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Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

Help with a plan to leave narcissistic emotional abusive partner

7 replies

Makeaplan · 29/02/2024 22:14

So far I have:

  • Spoken to a mortgage advisor as to whether I can afford to buy on my own
  • Looked up how much child maintenance and benefits I would be able to get.
  • Sought one off legal advice (been advised to have a solicitor experienced in narcissists onboard before leaving)
  • Written a list of precious things to gather including birth certificates and keepsakes. In case I end up leaving the house.
  • Have an ongoing list of the emotional abuse myself and DS have endured.
  • Having counselling
  • Looking after myself better - working out and eating healthier.

Thing I need to prep is how to tell my DS. He will be devastated. How do I do this? And anything else to add to the list?

OP posts:
reallyneedwinerightnow · 29/02/2024 22:25

Good list, a few things to add for you to consider

Work through, probably with your counsellor, how he is likely to try and manipulate you, gaslight you and play the victim once you finally leave him - and plan how you will respond to that. If you have thought this through in advance it will be easier to recognise what he is doing and not be swept back in.

How old is your DS? Have you made a plan for proposed contact - he will likely make this very difficult for you (and your DS) with a huge amount of emotional blackmail & pressure.

Consider whether there is a trusted third party who could 'field' his communications so you do not have to have any direct contact. I only felt that I was able to move on/get over my narcissist ex once I went no contact (thankfully no joint DC).

Good luck

SecretBanta · 29/02/2024 22:36

email any recordings to solicitor or other trusted person or a new email account for yourself
Don't have anything written down
Turn off sync
View properties on the quiet and have an overdraft ready to go (banks have financial abuse teams who will help you with this)-be prepared to rent if necessary
Don't have any correspondence coming to your home address
Find a local DV support group to keep you strong and focused
Don't waste time worrying about contact-if he wants it, let him start the ball rolling-this gives you time to collate your evidence
Tell your GP, work, counsellor-audit trail is crucial, as he will inevitably accuse you of being a liar
Good luck

97percentCheese · 29/02/2024 22:46

You've already done a lot, and it all sounds very sensible. Just be aware that he may get wind of all of this and escalate his abuse massively. Mine did. It went from really bad to really dangerous quickly.

I would try and pack some things in advance for yourself and your son, along with your vital paperwork. Get it out of the house quietly and give to a friend to keep for you. Put it in bin bags and say it's for the charity shop if needs be.

Hopefully you won't need to leave in an emergency but if you do it'll be comforting to have your own clothes at the very least. I didn't get chance to do this and ended up in primark buying necessities for us both at 6pm at night. Same for your really cherished things if he won't notice.

Ensure you've got access to some money that he can't get to, he may well drain the joint accounts.

Change all your passwords, he probably knows them.

Is your phone in your name?

Don't forget your car documents and spare key of you have one. Mine found my car and stole it with the spare key.

Have you got somewhere you could both go in an emergency?

Make sure you've got a friend or family member who knows what's happening.

Good luck, it's bloody scary and he'll say all sorts to stop you going but just keep going. It'll be worth it. 💐

bobdobbolina · 29/02/2024 23:55

Well done, you sound like you know what you're about to be dealing with, and preparing like this will make you stronger. Be ready for abuse and manipulation tactics to go off the chart. He may cry, beg, shower you with gifts, act like the worlds most perfect husband - all to buy himself time to think of ways to fuck you over.

get keys copied for anything and everything you own - garages, sheds, home doors, etc. so you can't be locked out of your own place make sure you have already removed anything precious you think he might try to 'lose' to mess with you. Stash stuff with friends, just get it out of the house. Get marriage certificate, passports. Copies of all bills, mortgage statements, notes of bank account numbers or credit cards and pension info if you can. Register your 'home rights' with the land registry (I think it's them, can't remember). This means he won't be able to sell the house from under you.

if you're going to be leaving the home, think about how to port things like shared digital services - Netflix/amazon passwords which WILL be changed so you can't use them. Anything in his name you both currently use, assume you'll no longer have access to and figure out what you want/need. You may need to set up new accounts in your sole name.

if you have utility bills in your joint names, close these accounts. You can either reset them up in your own name
if you want to continue paying, or let him. Do not let yourself get into the hell I am where we're both in the bills but he won't pay his share and can run up arrears that I'm still legally liable for. Take half of anything in joint bank accounts or savings out into an account he can't acces. Or, if you feel ballsy, take out all of it, on the understanding that half will still belong to him. It may be the leverage you need when he keeps/sells something else you jointly own of value.

google grey rock method and put it into practice. Do not be drawn into pointless circular arguments. You do not have to Justify, Argue, Defend or Explain yourself- google the JADE method. Follow Your Dicorce Coach on insta who has some great advice and techniques to stay sane, also Lisa Sonni on leaving a narcissistic abuser.

act quickly. Time and surprise will be on your side. If they are narcissistic, they will attempt to thwart you whatever you do, and regardless of what would actually be best for your child, so don't give him a chance to hide assets, drag it out and make life hell.

if you have to interact in person, keep your phone recording in your pocket. Keep a record of everything by emailing yourself at a new account. Assume every password you have is already compromised and change them all.

he will do everything to stop you walking away. Just keep your eyes on the horizon and keep stepping away. It will feel impossible at times but keep plodding, recognising the difference between what in your control (your boundaries and enforcing them) and what isn't (all the shit he will do to trample all over them). Try to avoid conversations in person as he'll just use this as an excuse to start and argument by doing DARVO, do it in writing so you have evidence

I am rooting for you, you can do this. Everything feels impossible until it's done.

