too late (I'm in the US, it's morning here)

dfendyr · 14/03/2022 16:21

@Munchcrip

Don't let her in your house unattended. My friend's mum had an issue with her tenant, right before he left he poured cement/concrete (cant remember which) all over the house, in the sinks, down the toilets, in the baththub, etc...

Be careful OP, she sounds really unstable

She sounds like the type to do something like this.

I've read this for the first time and I thought Whilst staying in the phone to me, she tried the door again and got straight in. I could hear her shouting at him for locking her out - he denied he did - clearly he didn’t know it was me on the other end of the phone and I could hear everything. Sounded like she might have manipulated the situation by pretending the door was locked and then he would have had no idea what she was talking about

dfendyr · 14/03/2022 16:23

@JohnPrescottsPyjamas

Can you share a rough location of the property, maybe someone on mn could be there for you

m00rfarm · 14/03/2022 16:31

The microchip registration is not proof of ownership. Who paid for the dog? Was there a receipt? THat would be proof of ownership more than a microchip registration. Microchips disappear or move around all the time - and anyone could get a new microchip put in but does not mean it is their dog.

Chocaholic9 · 14/03/2022 16:35

OP, I remember your original thread about the dog. This woman sounds like an absolute nutcase with nothing to lose, and I don't think she should be allowed in the property. I would bag up her stuff and deliver it to her.

Chocaholic9 · 14/03/2022 16:42

Please let us know how it goes. I feel so awful for the dog. I hope it can be trained and re-homed.

BellatricksStrange · 14/03/2022 16:48

TBH she sounds abusive and a liar.

purpleboy · 14/03/2022 16:54

It might be too late now, but echoing don't let her in the property on her own. However you have to do it make sure someone is there.
Hopefully this time tomorrow you can all relax again!Thanks

RebeccaManderley · 14/03/2022 17:01

I am glad your son is away from her now.
We hear of so many instances of abusive men (especially reading threads on here) but we do need to remember that around 25% to 30% of domestic abusers are women. This needs to be publicised more as men can be demonised when they are the victim.

diddl · 14/03/2022 17:05

I was just thinking re the dog-if she is leaving the country with no provision to take the dog-how could Op & her son be stealing it?

Hope all goes OK Op & that doggy stays safe!

LookItsMeAgain · 14/03/2022 17:08

I only hope she isn't going to wreck your place @JohnPrescottsPyjamas. She sounds so unhinged.

I would have driven to the property while she was away, with your DS, so that he could point out what was hers and then you would box it or bag it up for her to collect. Then I would have left it outside the property with clear tags on it saying "Property of X" and then told her that she wasn't allowed enter the property, that DS wasn't there, the dog wasn't there and she was only allowed on the land so that she could collect her belongings. Anything left behind would be put out with the bins for collection on the next bin day.

Then turn off the phone.

I really really hope that she doesn't wreck your property (or anything that your DS has left at the property).

I'd also consider binning the pet food once she leaves (especially if the dog has a dry food diet and there are bags of pet food left around).

5128gap · 14/03/2022 17:09

@RebeccaManderley

I am glad your son is away from her now. We hear of so many instances of abusive men (especially reading threads on here) but we do need to remember that around 25% to 30% of domestic abusers are women. This needs to be publicised more as men can be demonised when they are the victim.
But only around 4% of victims are men. Not to minimise the OPs son's situation, but I think this distinction is important for accuracy.
Dotdotdotdashdashdashdotdotdot · 14/03/2022 17:20

As pp. do not let her in alone. She will possibly trash the place!

LadyEloise1 · 14/03/2022 17:26

Hoping all goes well @JohnPrescottsPyjamas.

cherish123 · 14/03/2022 17:47

Speak to DS. It's difficult to tell but she sounds quite controlling.

LookItsMeAgain · 14/03/2022 18:01

@cherish123

Speak to DS. It's difficult to tell but she sounds quite controlling.
I think you're only replying to the OP's opening message there cherish123. The thread has moved on somewhat since that was posted.
Copin · 14/03/2022 18:10

But only around 4% of victims are men. Not to minimise the OPs son's situation, but I think this distinction is important for accuracy.
Where does that stat come from? It isn’t close to matching up with anything I can find online?

JohnPrescottsPyjamas · 14/03/2022 18:21

Right. She just rung me from the taxi and said immediately that she is handing ownership of the dog to DS (I’ve recorded the conversation) I’ve told her to text DS with the following words:

“I am transferring ownership of *** absolutely and without condition and this is my final decision.”

Which she has - and I’ve screen shot it in case she tries to delete it from her end. The GSD rescue have confirmed they are happy to accept this as proof of her intention to surrender the dog.

A neighbour is giving her the key and standing in the hallway whilst she is collecting her stuff.

OP posts:
beastlyslumber · 14/03/2022 18:35

Wow, OP. Well done for saving the dog! Your son is well out of this relationship too.

anotherbloodyyearofcovid · 14/03/2022 18:39

I'm wrung out reading this, let's hope GF quickly disappears back to the FSOF and your son can get on with his life.