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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 4

998 replies

MadameOvary · 30/08/2011 15:31

Hello everyone - end of last thread kind of took us by surprise!
Will copy in links etc

OP posts:
bigbuttons · 06/09/2011 20:43

Damn, wrong page! I'm trying to post a link to here for a poor woman who needs us!

garlicnutter · 06/09/2011 20:50

... seeing as the odds are better, at 14 milion to one?!

This is just a dump, really. I was wondering why I had such a strong reaction to X2 the minute I clapped eyes on him. I can identify two reasons: One, he was good-looking in a similar way to the most attractive members of my family. He didn't exactly look like 'one of us' but there were plenty of markers wrt colouring, build, even the shape of his ears. Although most of my partners have been very different physically, I've long been aware of feeling drawn to people who look similar to my family. Researchers say this isn't unusual.

The second reason is the slightly weird one. He has an air of ... I've struggled for a lifetime to put this into words, but yesterday I defined it as sullen resentment. Hardly an attractive quality! Yet I've often felt magnetically attracted to men who give off this feeling of ... well, darkness, I suppose. You know all those sayings about people being givers and takers? I think these men, who seem miserable, trigger a desire to make them feel better. I don't feel the same compulsion towards gloomy women.

I'd like to believe I'll get over this. But I don't. Even now, knowing what I do, I feel mesmerised by men like that. I'm like a bloody asteroid being sucked towards a black hole. There was one in the supermarket the other day: I felt that slightly sick/dizzy feeling in my tummy, took another look, and registered a disillusioned, sorry for himself type of geezer, bit of a closed look about him - very bad relationship material at first (and second) glance. But I still felt it.

Perhaps, one day, I will develop the self-knowledge and the relating skills to feel the right kind of desire for the right kind of man. Perhaps I'll have died of old age before then. I have, though, written coupledom out of my prospects for the foreseeable future.

I read some stuff about how people with BPD often come to avoid relationships after learning about their condition. I don't think I've got BPD - well, I haven't, I've got a negative diagnosis! - but found those articles reassuring in a strange way. My sexual response is faulty, like a diabetic's insulin response. So I shall steer clear, as a diabetic avoids sugar, out of respect for my own well-being. Shame but there you go.

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 21:14

I AM SO ANGRY WITH STBX DICKHEAD TWATTTT!!!!

My lovely DD is about to start Uni. She was stopped by the police because the little family car owned by Ex and insured for DDs was NOT insured and didn't have MOT. She is going to get 6 points and lose her licence and be unable to drive for 2 years unless a miracle happens. She is being sweet and understanding and her FUCKING STUPID father is trying to hush it all up and somehow make it go away.

Of course it is somehow going to be my fault for not having been there, reminded him, organised MOT etc etc. And I am so cross with him but of course he didn't do it on purpose/is just a dotty academic/who could blame him?

Deep breaths....

It seems to me that as time goes by the DC are beginning to appreciate me more and not buy into the family myth that I am to blame for all the bad things while DT (see above) is just a lovely misunderstood guy.

I am trying very hard not to say anything at all. Which is why I am venting here.

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 21:18

sorry garlic I was too blind with rage there to read your post.

I think you are being very self aware to say you don't think you are fit for a relationship. Probably we all need to go into rehab for a while to sort us out and retune the twat radar. I know mine is a bit wonky as I have been tangled up with a strange man who is the polar opposite of DT (and I did realise this, it was refreshing but fraught with problems).

But I think with time and caution and self knowledge and maybe the lesson we are learning here eventually and with luck we may meet someone who is not a nightmare and all will be well.

ItsMeAndMyPuppyNow · 06/09/2011 21:22

Screw feeling faulty, Garlic! The only reason you need have for staying away from men is that you're too good for probably the vast majority of 'em!

HerHissyness · 06/09/2011 21:25

Littlehouse, is there anyway it can go to court. If the car is owned by STBX, and he is the one that insures it , keeps it and mot/taxes it, how on earth is she supposed to know it's not legal? HE would.

Get some CAB advice. She didn't knowingly drive that car illegally. It was taxed I assume? that's the only thing you really can be sure of being in date in this kind of situation.

