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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

Support for those in emotionally abusive relationships 3

1001 replies

ItsMeAndMyPuppyNow · 24/07/2011 09:09

New thread - will copy our library of links in the following posts

OP posts:
HerHissyness · 29/08/2011 21:08

Bella, go run a bath and go have an early night. Evade him. It's what I did with X.

if he comes after you wanting to talk, tell him you don't want to talk to him at all. for now, but that you will let him know when you are ready.

Tell him that this weekend has been a total screaming nightmare and you are scared of what you might say to him if he asks you to speak, so if it's alright with him, you'll pass for today.

Thank you very much, and good night.

cake fork under pillow-

BibiBlocksberg · 29/08/2011 21:10

Oh yes, very true bellatrix, wouldn't want the bleeders coming back.

Since they're the equivalent of athletes foot in terms of coming back again and again to irritate.

One of us will have to be at the end destination as well to make sure they make the connection to Fuck off some more in good time :)

Reckon his head would explode clean off if he actually thought through your very eloquent response there helpme. Puuuff......

Isn't it great that in the middle of being harangued bellatrix is on here gathering strength! I used to do that as well, soooo helpful.

A link back to sanity if you will......

BibiBlocksberg · 29/08/2011 21:13

X posted with just about everyone I see :)

Back to the grindstone tomorrow so i too will exit stage left.

Goodnight and keep the cakeforks sharpened!

MadameOvary · 29/08/2011 21:23

The retort to the dessert issue -
You "Well, better I eat it than you eh?"
Him "What does that mean?"
You "Well, not to be rude (as if!) but you've been piling it on a bit. It's like shagging a marshmallow"
Him "Well its like shagging a skeleton with you."
You: (cheerily) Then you wont mind me having more then, will you?

MadameOvary · 29/08/2011 21:30

Bella - please may I rewrite your conversation thus:

Him - (sigh) it's like in the past few months youve just given up trying
Me - (sigh) That's because (sigh) I have.
Him - So you're just giving up, can't be bothered to make this marriage work
Me - (sigh) Yep
Him - but if you just tried a bit harder it might be ok
Me - (sigh) Mmmm - I just think we're flogging a dead horse, darling.

BibiBlocksberg · 29/08/2011 21:32

Walked by while getting a glass of water....

Shagging a Marshmallow, oh my sides, that is inspired!

cathkidstonbag · 29/08/2011 21:41

MO - a marshmallow - how did you know??? Is there a camera in here somewhere???

MadameOvary · 29/08/2011 22:01

Hahaha - just a gut instinct. Anyone who slags off someone's looks as much as he does is defo not happy with their own. And what's the opposite of a skeleton? Yep...

Anniegetyourgun · 29/08/2011 22:40

Rolling about here at Bibi's train announcements.

Whenever I had a haircut XH would say I looked like a man. So, I'd reply, what were you doing with a man last night, eh? You must be one o' they 'omosexuals. Don't be disgusting, he'd say crossly. (He is, of course, homophobic.)

bigbuttons · 29/08/2011 23:10

MO you're brilliant at these conversations, so calm and collected. I hang on your every word!

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 10:18

buttons - that's what detachment looks like - and then you dump them. Smile
bibi - loving the train announcement Grin (feels another Youtube video coming on)
Annie - great comeback!

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 10:38

Another strategy for when they want to sit down and have a "talk"
Bearing in mind that their intention is not to resolve anything, and that this is simply another tactic, you don't need to pay much attention to the words AT ALL.

As I said to another poster recently, they are like toddlers in their behaviour (toddlers being natural narcissists) so imagine it is a toddler babbling away to you. They are just looking for a response, not a conversation. So to avoid getting drawn in, remember first that it is all blah-blah-blah-babble, and keep your responses encouraging, but with only the appearance of engagement, so it would go something like this.

Him: We need to talk
You: Ok. (Sits down, looks attentive, starts thinking about food shop for next week)
Him: Well? Do you have anything to say?
You: You're the one inviting the talk, here I am do we need more washing-up liquid
Him: This is just another example of your lack of willingness to try
You: Sorry can you be more specific? bugger, did I remember to wash DD's gym kit?
Him: What do you mean? Are you stupid? I said-
You: You said lack of willingness to try (deep sigh), but try at what?I hope this is over in time for me to watch Dr Who
Him: (looking disconcerted) Our marriage of course!

At which point you now have the choice to say.

