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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was what he did justified?

154 replies

1999its · 18/01/2023 22:09

DP and I have been seeing each other again after 5/6 months apart and I'm really enjoying my time with him.

We had an argument today about what has previously happened between us. We almost ended because of this argument. It got heated and I got emotional and raised my voice, which I shouldn't have.

Long story short:

I got pregnant after the relationship was essentially over. We weren't officially together anymore and hadn't been for just under two weeks but were still seeing each other every day, having sex, going on dates etc.

I told him the news over the phone. Less than 24hrs after finding out he came round and told me he was abandoning and the baby if I kept it, that was it, no conversation. He didn't ask me if I was okay.

I had said I needed to find out how far along I was before I made a decision. I never said I had any intention to keep the baby.

I told him to go to hell and told him to leave, I was probably shouting. I also said I was going to call him mum, so he called her first.

His family blocked me on everything. I didn't hear anything for a month. He resurfaces and asks if I've kept it or not. Says that he does want to be involved and did all along but he wanted me to feel like I had no choice but to terminate. I told him to fuck off.

I was mentally through the floor. There was a lot of swearing and "you're a piece of shit" types texts from me.

I miscarried and then got a severe infection following. All very scary and messy. We weren't in contact at this point, I felt so alone.

His perspective:

He doesn't feel that what he did was selfish. He said he did care about me in the situation, that he loved me.

He did it because he had an inkling I'd keep the baby, he says he still thinks that was my intention. He said that he had to weigh up between doing a horrible thing or having a baby ruin our lives and our families life. He said he had to take an extreme measure.

He says that guys do this all the time and say things like "I won't have anything to do with that baby" so he's not in a minority and it's not some crazy, left field thing that he's done.

I could well be overreacting to the situation. I would like the perspective of outsiders and I'm prepared to get flamed. Should I accept his reasons and let it lie?

I have forgiven him. It's important for me in all my relationships in life to forgive and not hold onto things. But it still hurts.

OP posts:
CompleteGinasaur · 19/01/2023 00:56

Gaslighting and abusive, manipulative, even sadistic scum. Nothing to build a life on there, is there???

Usergjdksndjsn · 19/01/2023 00:57

I could well be overreacting to the situation.
is that what you think or what he’s told you?

I think you know the answer and that’s why you’re here

personally I’d say you are under reacting so much that it’s alarming

JudgeRinderonTinder · 19/01/2023 01:03

His reasoning makes absolutely no sense, it’s all so contradictory. Why would he want to make you feel like you had no choice but to terminate if he wanted to be involved all along? He’s talking through his arsehole and you need to cut contact with him. He sounds thick.

Pallisers · 19/01/2023 01:11

What does "forgive" even mean in these circumstances? You boyfriend applied every pressure he could to make you have an abortion - because it suited him better to abort.

Yeah you can "forgive" as in not hold a grudge forever but do you seriously think this is a good decent guy? Forgiving someone doesn't mean pretending they are someone other than they are.

your boyfriend is in my opinion (and yours tbh) a piece of shit. Leave him behind and move on. Forgiveness does not mean you have to keep tolerating bad treatment from him.

postcardpuffin · 19/01/2023 01:20

This man is vile, OP, and his family too. He will make you miserable again and again and again if you let him. Imagine actually having a baby with this man, and a family? I guarantee you it would be a lifetime of pain for you and the children too.

Don’t be an idiot — get rid.

Livinginanotherworld · 19/01/2023 01:26

Oh god please raise your bar, you are worth so much more.

azlazee1 · 19/01/2023 01:29

Dump him....period.

randomuser2020 · 19/01/2023 01:49

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn at the poster's request due to privacy concerns.

blackpearwhitelilies · 19/01/2023 01:52

No, it wasn’t. He sounds absolutely awful. I’m sorry for what you’ve been through.

ComfortablyDazed · 19/01/2023 01:57

What do you want from this thread @1999its ?

Nobody thinks his behaviour is justified.

So what are you going to do with that information?

CheekyHobson · 19/01/2023 02:11

He said that he had to weigh up between doing a horrible thing or having a baby ruin our lives and our families life. He said he had to take an extreme measure.

No. Just no.

This is called a 'false dichotomy'. He's saying there were only two choices available to him - coerce you in a horrible way into having a termination or have a baby 'ruin two families' lives'.

