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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Am I being precious or does he really not care?

73 replies

Kushanku · 02/10/2010 06:32

I started college on the same week that OH had a week off work. I got the bus every morning in pissing down rain and not once did he offer to give me a lift in the car. The car (which I pay half towards upkeep and petrol every month) was left redundant on the driveway for a week. I wasn't "allowed" to take it in case he "needed" it - he didn't want to be stranded at home (you know, like I was every day before starting college). Never offered to pick me up or anything.

Thing is, as I do contribute half cost of the car the agreement was that I could use it 50% during the week, I just take him to work and pick him up after work. It doesn't inconvenience him at all. But my time with the car is getting less and less, he never lets me use it anymore. He's even insisting on taking me to work on a weekend and picking me up "incase" he needs the car whilst I'm at work. I get Thursdays and Fridays off college every week. Last week I asked him if I could use the car Thursday. He pondered it and then said "but you wanted it saturday too, I thought you were taking DS swimming?" I said "I am" so he said "so you want it Thursday AND saturday??" ffs 2 days in an entire week when I'm paying half towards the cost of the bloody thing??

Since I started college I have attracted upwanted attention from a bloke who has taken it upon himself to follow me around, make sure he's sat RIGHT next to me in class, pesters me for my phone number, pesters me to allow him to buy me coffee - I told him I'm married - doesn't put him off. I told OH who starts ffing and blinding, acts all livid, accuses me of encouraging it (it's always my fault) and says something needs to be done. I suggest he come and meet me from college one day (not to have a confrontation obv, just to put the bloke off a bit, show a presence etc). I got no reply.

Last wednesday was particularly bad, the bloke followed me to toilet, waited outside toilet for me, followed me back to class - I text OH and asked him to come and meet me. His reply was "Just tell him to fuck off". Later he said "I can't just drop everything when you say so". He was sat at home at the time on the bloody lap top.

Latest incident - School made me an appointment to see DS's teacher. It was a college day so I had to re-arrange. Teacher called me and asked if I could go in after school on the 15th. I agreed. I told OH I'd need the car that day (appointment was at 3pm, he leaves work at 3pm but normally as a one off he'll sit in the canteen until I get there)- He said "just walk to school, I'll pick you up after work". The school is a good 40 minute walk away and yes I know its not "that far" but considering OH needs the car just to go 5 minutes to the shop, I feel its a bit rich him telling me to walk. He'll walk NOWHERE. He just won't put himself out for me at all. Am I being precious??

OP posts:
Ineedmorechocolatenow · 02/10/2010 07:55

Might not be physical. Have you checked your internet history?

skidoodly · 02/10/2010 07:56

X-posted

yes, he's shagging

it sounds like even when he was "nice" he was a controlling twat though. Driving you everywhere and bullying into sex?

Do you have children together? If not, leave now. If so... leave anyway actually.

Kushanku · 02/10/2010 08:07

I made a huge mistake regarding the internet history. I found a program that allowed me to view history that had been deleted and in there I found porn (after he'd promised to stop looking at it). During a heated argument I shouted at him that I'd found his deleted internet history and told him how. Needless to say whenever I look in the history now, its always completely clean (I mean, even the sites I KNOW he has been on has been wiped). He's using the same program I used, only he uses it to clean rather than spy.
I have his facebook password which he doesn't know about, nothing dodgy on there (there was, at one time a long conversation going on between him and another woman where he neglected to mention me (depsite her asking what he was up to these days and if he was still married to his ex - he just said "no, we divorced - didn't mention current marriage though!!) and I'm sure if I didn't interupt that it would have gone further.

I have his email password - nothing dodgy in there up until recently when he's deleted all his sent messages. Very unusual.

I even have his mobile phone account password, check his phone usage - nothing even on there. I do suspect another phone/sim card but found no evidence of that yet, no real reason to suspect it either, I just "do" and I can't explain why.

OP posts:
Kushanku · 02/10/2010 08:13

Just found out he's changed his bank password.

OP posts:
Tootlesmummy · 02/10/2010 08:22

Now my alarm bells would be ringing and very very loudly.

You need to confront him and if he doesn't come up with something sensible I'd kick his arse out as he sounds like he's treating you like dirt and if that's his best you'd be better off on your own.

How is he towards the children at the moment?

KristinaM · 02/10/2010 08:24

What skidoodly said

Runoutofideas · 02/10/2010 08:25

Just a thought....if he is unhappy too and if he's having an affair, do you think maybe he's treating you extra badly in the hope that you'll leave him so he doesn't have to do the dirty work and initiate splitting up..? My controlling ex did this to me and when we eventually split, managed to make me look like the evil relationship wrecker, despite his affair with my friend..... I may be way off and if so, sorry!

jumpyjack · 02/10/2010 08:32

Would cheating also explain why he needs the car so badly? To see the OW?

twopeople · 02/10/2010 08:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/10/2010 08:37

K

So many red flags here. He was controlling you in the early days as well and you did not see it back then; the signs were all too apparant then. My guess too is that there is now also an OW.

What are you getting out of this relationship now?. Why are you with him?.

"Why does he do that?" written by Lundy Bancroft would be a useful book for you to read.