Jenny876 · 01/03/2024 05:53

Firstly, I want to say well done for realising what situation you are in and wanting to do the best by yourself and your child. So many of us stayed too long as we didn’t feel we could leave for whatever reasons. No matter what happens you are doing the right thing and you are brave. I am currently divorcing my narcissist husband and it’s been tough- but I tell myself everyday I did the right thing by leaving and it will work out for the best in the end.

safeguard yourself and your child. Once your husband knows you are leaving/have left they will get nasty- mine made all sorts of false child neglect accusations against me but I had already safeguarded ourselves against it by making a disclosure to police and school. You don’t have to press charges against him but it’s all about documenting everything and engaging in services so you can build a safety net around you and your child.

your list is very good and I know others have added suggestions- it goes without saying do not let your husband know where you are moving too. Tell your solicitor and anyone else that needs to have contact with him not to disclose your address.

national domestic abuse helpline is also good with advice, so is victim support. National domestic abuse helpline can help you get a restraining order if it comes to it.

narcissists know when things are different as they study and know us well- for your and your child’s safety you need to act as you normally do until you leave. Do not engage with him and his gaslighting etc

regarding your child- it really depends on age. I had a 9 year old and a 6 month old when I left my ex. I sat the eldest down and said mum and dad aren’t happy together and this is ok, sometimes people change and can’t live together anymore because they just argue and that isn’t healthy for anyone. I will tell her the truth when she is older coz she loves her dad and at the mo he’s behaving with the kids so I don’t want to do anything to jeopardise their relationship. If you think yours will be violent etc please please consider supervised visitation and always do child handover in a public place (we do outside asda).

I hope it all goes smoothly for you and please do update us when you have left. Take care 😊

Makeaplan · 03/03/2024 21:16

97percentCheese · 29/02/2024 22:46

You've already done a lot, and it all sounds very sensible. Just be aware that he may get wind of all of this and escalate his abuse massively. Mine did. It went from really bad to really dangerous quickly.

I would try and pack some things in advance for yourself and your son, along with your vital paperwork. Get it out of the house quietly and give to a friend to keep for you. Put it in bin bags and say it's for the charity shop if needs be.

Hopefully you won't need to leave in an emergency but if you do it'll be comforting to have your own clothes at the very least. I didn't get chance to do this and ended up in primark buying necessities for us both at 6pm at night. Same for your really cherished things if he won't notice.

Ensure you've got access to some money that he can't get to, he may well drain the joint accounts.

Change all your passwords, he probably knows them.

Is your phone in your name?

Don't forget your car documents and spare key of you have one. Mine found my car and stole it with the spare key.

Have you got somewhere you could both go in an emergency?

Make sure you've got a friend or family member who knows what's happening.

Good luck, it's bloody scary and he'll say all sorts to stop you going but just keep going. It'll be worth it. 💐

Oh gosh so sorry to hear what you went through. I'm hoping making a plan will make it easier but Im still very unsure about everything!

And oh no I didn't think of that...my phone is in his name 😬😬

I still can't believe all this is happening. He's in the nice phase ATM so I'm thinking 'oh he's not that bad'! But he really is.

Did social services get involved at all with you guys?

OP posts:
97percentCheese · 04/03/2024 14:14

Makeaplan · 03/03/2024 21:16

Oh gosh so sorry to hear what you went through. I'm hoping making a plan will make it easier but Im still very unsure about everything!

And oh no I didn't think of that...my phone is in his name 😬😬

I still can't believe all this is happening. He's in the nice phase ATM so I'm thinking 'oh he's not that bad'! But he really is.

Did social services get involved at all with you guys?

Hi OP, you are doing brilliantly, very sensible to be planning like this. Its really hard, but not as hard as spending the rest of your life with him while he hurts you and your child. It'll be worth it.

I'd be mindful of your phone now, if it's in his name then I assume he can access the bill with call logs? If you've been calling women's aid or solicitors you'll not want him to see it.

We did end up being refered to social services briefly. I had very serious concerns about the saftey of DS who was 3 at the time. I tried to supervise contact myself and it was an absolute car crash, he was really abusive to me and frightened DS. I stopped contact and ended up needing to speak to police who refered us to MASH (multi agency safeguarding hub), it's called Front Door in our area now. Our health visitor refered us too.

I had a phone call from social services, I explained my concerns, they said I was free to excersie my parental rights in regards to protecting DS. They just wanted to know DS was safe with me.

ExH refused professional supervised contact for many months before taking me to family court, agreeing to contact within a centre whilst the court proceedings took place, that lasted about 18 months.

I got a civil Non Molestation Order too, just after I first left, as exH was threatening to come to my new house all the time. He said "only a judge could tell him what to do", so I got one to tell him!

Hopefully it won't come to that for you, but maybe have an idea of someone who could facilitate contact for you, perhaps a family member or friend, so you don't have to face him.

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