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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

Husband on online dating chat sites

613 replies

WherecanIhide · 09/12/2010 10:27

Hello,

My husband has always been a bit of a night owl (been together 21 years and have 2 DC) Recently I got a strange feeling something was going on. This morning I went on his laptop and looked at 'history' and it is full of 'No strings dating' and he has been talking to 'Becky, 22 Linc' etc. I don't think he has actually done anything cos he rarely goes out in the evening, but he has plenty of opportunity during the day to leave work for an hour or 2. I'm still in shock. I've emailed him letting him know he's been rumbled and waiting for his reply. How would you handle this? Please tell me what you would do if you were me.

TIA xx

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Doha · 27/12/2010 10:43

It's so easy for me to sit and type what you should do but as you say doing it is very different. The hurt will lessen a wee bit every day but won't go overnight, you are still very raw do please don't be too hard on yourself.
Post on here what you want to say/text him instead of sending it to him or as l said just dont press the send button to sent to him.
He is toast and in a while you will realise you are better off without him and deserve so much better.
Think distraction, when you go to sent the mail, ping a band around your wrist/ throw a dart at a dartboard (his face as target)/run naked round the garden...
Regain your self worth. He does not deserve you.

WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 10:45

Thankyou - I'll keep reading your messages as well.

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googoomama · 27/12/2010 10:45

Don't beat yourself up too much Where. This is very early days for you my love and for what it's worth I wish that I'd been able to vent my anger in this direct way - I think it's quite healthy actually but stop doing it now and try to detach if you can...you've got it out of your system, now concentrate on you and your DCs. And remember, his shiny new life is built on sand and won't last. Much love, you're doing SO well you know and you survived Christmas! :)

WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 10:57

Thankyou goo. I am a bit embarrassed at what I've been doing tbh. It has only been 3 weeks...

On xmas day when he came round he asked if we had 2 of anything that he could take to his new flat. Damn cheek. Yesteray, when making arrangements re dc, I told him I imagined charlie (his tart) would be helping him move in/buy stuff for his flat - after all, I'd seen how much money she's now got? He said he hadn't heard from her since Thursday. IF he's telling the truth, then it MAY already be over! She'll probably come crawling back to try for more money...

Still kills that he'd rather be lonely than with me...

My first mantra = karma

My second mantra = don't contact him!

Thankyou for your support xxx

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gettingeasier · 27/12/2010 14:46

Where its only been 3 weeks . Exactly.

I had just over a couple of months while xh was still living with us but it was on its way out/over between us. This time was great for letting go of a lot of emotions and clearing the air. You havent had this opportunity and what hes done and the speed of him moving out have left you reeling and with a rage that needs an outlet.

I understand advice about not contacting him and in due course that will be good realistic advice. In the meantime if its cathartic to release emotion onto him then do it. This isnt a game of you looking cool or where you should feel you need to pretend you arent affected by whats happened . This man has behaved in a vile,deceitful manner turning his back on you and your dd on discovery.

Where dont beat yourself up , trust me you will arrive at a point where you know you want to begin detaching from him and not showing him how you feel and it will be the right time to conceal how hes hurt you. In the meantime let him have it.

Oh and dont worry next Christmas will be fab Wink

dittany · 27/12/2010 16:33

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dittany · 27/12/2010 16:36

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WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 16:59

Thanks for your messages - always much appreciated.

Our dd WAS recovering but now is virtually anorexic. She isn't skin and bones yet but is getting there. She is being weighted on 4th Jan and if she's lost weight (since 14 December) she'll be referred to anorexic support (whatever it is).

I was 17 and he was 29 when we met. He never pressurised me into sex - he was my first and waited 10 months. I do think he has a 'thing' about rescuing young girls for his own ego. He was always the 'clever' one with a degree etc whilst I didn't have any GCSEs. I have a first class degree now (for what it's worth) and beat him with the classification.

It is such a mess. He doesn't sexually abuse our daughter but he shouldn't have told her about having a girl friend/made her keep his awful secret etc etc. He says he did it so she wouldn't worry about him (her OCD) but he was doing it for his own selfish reasons. She knows about his sexual preferences from his laptop which is also wholly innapropriate BUT she is a Daddy's girl (he took advantage of that) and wants to see him.