AlgebraKnocksItUpANotchBAM · 02/10/2010 08:51

oh dear :(

he sounds like a right arse. whether or not he's cheating, you deserve a lot better than him.

how long have you been together?

is he acting out because of stress/depression? not that it's an excuse, but it may explain the sudden change.

what's he like with your DS?

LadyintheRadiator · 02/10/2010 08:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DaisyDaresYOU · 02/10/2010 09:11

Leave him,he is abusive.I knew of someone just like this,everyday was a battle for es wife.Luckly the mrs divorced him.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 02/10/2010 09:15

Good lord just leave the arsehole. I could never be with someone who didn't treat my child like one of their own.

Anniegetyourgun · 02/10/2010 10:02

Some men can only be nice to one woman at a time. If he suddenly stopped being nice to you, logically he has probably transferred his niceness to someone else. Mind you, although I'm not saying cheating wouldn't be a big deal if that is what he's up to, it's not so important at this point to find out why he's doing it, as to stop him bloody doing it. The point at where it adversely impacts on a child is when it's no longer acceptable. A 9-year-old has to cycle in the rain just in case the big man might need to pop to the shops during the day? That's original wicked stepfather behaviour, right out of Dickens (ok, there weren't any cars in Dickens's day, but you know what I mean). Angry

Btw anyone else suspect he didn't want to confront the stalker because he's shit scared he might have to actually do something about it? Far easier to blame the stalkee behind closed doors. A bully and a coward.

Flood · 02/10/2010 10:21

Good God. After reading only the first page of posts, I found myself saying to my laptop, "Leave. Leave. Leave."

Staying will crush your spirit, and risk teaching your son(s) how to treat others, and any daughter(s) that putting up with this kind of crap is normal and expected. It's a no-win for everyone concerned.

Are you getting anything at all out of this relationship?

clam · 02/10/2010 10:51

Hang on. It's not necessarily practical for her to just "leave," however unreasonable his behaviour seems.

Certainly, however, you need to have a serious talk. I can't believe you've gone along with the car business for this long, actually. I would have made it very clear from day one that he was not doing me a favour by "letting" me use it, but that it was "ours," I was paying for half of it and I expected equal access to it.

Whether you should be paying half and half for things when you're a student, however, is another thing I would say you need to discuss. Along with the controlling behaviour, aggressive response to the unwanted attention from this guy at college, and secretive online stuff.

Have you posted about him before? Is he the one who was trying to get you to do a course he wanted you to do, rather than the one you were choosing? And very sniffy about fellow-students you were meeting? Apologies
if I'm wrong.

dignified · 02/10/2010 10:52

Sounds like hes been abusive right from the start although you obviously misinterpretated it for protectiveness.

What were your other relationships like ?
Are you on good terms with your parents ?

It sounds like the house is yours and hes moved in with you . Perhaps give womens aid a call if you need some support , and also start reading up on emotional abuse . These men just get worse and worse.

LittleMissHissyFit · 02/10/2010 10:55

when you wrote the post about how he used to be mega protective etc.. that really scared me.

He is behaving like this because he is being threatened by your college course. This is not going to get any better, you do know that don't you.

Meantime, either say I'm taking the car, it's half mine, especially as you have this stalker problem. He doesn't like your food, easily solved, let him do his own. with all the email stuff, missing internet history etc... it really does't look good at all, it looks really worrying.

or other option stop the car payment and let him have it all, and all the upkeep.

Speak to the college about this bloke that is bothering you.

Take control of your life, this bloke is not to be trusted with any degree of say on your day to day life, he has abused his position of power, exactly by making it so.

Ultimately, this may get a lot worse before it gets better, get your legal situation clear, get advice and get a flight bag together. Has he ever been violent?

Janos · 02/10/2010 11:01

You are not being precious, kushanku. He sounds absolutely awful.

From what you describe he is selfish, lazy, mean (money wise), aggressive, possibly controlling and it also sounds like he is unpleasant to your DS.

Does he have any redeeming features at all?

skidoodly · 02/10/2010 11:30

Very good post Little. good point about him being threatened by the college course.

SolidGoldBrass · 02/10/2010 11:41

Yes, get rid. This man is abusive and will get worse.
Make your plans carefully, have everything in place then, depending on who owns the house etc, either tell him you are leaving or that you want him to do so. If you are the house owner and want to get him out you may need a friend with you for support as men like this can become very dangerous when they are challenged and stood up to - the riskiets time in an abusive relationship is when you are preparing to leaved.

Janos · 02/10/2010 11:49

I also would recommend speaking to someone at the college about mr stalky.

Don't be passive and feel you have to accept that behaviour, because you certainly don't!

nbee84 · 02/10/2010 11:52

The relationship is going badly wrong if you have the passwords to his email/facebook/bank acc etc and feel the need to check up on him. That's not normal or healthy Sad

newwave · 02/10/2010 12:03

Tell him you dont need the car as the bloke at college will be giving you a lift home then come home about two hours (go shopping or have a coffee) later than expected. When he asks where you were say you went for a drink with a few of the others in your class at college.

Avoid answering questions about who you went with or where you went just say you had a great time and didnt think he would notice/be bothered.

For effect come home by minicab but get out of the car about three doors from your house, as the cab pulls away shout out "see you later John".

His mind will be spinning all sorts of scenarios

o