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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Feel like something seems off with sisters new boyfriend. To stay silent or mention something?

46 replies

Angee2023 · 25/07/2023 15:41

So my sisters been with her partner now for almost a year, so not a overly new relationship however my sister lives in Kent with half my family whilst I live in Somerset with the other half. This does mean however that we only see each other around 3 times a year. I have just came back from a visit seeing them and I can’t help but have continued bad vibes from him, in which our mum agrees also as she has cottoned on to things which could be potential ‘red flags’, we just aren’t sure whether or not to say anything however as she seems happy and so we wouldn’t want her to think that we aren’t happy for her. I might add in that she is 29 whilst he is actually 46 so a larger age gap. Examples of situations that have made us question him however is things like the fact my sister has had a bob style hair cut for the last few years and she said she would never go back to having it long now (she really suited it short), however he apparently said he liked long hair and has paid for her to now have extensions so she now has long hair, it doesn’t sound like much on its own but then apparently he finds it attractive when girls go to the gym, a couple weeks later and my sister has started going to the gym when she’s never set foot in a gym in a her life (she is tiny and naturally very toned), then also my sister has had a breast augmentation about 8 years ago, to just a normal size where she felt more confident, her new partner apparently started showing her the type of boobs he found attractive (bigger) - she’s now booked in to get them bigger which HE is paying for. These things I did raise a few concerns with but she just brushed them off as it was everything that she wanted to do but I’m just not convinced. So not only has this raised concerns, but my sister has also left her job to work for him, they are now talking about moving to a bigger house together and this is making me concerned because it would be renting and the rent of the places they are looking at would be completely unaffordable for my sister alone, she also has two daughters so I just feel like if she was ever in a position where she wanted to leave him then she wouldn’t be able to just go and find a new job and place big enough for her and her girls, especially when he would be controlling her current income.
He’s just shown other controlling flags such as the trip we just came back from was for my dads 60th, my dad hired a bouncy castle for the children and my sister was setting it up but came back to the kitchen to get her phone as it had speakers which you could connect your phone to, I wasn’t in the kitchen but my partner was and he said that he heard her partner questioning why she needed to take her phone and even when she explained he still questioned it as if she was lying. We also set an air bed up in the front room for the children to sleep on and my sister was going to sleep on the sofa next to them incase they woke up in the night, however even though suddenly her youngest started getting upset about sleeping in the front room, she suddenly said she was sleeping upstairs with him and in the end my partner said he would sleep on the sofa (our daughter was down there too, I had to get our baby to sleep upstairs so he wouldn’t wake anyone in the night otherwise I would of) but the original plan was the children sleep in one of the spare rooms so they didn’t have to go far for toilet etc and him and my sister have air bed downstairs, but she said that he wouldn’t sleep on an air bed so that put that out the equation. Quite a few family members have said there’s something about him that they can’t quite put their finger on, and they’ve never said anything like this about any of our partners before - yet he hasn’t actually done anything wrong (that we know of at least).
I’m just not convinced, but I don’t know if I am blowing this way out of proportion or if I should be stepping in and mentioning something in a caring way just to make sure that she is ok and there’s nothing going on?

OP posts:
mindutopia · 25/07/2023 16:47

Yes, I think there are massive red flags there and I think you and family are right to raise them. I'd go gently and focus on the issues that are most likely to trap her with him when the mask drops. So yes, he sounds controlling in lots of ways, but I wouldn't raise anything that that would sound like you are going after him as a person. Focus on the living situation and job. Emphasise how it's wise to keep some financial independence from him so early in a relationship. It seems soon to be even having overnights with him around her children, let alone to be moving in together and getting a big (expensive) house when she has little fall back plan. She's only 29. She should be building a career and financial security for herself. I'd focus on career goals, financial goals, creating some security/equity for her children in the future, and thinking through the what if's. What if the relationship doesn't work, where will she live? What if she hates the job, how will she get a new one? What if he dies tomorrow? I mean, anything is possible! And it sounds like she needs to think through the risks of moving so quickly in a relationship, especially when she has children.

Also, I do think that's quite a distance. BIL and partner live in North Wales, about 5 hours from us, so only just a bit further, but no cross-London/M25 commute to consider. And we haven't visited them in 2 years. It's bloody far to travel with 2 small children and a dog. The only reason we see them is about 3x a year is because they visit us (they are childfree). If we both had dc, I suspect we'd not see them much at all.

electriclight · 25/07/2023 16:58

I don't know op. Most of your examples seem like perfectly normal behaviour to me.

