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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Secret photos

49 replies

OldSouthernchic · 10/03/2024 17:31

Looking for sanity check...

AIBU to be upset that husband has taken sneaky photos of me in the shower & not told me?

Last year we stayed in a hotel room, a third of which was a glass cubed bathroom with partially obscured glass for privacy.
Without my knowledge, my husband took photos of me with his mobile phone whilst in the shower, washing my hair, etc.
Fast forward 4 months & I've had an accident in my car & husband has taken some photos of the damage on his phone. So back home we've connected his phone to my laptop to download photos for online claim form.
There were 4/5 thumbnails of a naked woman (didn't have my glasses on at the time). I said 'who's that?' You, he replies sheepishly. I took them when we went to J...... I asked him why he didn't tell me & he said because he knew I'd be funny about it. After a few seconds I said, 'Well, I am 'funny' about it because you didn't tell me!'
Later that evening I asked him to delete them & he said he had. I knew his pin at that time, so I looked at his phone but the photos were still in his Bin, so I deleted them. He has since changed his pin.
He has 2 friends who regularly send him soft porn photos, usually with a derogatory (to women) caption which infuriates me, as do some of his responses. One of these friends is over 80!!

I have never said anything as I don't want him to know I've looked at his phone. It was pretty obvious when something of that nature had been sent as he kind of sunk down in the sofa, as you would if a saucy bit came on the TV & you were sat there with your parents, which made me curious enough to look.
I don't think he has sent the photos of me to either of them. I would be so furious if he had. Probably be looking at divorce. As I said, he's now changed the pin..
I feel outraged that, despite knowing I'd be 'funny' about it, he has kept these photos, to look at himself presumably, without any respect for my feelings. It's my body, my decision if there are naked photos in existence. I've had naked pics taken before, but with full knowledge & consent. He has said in the past I seem to hide myself when getting undressed etc & he sometimes takes a sneaky look! Which is ridiculous. We're husband & wife ffs. I don't hide, but neither am I exhibiting my wares at every oppportunity!!

I believe these behaviours are progressive & the tip of the iceberg.
I've been waiting for him to apologise, but I know he won't as he thinks he's done nothing wrong. I feel he has violated my trust & things are decidedly frosty atm.
I'd appreciate your POV, but kindly, please, as I feel a bit shell-shocked.

OP posts:
coxesorangepippin · 10/03/2024 17:32

It's just awful. What an invasion of privacy

uhOhOP · 10/03/2024 17:33

I've nothing useful to say, but I want to say he sounds slimy.

Allfur · 10/03/2024 17:35

It's sad men in their 80s are still twats

PleaseBeHappier · 10/03/2024 17:36

Repulsive and violating behaviour. I'd be leaving

GwinGwyn · 10/03/2024 17:37

I’m so sorry, I think that’s horrible behaviour. You are not wrong to see this as a huge red flag. Plus the whole “You would be funny about it.” With just cause actually chum! I think you need a deeper conversation with him. You must be feeling all sorts of unsettled right now. I don’t think his behaviour is ok at all, whether he told you about it or not.

Northernsouloldies · 10/03/2024 17:38

I'd not be that sure that he didn't forward those on to his mates.

Zanatdy · 10/03/2024 17:38

That’s not on OP, I’d be fuming too

Northernsouloldies · 10/03/2024 17:39

Unfortunately,not trying to add to your problems.

theduchessofspork · 10/03/2024 17:41

Yep that’s unacceptable

The problem is that he doesn’t understand why, because his access to internet porn has de-sensitised him to privacy and the idea that a woman has to consent to a naked photo of her being taken.

If he’s changed his pin I’m guessing he knows you deleted the images.

I’m not sure where you go from here with this.. I would be very unhappy and it would damage my relationship

SKG231 · 10/03/2024 17:44

it’s gross behaviour. The recent news story about the poor lady whose husband drugged her and let over 80 men rape her just shows how far the scales can tip. I’m not saying this is the day but it’s just a minor example of how he view you, doesn’t respect you and I wouldn’t even want to think about who he’s sharing the pictures with if sending derogatory pictures of women is the norm between him and his friends.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 10/03/2024 17:45

That’s disgusting and I wouldn’t trust him not to forward them on. How would he feel if you did this to him? Does he lie? I mean you can’t be sure if he hasn’t forwarded these photos onto friends or indeed elsewhere eg uploaded onto a dodgy site. I’d be worried about the latter. His friends will lie regardless.