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WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 17:00

Gettingeasier - thankyou for your post.

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dittany · 27/12/2010 17:23

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WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 17:29

YES! Emotional abuse

He's just bought our dd home and she's told me he really misses the girl who bled him dry BUT still thinks he get a girl in her twenties! I'm reeling. I think you are right - he is predatory.

I've made sure dd's team knows EVERTHING.

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dittany · 27/12/2010 17:36

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nogreatexpectations · 27/12/2010 18:09

I agree with Dittany, your husband may be the cause of your daughters distress.

I'm sure you mentioned self harming in respect of your daughter. Is that correct? If so when did her problems start? It isn't appropriate for a father to involve his daughter in his sex life and I would agree that it amounts to sexual and emotional abuse.

I left the thread before christmas because I couldn't get rid of the niggling feeling that your daughters emotional/mental health problems stem from the relationship appropriate or otherwise with her father.

DH works in psychiatric nursing and works with women self harmers with eating disorders and personality problems, a common theme is abusive relationships within their family.

I think emails at 5am aside you are being so very calm and reasonable, I think I might have done something very silly in anger by now. Stay strong and if sending the insults to him keeps you from doing anything daft and helps to get it out your system, its not such a bad way to cope.

HappyHECmanay · 27/12/2010 18:16

Seems to me he likes young girls. Once a girl becomes a woman, she's too old for him.

UrbanPatiencekeepinitreal · 27/12/2010 18:30

Wcih i will never have my X in my home now and very rarely speak to him,I could pinpoint after a few weeks that this was when I was most vulnerable and upset.I protect myself now ,if mum is happy dcs are happy ,I have created a stable home for my dcs now and u will 2.big hugs ps its only recently that I stopped sending the odd random " wanker " text to my X ,but that's just the rage of injustice.

WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 18:53

Definately emotional abuse.

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dittany · 27/12/2010 19:24

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WherecanIhide · 27/12/2010 20:08

Hi again

Just had a LONG conversation with him and told him not to say anything about girlfriends to either of our children. I've told him he has to set a good example to them for now and for when they have girl/boyfriends in the future.

I don't think dd got ill initially as a result of twat. It is only a recent thing (marriage problems)and she got ill during 2008. He says it is midlife crisis but has been unhappy with me for a long time, just didn't know how to tell me and he 'needs' his freedom and independence. I told him he shouldn't go after girls in their twenties and he says it's non of my business what he does. In his mind, our marriage is so OVER, we are living appart so he can live his life how he wants (at last). He accepted he should keep his affairs from the children now on (time will tell). He doesn't get the 'parents as role models' thing - he is too selfish for that. Luckily I get it 100% so will have to set our dc a good example. He doesn't get how wrong/sad it is to go for young girls. I told him he's deluded but insists it is none of my business (denial?) I reminded him he is technically married but he won't listen or wait around until divorce to go perving. He definately gets off on 'rescuing'young women - ego?/the only way he'd catch a girl is by making himself indespensible to them(?). I'm hoping he wouldn't go below aged 20, but not so sure he would be able to resist.

Obviously he was soooo wrong telling our dd about his girl-friend and making her keep it a secret etc etc but he didn't tell her about sex with this tart cos he says she wouldn't let him spend the night so I'm not sure how much sex there was. He's admitted he's been used by this girl for money but believes a girl in her 20's will want a diabetic impotent 51 year old (deluded?) Katie saw on his notebook (whilst looking for cinema time confirmation email)sex chat line link and opened it. The last thing I want to do is defend twat, but he hasn't been telling dd about is sexual exploits (asked dd)so I don't think she is in danger in that way. If he keeps his promise to keep seperate his perving from dc, then I think dc will be fine with him because he is keen to keep contact with them etc etc. I don't think I have grounds to stop dc from seeing him because they need a father (got no other relatives) and he takes them out etc.

I don't want to make excuses for him but dc love him and weighing everything up, it wouldn't make sense to prevent contact. I feel it would do more harm than good.

Obviously I am going to talk to CAHMS about the situation and ask their advice.

Re divorce he thinks he can 'let us' live in the house in the future, he'll pay 100% of mortgage and keep 100% of equity/value. That got be riled.

