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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

Could DP be abusing his daughter?

131 replies

NameMe · 24/02/2011 08:49

Ok I'm going to lay it all on the line here. I'm leaving my DP in two weeks time and since this became official, the cloud in my head is starting to clear and I'm becomming concerned with what is emmerging. That is, signs that he perhaps has or is abusing his DD.

Please just bare with me because my head is like spaghetti. I'll try and be brief and concise. His daughter is 13 and has continuously wet the bed, apparantly right from when she was potty trained, she has never been completely "dry". She has had numerous hospital appointments but they can never find anything wrong, they just say she'll grow out of it but this shows no sign of happening. More disturbing is the fact that when she sleeps out, it NEVER happens. She wets the bed here almost every night yet last year she went on a week long residential trip and never wet the bed once. When she stays at friend's houses she never wets the bed. When she has friends over it never happens either. I should've been suspitious about this to start with BUT the problem was he was never alone with her. There was never really any time when he could be doing something to her because I would've heard or seen SOMETHING. But I never did. I would never normally accuse anyone of this but something is not right and I've been thinking this for a while now but I've not done anything because I honestly cannot see HOW he would manage it iyswim? I'm always around. But I would be lying if I said I didnt have any concerns about him at all. He is a strange person, lies about the most stupid things, constantly acting secretive and odd. I found porn on his computer last year, some of it was quite "young" barely legal stuff. I pulled him up on it. The "young" stuff he reckoned just popped up with the other pages.
I don't know what to beleive because SHE acts wierd too. When she walks past him she strokes his head etc, it almost seems a bit too intimate or maybe I'm being paranoid? She's constantly asking him for hugs and asking him to "go and see her" in her bedroom and when he does, they shut the bedroom door now I'm not for one minute suggesting she is instigating anything but I know she craves attention and I'm concerned that she perhaps see's ANY attention from her dad as being positive? He almost seems scared of her too, like she has some kind of a hold on him. For instance she has a rabit which is NOT looked after and the poor thing is neglected. We decided we would rehome it. She kicked off. Later that night he was in her room, door closed etc etc and when he came back down he'd TOTALLY changed his mind of rehoming the rabbit. Now I know this could be innocent whinging playing a part but something is telling me I've been a fool and something is wrong.
As I say I'm leaving so I wanted to put this out now to you and get "feedback" on whether I am being paranoid/dillusional etc. I was abused as a child so maybe this is clouding my judgement?
I can't help thinking even if he ISN'T doing anything now because I'm here, was he when it was just the two of them? is that why he's looking forward to me moving out? I'm really hoping you all come on now and tell me I'm talking shite and being paranoid.

OP posts:
PeterAndreForPM · 25/02/2011 17:56

Jeff is playing pocket snooker !

dirty bastard

Mouseface · 25/02/2011 18:24

Yes but Peter you are there with him....... where are your hands Wink

PeterAndreForPM · 25/02/2011 18:41

in my own pockets Wink

the lights are very dim...

Hullygully · 25/02/2011 19:49

Oooooooo And that's a bad miss (pace M&W)

PeterAndreForPM · 25/02/2011 19:58

well, OP has given herself a bit to do but this could just be a frame-winner

smokingnuns · 26/02/2011 00:45

It takes a long time to leave certain relationships, I'm not surprised you've taken a long time OP but it's encouraging that you have repeatedly posted, which proves you're on the case. Not sure why you have to post under the same name, or what's wrong with asking for the same advice over and over - imo it is all part of the process. I've started going to the Freedom Programme - fantastic, recommended for you nameme and anyone who is in an abusive relationship or has a history of abusive relationships. I met a woman there who told me she has been doing the programme for 2 years! It is a 12-week programme but she's been on a rolling attendance. She has only recently moved out of the marital bedroom and into the annexe - it's taken her two years to get to that stage, it's taken that long for it to sink in, for it to un-brainwash her - which imo shows the power of these relationships to destroy the target of the abuse. She says she will leave her marriage but I suspect it may not be for a while yet - no matter, she has come this far and made huge strides. You also say OP that you have been sexually abused in the past and, I take it (given your history with men), have repeatedly fallen into the same trap of abusive relationships. So in the light of that, congratulations on making significant steps in your life, getting through an access course (hard work! I've done one!) and setting up your future on a uni course and also somewhere to live. Bravo OP, stirling stuff Smile. Good luck with your uni interview in March.

As for the girl, well, it all looks a bit strange to me. If he is an abuser (? I don't know but I assume so from your OP) then ALL his relationships will be severely dysfunctional. The way he has actively estranged his daughter from her mother, from what you say; the bed-wetting, the hygiene... all could point to a very unhealthy environment for the daughter. As for incest, it can be totally 'silent' and leave no trace whatsoever - it runs on stealth, as I'm sure you can attest to Sad. Have you rung the other number someone posted yet? Not the NSPCC, which you tried before - well done for having the courage, not surprised you didn't feel you could take the big step of calling SS at that stage. Hopefully calling the fresh number will clarify things for you and, hopefully, it won't be too long before you feel you can alert the authorities, as imo it is better to be safe than sorry and, also imo, even if he is not sexually abusing her, the relationship seems emotionally unhealthy. The school seem to be a good place to start - can you speak to them instead of writing? If she has a problem with hygiene and has smelt of wee then my guess is that she is already on their radar. Does the mother have a relationship with the school, does she have PR?

From what people have said on this thread, although you have had some good support, you have also taken some nasty flak on here too OP but you have kept going and kept posting - hats off to you. I don't think people 'get' the nature of these relationships, how hard they are to get out of. Well done all round, you're nearly there.

PS Please take a look at the Freedom Programme and see where there is a course near you. As well as first-rate teaching about the pathology of abusers (and abused) it is also a support group, so you won't have to grab support where you can get it, ducking and diving, it'll be on hand and everyone there will fully support and understand what you are trying to achieve and cheer you on your journey to FREEDOM Smile

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