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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Stbxh's family have not defended me

50 replies

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 17:53

I have a feeling I'll be told I'm being massively unreasonable because they're his family but I'm so disappointed in them all.

Stbxh and I are separating after 17 years. 2 primary aged dc.
I caught xh meeting up with his colleague after they finished work - at midnight- going for walks along trails and meeting up in car parks. He denied he was late from work for months and instead tried to convince me I was suffering from paranoia. He succeeded to some extent. There's a history of incompetence bordering on neglect with the kids and laziness around the house prior to this.

That was September last year, since then he has orchestrated situations to make me look crazy - things like answering the phone as if it's the 100th time I've called when it's the first (phone records can easily prove it), lying about what time he's meeting people and then arriving late (to them) and blaming me.
He's threatened me with arrest, told me stories about 'other people's he's arrested at work to intimidate me. He says he's untouchable but he has to teach me a lesson. There are dozens of things I could write. He's also told our dc they misremembered something that made him look bad - they hadn't!

The latest lesson surrounded photos that were backed up to an amazon account. The amazon account is in his name but we both used it. I somehow deleted all my photos from 2018-2020 from my Gmail so this was the only copy of my dc baby photos online. Last week I logged on to check he had ordered the correct coloured item for dcs birthday - he had previous of ordering the wrong one.

I saw an order for something I didn't recognise and asked him about it. He denied it existed, I said what do you mean? It shows you collected it at x y z. He lost his shit.

He changed the amazon password and locked me out. Said I had no right to my photos and if I was nice he would download them for me. I also realised it wasn't just baby photos on there, there were intimate photos from after I had the kids. Not sexual just trying to survey the damage. Realising he had all of my screenshots, photos, everything just made me feel so incredibly violated.

He said if I watched him delete them then he wouldn't do it. Obviously I do not trust him. He said as he was doing it that all he has to do is lock his phone and it's over no more photos. So he did lock it when I refused to move away. I was standing about 2 feet away just observing it being done.

So I rang his dad in tears to explain what he'd done - I've never reached out like this to them before- and explained what he'd said in the hopes that he'd come and watch him delete everything. I shared with him that dh had said I was a cancer in his life this week as I am still reeling from that- for no reason except I now see him for what he is and dont believe his lies. Dfil said he wouldn't get involved.

At dc birthday party one family member approached me to say he was unhappy with dhs behaviour but then spent the party happily chatting. Dsil has been a friend for last 17 years. Dh has shown very little interest in days out so me and dsil regularly met up a few times a month. The day dsil had her daughter, I was at the hospital dropping off essentials as she came early. Dh did not meet his niece until she was 4mo and that was only because I told him he had to.

I've supported dfil with applying for pip, as in did the applications, offered general help with tech. Dsil knows what dh is like and no one has said a single word to him about his behaviour towards me and my dc.

I don't know how to proceed. I want to maintain the kids relationships with their cousins but I think if they brush this under the rug I won't be able to stand being around them.

Stbxh has never facilitated time with his side, its alwaye been me as he has extensive hobbies that obviously take priority. I'm not asking for them to cut contact but for God's sake how can they not tell him his behaviour is disgusting? I just feel like I've given support freely to his family for years and years in so many different ways yet when it comes to supporting me in the worst time of my life no one is saying a word.

OP posts:
AppleKatie · 13/04/2025 17:56

Yanbu of course you’re not but his family aren’t going to help you and he probably won’t delete those photos. As they are intimate I’m not sure if it’s potentially a police matter? Might be worth getting proper advice on that.

pikkumyy77 · 13/04/2025 17:58

Just get out. You are locked in a struggle you can’t win.

Exasperated24 · 13/04/2025 18:00

Is he a cop? Have you posted about him before?

If so I’d tread very carefully, although obviously you shouldn’t have to.

I’d be heartbroken too in your position regarding his family. Yes to family loyalty but I don’t see how it’s so hard for people to stand up to their own family if they’re in the wrong.

Though if he is a cop they probably don’t want to get on his bad side either! x

Elektra1 · 13/04/2025 18:03

Errrr, this happens. Blood is thicker etc. Happened to me when ex had an affair - I had the in laws telling other relatives we’d just split up for no reason and there was no one else involved, and that I was “toxic” for saying there was, even though ex literally moved out of this house and straight in with the OW.

Time is a good healer. It doesn’t matter whether “his side” believe your side of events. Just focus on yourself. You won’t get closure by trying to make people believe “the truth”. You get it by letting go and moving on and making a good life for yourself. Therapy helps. It’s very painful but it’s a chapter in your life and you will have new chapters and a new life. Look after yourself. You don’t need their validation. You know the truth.

BillyBoe46 · 13/04/2025 18:04

Is he a copper?

JLou08 · 13/04/2025 18:04

How do you know they haven't said anything? If it was a member of my family, especially a close member, I would be making my feelings very clear to them in private, it wouldn't be known in public.
Your ex sounds like a dangerous man, he has potentially manipulated some of the family. I would just be cutting my losses with the whole family I think.