You: Yes, yes, I see your point (pretends to think for a minute) I need to really have a think about how I can make things better for myself Yes...shall we have a talk again in a few days?
Him: (opens his mouth to speak)
You: Only I really have to get DD's gym kit ready for tomorrow and watch Dr Who

OR, if you have time to watch him squirm, ask him to get into specifics. Keep asking for more and more detail and if he has a go at you, look hurt and say "I was just trying to help. Maybe we should talk later. You look tired"

Any use? Grin

barbiegrows · 30/08/2011 11:10

Hi everyone, back from holiday, still reeling from those horrible moments when it all goes pearshaped. Trying to remember the good times though. I'm off to the solicitor now. One of the important house papers has 'disappeared' and I'm starting to feel paranoid. Did I put it in the 'safe place'? If so, where the * is it?

barbiegrows · 30/08/2011 11:18

A reminder to myself of why this can't go on...

His anger bounces across us all. It starts with a crisis, usually minor, like a wasp in the car, daughter panics, he panics and gets angry at the same time, stops and 'rescues' her, kills wasp, upsets dd1 (a combination of concern about the wasp and fear of his anger). I button my lip through all of it, the fallout being dd1 who feels abandoned by my silence. So then I make peacemaker talk to try and make her feel less abandoned. He rambles on endlessly about why this, because that, NONE of it is his fault. A wasp in the car means he's entitled to lose his temper and upset everyone in the car.

Now if he wasn't the car, it would have been so much simpler. Dd 2 is anxious, you stop car and calm her down, let wasp fly away. End of. Why didn't he do that? One incident like that every day with him. It's just not worth it.

barbiegrows · 30/08/2011 11:26

Also the 'gies a kiss' moments, in public, I'm clearly not wanting it but he doesn't stop. It's just not what you do - pursue and pursue like that.

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 11:30

barbie pursuing you for physical contact is aggressive, intrusive and abusive, But aw, poor lamb eh? deprived of affection and all he wanted was a kiss.
would like to knee him in the bollocks and see how he likes that sort of physical contact

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 11:32

Also barbie you are clearly seeing not only how he works but his detrimental effect on the family. You are right, this cant go on.

LaRagazzaInglese · 30/08/2011 11:39

Can I join in too?

BibiBlocksberg · 30/08/2011 11:58

"Can I join in too?"

Plenty of tickets left on my roll, LaRagazzaInglese :)

BibiBlocksberg · 30/08/2011 12:00

Bellatrix - while I'm here, anymore gip from the Pilsbury Doughboy last night?

Can I clip his ticket now?

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 12:10

Welcome to the thread LaRagazzaInglese although we will have to start a new one soon! Smile

cathkidstonbag · 30/08/2011 12:10

Pilsbury doughboy - oh you lot are so good. No I told him I didn't want to talk last night. That seemed to be accepted. Then this morning I'm asleep when I'm "prodded" and a little voice whispers "can I use your hand"? I guessed he didn't mean with my cake fork so I sweetly whispered back "are you fucking insane?".
He just doesn't get it does he?

LaRagazzaInglese · 30/08/2011 12:15

I don't know where to start really. I feel like my situation is so different to everyone elses. Lots of 'emotional abuse' topics that I find on googling seem to be women searching for a way to leave him, but I don't want to leave him. Also, all the abusers seem strong and scary, I'm not scared of him and he's certainly not strong - he's disabled with MS.
He's just come in the room complaining that I'm always on the computer and that I haven't made his 'fucking' coffee yet, so I'd better go. :(

BibiBlocksberg · 30/08/2011 12:24

"so I sweetly whispered back "are you fucking insane?"."

Well done you!!! Idiot, can I use your hand.....bleurgh - that trumps my exes question of 'can I just stick it in' - NOOOO!

Wish I'd thought of asking him if he was effing insane at the time.

"He just doesn't get it does he?"

I think he does understand very well but is pretending not to because it makes you unhappy, which in turn makes him quite happy indeed.

"and that I haven't made his 'fucking' coffee yet,"

Shock - does he always talk to you like that? That, for a start is not on and you don't deserve it.

Come back when you can to get some much needed (by the sound of it) support here.

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 12:37

Oh bella you are SO getting there! Well done! Grin
LaRagazza - your situation is no different to ours and your response to it is very telling.
It's not about strength sweetheart. It's about using your emotional hold over your partner to exert control with no thought for anyone but yourself.
Having a disability is no excuse to treat someone like shit, no more than being tired/hungry/male/ etc. We all get crabby sometimes, we all might be rude, but in a healthy relationship we take responsibility for that behaviour and apologise. Does he do this?

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