HerHissyness · 06/09/2011 21:27

Oh yeah, Anthony Kiedes is madly and head over heels in love with me...

in. my. head. Sad

bejeezus · 06/09/2011 21:39

The second reason is the slightly weird one. He has an air of ... I've struggled for a lifetime to put this into words, but yesterday I defined it as sullen resentment. Hardly an attractive quality! Yet I've often felt magnetically attracted to men who give off this feeling of ... well, darkness, I suppose

I can COMPLETELY relate to this garlic

bad boy/ excitement/ challenge/ the unknown???? and...I hate being bored?

I have a homing device and can find 1 in a crowd....instant/powerful attraction. It is not an exaggeration to say I felt faint and dizzy when I first saw STBXH

Its good to recognise it I think..then you can fight the urge, just turn on your heel and get far away, quickly

Interesting we both came out ENFP

bejeezus · 06/09/2011 21:44

thats terrible little house

have you spoken to a lawyer? Has she got any chance of contesting the ban based on thinking that her dad HAD insured her?

Whats HIS defence?...how does he explain NOT having her insured?

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 21:48

I'm not supposed to know about it but DD has told me. DT has taken legal advice and they are going together to talk to the police tomorrow.

DT is far too clever and important to be expected to sort out detail like normal people. He just forgot!

CardyMow · 06/09/2011 21:50

ISFJ for me. Same as Jimmy Carter (Who the hell is he ?), Frederic Chopin, Jane Fonda.

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 21:53

Ex President of USA

bejeezus · 06/09/2011 21:55

LHBTR

will he man up and take the blame in order to try to get your daughter out of being banned?

garlicnutter · 06/09/2011 22:10

Shock LHBTR! What. A. Twat. Forgetting is one thing. Letting your daughter drive without mot, insurance, etc is a whole other thing Angry
Selfish bastard.
Poor DD.

bejeezus, they never mentioned twat magnetism in the ENFP summaries!

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 22:12

I think so. Using the "my wife left me so I was too distraught to think of these things" defence.

As he is over 21 he could still drive with 6 penalty points while she would be banned.

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 22:31

The thing is that I have enable this man for 28 years and helped him appear like a functional adult. Now I have stopped the cracks are appearing. He hates his reputation being tarnished by his own idiocy, but not enough to spend time taking care of things.

If my DC weren't harmed by him I wouldn't care at all.
Bloody man.

tenkas10 · 06/09/2011 22:54

Hiya

I just caught a glimpse of your message and couldnt quite read all of it as a bit traumatic for me but just to let you know - i was living with someone very emotionally and financially abusive and because i never needed stitches or Aa&E i believed it wasnt DV. But psychological abuse is DV. Bottom line is if you are being abused, verbally, emotionally, psychologically, financially its still abuse especially if the kids are witnessing this in any way at all. A fantastic book that i read that spelled it out all to me was "living with a dominator" it helped me recognise the patterns - ie how arguments break out when you are doing your passively / compromisingly best to avoid them. Bullies storm out with letting you when they are coming back in order to stress you out as you spend time worrying in what state they will come back in. it takes up time and energy and impacts on ability to parent coherently. Sorry if this is not your entire situation but if it is and you want an idea of the injunction route which i took i am happy to share.

LittleHousebytheRiver · 06/09/2011 23:42

Hi tenkas and welcome.

You are very kind, and I don't know whether you are directing your comments at me but will assume so as you posted after me.

I have been out of my marriage a year today (in 23 minutes!) and have been gaining strength and humour and joy in my life. Today was a blip as my H has enraged me so much I am feeling furious with him.

Actually I had been intending to wait the full two years for divorce after separation but today I am thinking why spare his feelings? He is a cunt for what he has done to my DD though his uselessness.

Unreasonable behaviour? 28 years of it! I think I will look into starting the divorce now.

Bastard for doing that to my girls. There has to be some suitable punishment.

CardyMow · 06/09/2011 23:51

When Ex-P was here on Sunday to see the dc's, he asked if he could phone today as it was DS2's first day back at school. I said yes, but it would have to be at 5pm, as I would be busy with dinner baths and bed after that. Did he phone at 5pm? NO. By 5.30pm, I was on the phone to a friend (had arranged it to be just after his call, as I could chat to her whilst cooking dinner. He tried to call 6 times in the 25 minutes I was on the phone to my friend (I am helping her wrt her son's education atm, we needed to talk).