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 18:17

Yes he's a police officer and I've posted about his manipulation before.
I said I would seek police advice and he said they'd laugh at me because it's his account in his name and he was doing what I'd asked but wanted to do it under his own conditions - e.g. me not standing there meaning I'd have no idea if he had deleted them or not.

OP posts:
Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 18:18

@JLou08 he'd have been furious at me if they had, he's very determined to come out of this with his public image intact

OP posts:
LadyGaGasPokerFace · 13/04/2025 18:23

Report him to the police. He’s using his position to intimidate you. They’d take this very seriously now. We’re not in the 1950’s thank the lord.
First thing to sort is getting all the evidence together and getting your own case together. It’ll keep them busy.

Wishyouwerehere50 · 13/04/2025 18:24

Ah I really feel for you.

You cannot in any way trust any of his family. Because he is scarily messed up, it's possible his family members could be dysfunctional in ways you don't fully realise. So they could enable him, be scared of him, never hold him accountable, be ' flying monkeys ', be naive to his lies and manipulation. He will also have told many lies about you no doubt.

As upsetting and lonely as it feels, you must be clever with all this. Do you watch Dr Ramani on YouTube? Your self protection is essential. That means you close off people connected to him emotionally, because you have no choice. He's scary.

I hope you have friends close to you or people who are not in any way connected to him.
You cannot trust any members of his family.

thepariscrimefiles · 13/04/2025 18:29

Stop facilitating your in-laws' relationship with your kids. They are not on your side or in your corner so back off and stop helping them.

Your stbxh sounds like a psychopath. I'm not surprised to hear that he is in the police.

Don't trust any of them.

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 18:39

I'd love to take him to court for what he's done. I've kept extensive diaries with dates and times since last year. If I reported him though he would absolutely lose his job and I'd lose child maintenance. I don't know what's worse, condemning us to living life on the breadline or watching him walk around freely knowing what he has done.

OP posts:
abracadabra1980 · 13/04/2025 18:41

I really feel for you and empathise with your situation. I went though an almost identical situation when my exH had an affair, totally blindsided me, left me with two babies into the bargain, behaved as if it were me having the affair. He was horrendous but I can only assume the guilt was all consuming. I had been part of his family and his extended family's lives, for decades. As soon as this happened, I realised how little I mattered (and was loved) by my in-laws. Granted they didn't know about the mid life crisis cocaine taking or prostitution costs to Amsterdam (I spared them that much), but hardly a word of comfort or support from them regarding the year long affair he had. They didn't lambast him or tear a strip off him, which I most certainly have done with my children, whether they were adults or not. You live and learn, and morals matter hugely to me.

Octavia64 · 13/04/2025 18:47

You can’t trust the in-laws or rely on them for support.

sorry.

I learned the hard way as well

lovemycbf · 13/04/2025 18:55

You can’t trust anyone connected to him family or friends included.
you need to get away from him and stay away and not rise to him

Riaanna · 13/04/2025 19:05

Why are you still questioning him about things he’s purchased if you’re ended? Just stay away from him and his family.

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 20:10

Because we are still living together until next month and I thought it - foolishly- could have been a small olive branch to me. By his reaction it definitely wasn't.

Thank you for the advice, I agree it probably isn't feasible to carry on.

OP posts:
Riaanna · 13/04/2025 20:12

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 20:10

Because we are still living together until next month and I thought it - foolishly- could have been a small olive branch to me. By his reaction it definitely wasn't.

Thank you for the advice, I agree it probably isn't feasible to carry on.

Questioning him about expenditure is not remotely appropriate.

Endofyear · 13/04/2025 20:36

I'm not sure what you can do about the photos, maybe you should get some legal advice? For now, I wouldn't discuss it with him at all - don't give him power over you in any way. Don't expect help or support from his family - they will side with him whether his behaviour is disgusting or not. Keep working to make a life away from him - you need to get away from him as soon as possible.

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 20:39

And him holding my very personal data hostage was?

OP posts:
Nonsense10 · 13/04/2025 20:46

Unfortunately he has every right to change his password. You shouldn't have looked or let him know about it. I understand why you did it, but please for your own sake take a step back.

In terms of the photos, as long as he isn't threatening to use them against you there isn't much you can do about it. It's weird if he did keep those private photos though.

It sounds like with him, you're never going to "win". Don't engage with him unless it's a need to know about the children. However, not reporting him for fear of loss of maintenance is something you need to reconsider. Would you be entitled to UC? Do you work?

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 20:58

There is no winning with him, I know he will make my life as difficult as possible just because he can. He's already made comments about school holidays being my problem once I'm in employment again because he is too important to change roles or departments or take unpaid leave.
I think I would be entitled to universal credit. I really don't know what to do. Ideally never have to see him again.

OP posts:
Riaanna · 13/04/2025 21:14

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 20:39

And him holding my very personal data hostage was?

Which came first?

Iknowaristotlee · 13/04/2025 21:42

His incompetency to order gifts came first.

OP posts:
feelingrobbed · 13/04/2025 22:03

Gently, you need to let go. You’re checking up on him, expecting his family to show you kindness.

it’s over. He is vile. Expect nothing. No point questioning him or attempting to gain anything reasonable. Avoid confrontation and get away from him. Flowers