Lots of people - men and women - change when they're in a relationship as you begin to influence each other in many ways. Things like the hair, gym membership, boob job could just be a normal response to wanting to look good for your partner. She's already had one boob job so it's not like he's making her do something completely out of character.

Things like the sleeping arrangement - I know dp has agreed to things but then after we've talked about it he's changed his mind.

But there is a big age difference and I don't think you'll be able to simply dismiss those feelings about him. Nothing good will come of telling your sister though. If he's a good guy, he'll be terribly hurt. If he's a bad guy, he'll double down on any controlling behaviour. Just keep talking to her so that she knows where to go if things go wrong.

Sensibletrousers · 25/07/2023 17:01

I wish I had told my sister how I felt the very first time I met her new BF over 10 years ago - just bad vibes pouring off him. I was right, he is toxic, I told her my true feelings when she eventually left him, she said she wished I had said something back then… other family members (all the women interestingly) also confided they had a bad feeling about him…. and then she ended up going back to him anyway.

They are codependent and entangled.

I refuse to have anything to do with him now so she has to see us alone as she knows how we all feel about him and it's the elephant in the room and always will be. It fractured our close family.

Please find a way to tell her.

Misspotterscat · 25/07/2023 17:04

Anothernamethesamegame · 25/07/2023 15:51

Have you done a Claire Law and/or Sarah’s law application with the police? In your shoes I would.
My cousin did one for her sister and it came out her new partner was going through court for sending inappropriate messages to a 12 years old and had a history of domestic abuse.

I would do this. You won’t find out the information, but if there are concerns they will go straight to your sister with the information.

ReadingSoManyThreads · 25/07/2023 17:14

I would recommend:

  1. Clare's Law
  2. Sarah's Law
  3. Check to find the court paperwork to see if he's been divorced and what the paperwork for this says. It may contain details of abuse or control (may not but worth a try).

It's a difficult one, I'd be trying my best to talk her out of the breast surgery. Going for cosmetic surgery to please a boyfriend of only one year? 🚩

Everything you have written suggests control issues...and we all know how this can escalate into abuse.

He's a walking red flag.

BounceyB · 25/07/2023 17:17

There's something I want to say but it's against mumsnet guidance so I won't. It's very creepy behaviour.

I think all you can do, is s gentle word at this stage. I'm sure you don't want your sister out of your life do just let her know that you're there for her.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 25/07/2023 17:23

Red flags with loud sirens at full volume. Very disturbing.

Has anyone done any snooping into his background? I would.

lordloveadog · 25/07/2023 18:30

The most worrying part is the financial dependence - quitting her job to work for him.

That's hidden in the middle of the text but I think it's very concerning, especially given his other attitudes.

Angee2023 · 25/07/2023 19:36

@Anothernamethesamegame thank you for this information, I didn’t know it was a thing so will definitely look in to it!

OP posts:
Angee2023 · 25/07/2023 19:37

@mindutopia i think your advice is spot on, thank you!

OP posts:
JMSA · 25/07/2023 19:39

I don't like the sound of him. Not at all.

FunkyMonks · 25/07/2023 19:42

Creepy as sounds like he's trying to change her into someone else not an ex of his or what? I would seriously do some background checks on him.
All you can do is be there for your sister when it's falls apart.

mayorofcasterbridge · 25/07/2023 19:56

Not only are the red flags waving, the blue lights are on and the siren is blaring!

Could you approach it from the point of view of security for her daughters? Her hair is one thing, but allowing a relatively new boyfriend to pay for her to have breast augmentation, surgery and pain on her part for something he wants, is just crazy!

She is making herself, and her children, so vulnerable, firstly by giving up her financial independence, and secondly risking the roof over their heads. He sounds very much like he is taking full control over her life and she will have no escape from him if it all goes wrong. She is very very foolish. It totally sounds like grooming to me. That's a big age gap too. He is moulding her to be the way he wants her to be.

Does she want any more children? Does he have any children? Is he likely to want them at his age? Please tell her to make sure her contraception is watertight right now!

Is her daughters' father on the scene?

RosieBurdock · 26/07/2023 02:18

my sister was setting it up but came back to the kitchen to get her phone as it had speakers which you could connect your phone to, I wasn’t in the kitchen but my partner was and he said that he heard her partner questioning why she needed to take her phone and even when she explained he still questioned it as if she was lying
This is how abusers start.

WandaWonder · 26/07/2023 03:22

Does anyone really listen when they are warned about people?