Is there anything else wrong in your relationship? I’m really not sure if I could get past this. The trust would be broken.

GladAllOver · 10/03/2024 17:45

If he's received smutty pictures from his mates, you can be sure he's sent them the pictures of you.
I'm sorry for you.

Morewineplease10 · 10/03/2024 17:47

If you get his phone and take it to the police they can tell you exactly what he's done with your images even if he's then deleted them etc.

justanothermanicmonday1 · 10/03/2024 17:50

My first thought was "I bet he's sent then to someone"

Why would he do this without telling you?

That is quite serious OP. And I would be considering leaving. It's creepy.

StedeBonnet · 10/03/2024 17:58

I think he's sent them too. I thought so even before the context of his mates sharing pics with him.

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 10/03/2024 18:02

That's a crossing a line, I couldn't recover from.

I wouldn't be able to trust him or even ne comfortable in his presence. I'm sorry but I woukd be able to sleep in a house with someone like that.

What else does he do to violate your privacy that you aren't even aware of?

ohdamnitjanet · 10/03/2024 18:16

Northernsouloldies · 10/03/2024 17:38

I'd not be that sure that he didn't forward those on to his mates.

My first thought. Ugh.

Daleksatemyshed · 10/03/2024 18:41

When he says you'd "be funny" about them he means you'd tell him No, he thinks it's fine to take intimate photos of you without your knowledge and therefore with no chance of you making him delete them. As a pp said, porn now sees women's privacy and right to say No as being unimportant if it gets in the way of a man's pleasure. If you stay with him I'd get a damn good lock on the bathroom door and change my clothes where he can't see

Tel12 · 10/03/2024 18:53

I think that you need to ask him if he's shared the photos. You may know by his response if he's telling you the truth. I'd be more than fuming, he's un trustworthy to say the least.

anon4net · 10/03/2024 21:16

Agreed, to me this is a giant leap too far. The fact he has now hidden password by changing pin also tells me there is more to the story.

He took them without consent and then didn't tell you anytime after. When you caught him, he then didn't take responsibility and blamed you. I really don't think this is a good man.

I couldn't recover from this unless his reaction had been different.

Starspangledrodeopony · 10/03/2024 22:38

He’s basically a predator.

determinedtomakethiswork · 10/03/2024 23:29

What I would want to do is take any devices he's been using and put them somewhere safe and then come home and tell him I wanted a divorce. He is a predatory creep. Always judge people by the company they keep. His friends are disgusting and he is disgusting as well.

FictionalCharacter · 10/03/2024 23:39

Sorry OP, but if his friends send him pictures it's extremely likely he sends some to them too, and that's what the pics of you are for.

KateCrusader · 11/03/2024 01:52

OP what he has done is actually a crime. Filming or taking photographs of someone without their consent or knowledge is a crime.

OldSouthernchic · 11/03/2024 20:26

Thank you all for taking the trouble to comment. I realise it's a first world problem & relatively insignificant in the greater scheme of things.

So, we played tennis this morning & I was so mad it was possibly my best game 😅 (every cloud and all that). Afterwards we went for coffee & I asked him (heart thumping) if he'd shared the photos with anyone. He immediately said 'no, why would I do that?' I said he needed to prove that as I don't trust him at this point & he straight away handed his phone to me. This was my cue to bring up the soft porn X and Y had shared with him, so I looked at WApp, Messenger & Insta posts from them (deleted the other offending posts whilst I was there. Really don't care if this was an invasion of his privacy). He did make the point that they were sent to him & I said he must be of the same ilk as they wouldn't have sent them to him!!
No sign of the photos he took of me. I'm relatively confident he hasn't shared them. At least not with X and Y! Does Readers Wives still exist?? LOL

I told him how the whole thing had made me feel & that he should be on his knees apologising to me. No chance of that, ha, but he did apologise, adding he wouldn't have done it if he knew it would hurt me .. I reminded him he said he hadn't told me as he knew I would be 'funny' about it, and he agreed and apologised again.
He then tried to justify himself; 'what do you expect' blah blah, trying to offset the blame, as guilty folk are apt to do & I cut him off straight away.
He hasn't exactly begged forgiveness but I do think he regrets it.

He's otherwise easy going, kind hearted & a good grand parent, but not the sharpest tool in the box!!
And this bit of trauma stopped me getting as upset as I normally am on mother's day with 3 unappreciative children .. but that's another thread!

OP posts:
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