But there were many other choices available to him. Just off the top of my head...

  • He could have said he didn't think having a baby right now was the right thing for him and maybe not for you, so he would prefer a termination but it was obviously up to you what you chose to do
  • He could have decided that since he had gotten you pregnant, it was his responsibility to step up and work hard to be a good father and try to solve your issues with each other, either together as a couple or separately if you didn't want to get back together
  • He could have said nothing and ghosted you
  • He could have said nothing and waited to see what you'd do and then thought about how he felt once you'd made your decision
  • He could have asked you to go with him to talk to a counsellor, priest, medical professional, community advisor about how you might both afford a baby
  • He could have asked your families to be supportive of him and you rather than turning his family against you
  • He could have disputed the parentage of the child and waited to see if you'd take him to court

Now, not all of those options would show him up in a very good light, but they were still options that were open to him. He did what he did not because there were no other options, but because he wanted things to go one particular way and was prepared to use very aggressive tactics to make that happen.

He says that guys do this all the time and say things like "I won't have anything to do with that baby" so he's not in a minority and it's not some crazy, left field thing that he's done.

I agree that some guys certainly do this. Controlling guys. Self-centred guys. Guys who lack empathy. Guys who don't want to face the consequences of their own choices. Just because some guys (a minority of guys in general, but perhaps not in his friend circle) would do it it doesn't make it right, and it doesn't make it something you have to accept. Even if 99 percent of guys did this, if you think it's bad behaviour, you don't have to accept it in your life.

Patineur · 19/01/2023 02:15

His idea of how normal, decent men behave is incredibly screwed up. If he didn't want a child, he should have kept his trousers on. You told him he was a piece of shit.

I must admit I don't understand your opening post when you say the relationship was over but you were still being each other every day and having sex and going on dates. That is a bloody strange way to finish a relationship. Dump him immediately and finally, and make sure you never see or hear from him again.

ShellsOnTheBeach · 19/01/2023 02:20

Derbee · 19/01/2023 00:53

You have started SO MANY THREADS about this wanker. You’ve chosen to pursue an abusive horrible relationship with an absolute arsehole.

He acted appallingly. His family acted appallingly. You’ve let him back in and will continue to be treated badly.

What else would you like to hear?

If this is true, we can assume that @1999its lives under a bridge. Surely no one has such a low bar in real life...

ComfortablyDazed · 19/01/2023 02:22

If he didn't want a child, he should have kept his trousers on.

Sorry, but this argument is shit. We don’t say that to women facing an unwanted pregnant.

I’m not defending him (assuming he’s even real 🙄), but this argument ^^ holds no water.

ComfortablyDazed · 19/01/2023 02:23

*pregnancy

AngeloMysterioso · 19/01/2023 02:25

I’m pretty astonished that you got back with him in the first place to be honest.

MavisMcMinty · 19/01/2023 02:28

I’m finding it hard to believe this is a real problem from a real person, tbh. You write a lengthy screed but apparently haven’t absorbed a single word you’ve written. There must be better ways of getting attention than this.

Ottil · 19/01/2023 02:51

What a prince among men this one is.

For goodness sake, OP, read the excellent advice on this thread, dump this utter cretin and don't have another relationship until you value yourself more.

Whydidimarryhim · 19/01/2023 03:00

I think op has disappeared - but I will ask do you want children in the future? Why the hell would you stay with the shit stain.

k1233 · 19/01/2023 03:08

He does realise you can get pregnant more than once? What happens next time? Are you so scared he'll leave you that you don't tell him and terminate?

There's going to be more hiccups along the way and sounds like he runs for the hills. Not sure I'd want him around.

Wibbly1008 · 19/01/2023 03:11

1999its · 18/01/2023 22:14

He has apologised and acknowledged it must've been hard for me.

Omg get rid. Red flag alert! He abandoned you in your hour if need and so did his family. This is frankly unforgivable imo.

tonystarksrighthand · 19/01/2023 03:16

Why on earth would you put up with that!? Have some respect for yourself. He's a piece of shit.

MaireadMcSweeney · 19/01/2023 03:19

You're mad to forgive him and get back with him. Mad.

miraveille · 19/01/2023 03:24

How old are you

GoAgainstNicki · 19/01/2023 03:34

Well he sounds great doesn’t he? I think you need a bit more self worth which would help you realise that he’s a fucking shit person