Mix56 · 26/07/2023 21:15

This is so awful to read, She is being controlled by him & may not really be aware yet. trying to pacify, justify, please, make excuses, alter her actions & appearance, & give up her security.
I would risk saying, I was so worried, Is she happy obeying & being controlled.
If this was my daughter I would do everything in my power to get her alone & tell her about emotion abuse.
I can assure you I know what I am saying, this was my life

Hufflemuff · 27/07/2023 05:28

100% YES to the Sarah's Law.

Other tips from one massive FBI stalker to another:

  1. I'd also type his full name into Google and search up the business... looking into its debts on companies House and on credit checking platforms (will maybe put your mind at ease about your sister working for him too - or show her he's broke as fuck).

  2. MOST IMPORTANT. You can also flag up any obvious police info on him to by typing his name into Google like this:

"Ken Dodd" AND "police" AND "kent" (change location to any other places you know he's been). Do this exact combination - the names and everything separately in speech marks, use AND in full caps between each section.

FOUR TIMES i have done this for friends and produced following shocking results:

  1. Showed a man attacked his ex and her new partner with a machete in her home whilst a child slept upstairs. I checked DOB of man in article and it matched as did road it happened on corresponded with the address he had listed for his business on companies House.
  2. Police article about a man who was in court for destroying his partners car and sending masses of abusive harassing messages to his ex. This turns out to be his common M.O BTW as we googled him after he started to harass my friend with many, many messages threatening to kill himself if she didn't text back etc...
  3. We knew this number 3 one was major dodge anyway, but to dig into the extent we realised he was 4 years out of prison for attempted murder and that he also had 2 brothers in prison for another murder and a 3rd younger brother taken into care.
  4. different circumstances but someone applying to work for my company as a warehouse worker (with forklift driving responsibility) got flagged up from my Googling (again a local news article on police name and shames) as being a drunk driver about 3 times over the limit one Christmas prior to his application. His social media was also littered with VERY racist comments which made him an automatic NO for a position in a very multicultural workshop.

If you want to PM me his full name and some info I can do this search for you. 😊

ChellyT · 27/07/2023 05:47

Your DS new partner is a huge RED FLAG, he has taken control of where her income is coming from. He has taken control of where she and her children will live. He has taken control of her looks and health. Please listen to your gut(s) so many in your family are feeling uneasy there is a reason. AND if you're all wrong what is the worst that can happen? That you beg her to forgive you all? Little to pay for what the alternative could be... and don't get me started with what could happen! Coercive control, financial control, DV

rainbowstardrops · 27/07/2023 08:14

Blimey, I'm not surprised you're worried about your sister! The hair extensions and boob job aside, I'd definitely be warning her about leaving her job to work with him. It sounds like she's in serious danger of getting so entangled with him, that she'll find it impossible to leave when she sees him for what he is.

Diorama1 · 27/07/2023 08:56

OP I think you could do with getting some specialist advice on how to approach your sister. She is likely to get very defensive about it and I would worry that she would mention it to her partner who would use it to isolate her from you and her family.
It will be very tricky to get the right combination of words and to pick the right thing to bring up. PP mentioned about the work situation which I think is a great one to choose.
Be careful about saying things like "we are all worried about you" as this will indicate to her that you are taking about her behind her back which will make her more defensive.
There are definitely do's and don'ts in this situation in order to get the desired result and you need advice from the people who know.
Is there a domestic violence counselling service near you that could give you advice?
Please do something though as he sounds very controlling and this will definitely end badly.

2023forme · 27/07/2023 09:06

electriclight · 25/07/2023 16:58

I don't know op. Most of your examples seem like perfectly normal behaviour to me.

Lots of people - men and women - change when they're in a relationship as you begin to influence each other in many ways. Things like the hair, gym membership, boob job could just be a normal response to wanting to look good for your partner. She's already had one boob job so it's not like he's making her do something completely out of character.

Things like the sleeping arrangement - I know dp has agreed to things but then after we've talked about it he's changed his mind.

But there is a big age difference and I don't think you'll be able to simply dismiss those feelings about him. Nothing good will come of telling your sister though. If he's a good guy, he'll be terribly hurt. If he's a bad guy, he'll double down on any controlling behaviour. Just keep talking to her so that she knows where to go if things go wrong.

What he is doing is the opposite of normal behaviour!

@Angee2023 - this is classic abuser behaviour. Older man / single parent. Moulding the way she looks /is, getting her financially dependent on him - it’s a trauma waiting to happen. If he was genuine /decent bloke, he wouldn’t be getting her to change to fit his ideal but rather would be celebrating the way she is.

she probably won’t want to hear it but maybe show her this thread? Good luck.

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