He keeps going on about the fact I didn't go out to work enough during our relationship "like most other women do". The fact I was home for the children's school holidays etc doesn't cut any ice with him. He keeps negatively comparing me to other mums who also worked outside of the home. I don't think he believes me the courts value non-monetry contributuins. Re doing a degree he says I should have stayed a teaching assistant because at least I was bringing home £6 per hour (25 hours) which is more than I brought in during the degree (nothing financially + our dd was in hospital for 10 months of that). He has got so hung up about my lack of financial contribution - strange how he never mentioned anything about this during the last 16 years.

He's really doing my head in. Now I'm thinking to myself; 'why didn't I go out to work more?' Also, if he thinks he is getting 100% of the value of the house he is living in dreamland. Hopefully getting the divorce will put that right.

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dittany · 28/12/2010 10:40

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WherecanIhide · 28/12/2010 11:41

dittany - I'm hurt by your suggestion I am not being honest. There is nothing I am not telling you about other parts of his behaviour. I keep looking back and wondering if I've missed something but he honestly has been a loving husband and father - though I would describe his parenting style as 'passive'.

Dd's psychiatrist and care co-ordinator know everything about what he has been telling dd and involving her, yet during the meeting and since no one has said she shouldn't see him or have contact with him. They are v concerned with her lack of eating because I assumed it is more of a physical, immediate danger. We have Systemetc Therapy booked 17 Jan. Other than that nothing. The care co-ordinator told me he wasn't acting in an appropriate manner (like I didn't realise that) but other than that we;ve been left to get on with things.

The very last thing I want to do is defend the twat, but if he now keeps his gob shut re girl-friends then what grounds have I got to prevent dd seeing him? I've explained to her why it is innapropriate to hear about his hope for girl friends etc but not sure she fully understands. She seems so much happier (superficially) since the secret has come out but I am NOT ignoring her anorexic behaviour.

I think what I'm trying to say is the damage has been done - since May - and I told him again not to even discuss anything about relationships with her and he seemed to finally understand (?). I feel the damage of dd not having contact with him would be even worse.

I need to seek profession advice about this because dispite what you think I am trying to weigh everything up and do what's best for both dc. If he has got the message, then how can I justify to a 16 year old that she can't see him? If she was 10 then maybe it would be different?

I do not want to defend him cos what he did was inexcusable and unforgivable but there has not been anything else I am hiding. I don't 'do' denial

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IfYoureHappyAndYouKnowIt · 28/12/2010 11:44

Hi Where Xmas Smile.

What a horrible position for you to be in. Dealing with your H and picking through the DD situation must be so difficult.

I have some experience of being dumped and in parallel having a tough DC issue and it's bl##dy hard. And IME it can be confusing to get a lot of different opinions about the situation.

What RL support do you have ATM?

You said you would talk to CAHMS and to DDs team, how soon can you do that? IME if you can talk to a good professional about the situation then that tends to be the best advice you can get. I'm also wondering if one of the helplines would be useful but not sure which one. For me talking or posting about a problem is hugely helpful. Keep posting here and/or on the other thread.

dittany · 28/12/2010 11:48

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dittany · 28/12/2010 11:49

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IfYoureHappyAndYouKnowIt · 28/12/2010 11:50

Xpost.. Where Xmas Smile

WherecanIhide · 28/12/2010 12:02

Yes ofcourse I've looked back at when we met. He was 29 and I was 17 but he never put pressure on me re sex etc but yes, I do acknowledge he targeted me (chatted me up)but he's done a bloody good job of being the 'supportive/loving dh' since. Obviously I'm wondering what has he been doing behind my back over the last 21 years - not that he went out a lot without me but I do wonder. I am still 'in shock' about everything atm. All I know is he moans he can't live with me anymore/wantshis independance/freedom etc etc

I thought because the psychiatrist hasn't said anything re contact then now it is in the open the worst of the damage has been done etc etc. They are the experts and I trust them...

I will phone childline and ask their advice because I do understand how wrong he has been (including yesterday) and will not accept it. Like I said; it is balancing everything out and I am no expert, just trying to do my best for dd and weighing everything up.

I am taking this VERY seriously even if it may not come across as such.

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