Was it wrong for me to turn my phone off if he couldn't be bothered to ring at the time I said was OK? He had finished work by 4pm, so phoning at 5pm shouldn't have been a problem, any time after 4pm should have been 'convenient' for him. But he refused to listen when I said it would have to be at 5pm as I would be busy after that.

I don't know if I was in the wrong to turn the phone off, but by the time 6pm had gone, and I was eating my dinner, I didn't want to be disturbed by his phone call. I just found it really rude that he wouldn't ring when he'd been asked. It almost felt like he was trying to assert himself over me even though we aren't together, like he can ring me whenever he feels like it, and doesn't HAVE to give a toss about how busy I am.

It was my two DS's first day back today, and DD goes back tomorrow, so I had LOTS to do tonight, was I wrong? And how much will it backfire on me??

ItsMeAndMyPuppyNow · 07/09/2011 07:30

Happy Freedom Anniversary, LittleHouse!

ItsMeAndMyPuppyNow · 07/09/2011 07:32

You did exactly the right thing, Loudlass: stating your limit, and then enforcing it.

Now all you need to do is stop feeling guilty about it! (and keep up the limit setting and enforcing)

Anniegetyourgun · 07/09/2011 07:45

Garlic and bejeezus, I believe the time-honoured phrase describing these men is "mean, moody and magnificent"! The Mr Rochester type, tortured, brooding. They're great in stories because the right woman does soothe their fevered brow and bring out their hidden depths etc etc. However IRL they are all too often simply grumpy sods.

LittleHousebytheRiver · 07/09/2011 07:50

Thanks IMAMPN I am good and angry today. Didn't sleep well as I was so full of rage so I read lots of websites about how to do divorce. I think I will tell H I want to get it over with, offer him the option to petition for MY unreasonable behaviour if he wants, and if he refuses then Game On.

The family home can be dealt with later in the process.

With a bit of determination I can be free of this Loser by Christmas.

Loudlass it is all about boundaries as Puppy says. If we were good at enforcing them in the first place we wouldn't have ended up on this thread struggling to get away from these manipulative men. Be strong, stick to your guns and think about training him like a dog or a toddler!

BreakFree · 07/09/2011 09:40

Another humdinger of a row yesterday. I feel he is always picking on DC1. First he went nuts because I was doing her work with her and our younger DC was jumping around like a busy bee and I asked DC2 nicely to go into the other room to play. He came in all guns blazing about how dare I tell DC2 to go into the other room. That all I care about is DC1.
In fact I know he picks on DC1 is because my mother-radar goes mad every time. He is not her biological father either. He gave out to her for something so nit picky yesterday and made her cry. Then he mocked the way she was crying. She's only 7. Then he attacked me for cuddling her. Also told me that I don't care about my DC2 and that I should just go and take care of DC1 and he will take care of DC2. I was then getting dinner ready and he stood purposely at the sink where I wanted to drain the vegetables and when I approached he started saying "DONT TRY TO PUSH ME OUT OF THE WAY" . So I looked him right in the face and said he didn't intimidate me. So he got right in my face and called me BITCH really loudly. Stormed off and up the stairs calling me "bitch" Cword. "ugly bas**" "wh don't you go F--- other men like you want to" and continued his rant upstairs all while kids are listening. DC2 said she wanted to go upstairs to him . I said no you can't. She said she wanted to tell him he was mean and she hates him.
WTF is he doing. He really lives in this dreamworld where he thinks he is god. He actually believes that I favour one child over the other when it is clearly him that has this problem.
I have noticed he starts on DC1 when he starts on me. Its like the fact that she is part of me and not him means she gets to suffer his bullying as well.

And now to my question.
How the hell do I approach womens aid when I am just so scared . I just can't seem to work up the courage whatsoever to ring them. I don't know is it because I'm scared of what they will say, that they will not be able to help or that they will laugh at me because I'm not being beaten. He has physically attacked me in the past but not for a long time.
Why the hell can't I get out of this mess.

I've a GP appointment tomorrow to talk to her about severe pain I've been getting around my pelvic region. It hurts to have s** (and I was only doing that to keep peace) and he didn't even care at all. His words were "that means I don't get any then does it. Again".

Feeling so frustrated and sad. This is no way to live.

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