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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

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Just had the biggest fight with DH... he hit me, I hit him...

682 replies

namechangeforthis100 · 04/04/2012 00:57

I've spent the whole of yesterday at the hospital... quite a long time after a miscarriage it turns out (joy) I've got an infection. I'm in agony. I feel shit. All my friends are pregnant.. I'm just having a very shit time.

I decided to get stuff organised.. sort of nights out etc to keep us busy and tonight we went out with about 10 of our best friends for a meal (a lot are shift workers from our hey day hence the tuesday random night)...

I have been in quite a lot of pain and on painkillers... but was without and just slowly drinking wine this evening.. The night went great and we all agreed to meet again next week.

We got in the car (DH driving) and she started to go MAD. Apparently during a conversation I had dictated when he could go out and come back (with an old friend) and I hadn't! I know the conversation he's talking about. They were taking the piss saying I would and I was laughing... but I didn't say a word. And all the home he called me vile, drunk, a bitch etc.. (with our daughter in the back of the car who we just picked up from a sitter to bring home.)

We got in, put DD to bed and it escalated. He screamed at me, I proclaimed innocence, He pushed me, I tried to kick him. We ended up having a full out physical fight.

He left. I wrenched the keys out his hand and he stepped out the door.

I locked it.
Jesus christ.

What do I do now?? I'm already in pain. (now more. Have a perfect hand bruise on my chest.)

OP posts:
SigmundFraude · 05/04/2012 10:55

'yes it started in aibu - hence their being people here whose agenda is to have a fight and be right no matter what.'

Very interesting comment actually. You actually think that we should disregard the advice of people given on AIBU, because they don't 'understand', like the regulars on Relationships do. That they're looking for a 'fight'. It's an interesting way of looking at it, 'My advice is superior to yours'. Do you not think that a more balanced view is helpful on this thread and others? Or don't we do balance any more? All this 'my way or the highway' talk helps no-one.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:01

Yes the Lundy book is strong stuff worth a read deffo, a very measured and experienced guy.

The majority of posters are not taking a my way or highway response but are sharing experience. However I did wonder why I received such a vitriolic response to my very first, and I hope, caring post. I suppose the Am I being unreasonable title leads peeps to respond in a YANBU OR YABU way.

swallowedAfly · 05/04/2012 11:01

you've read a lot into my statement there - look how my statement is just a few words long and you've translated it into a paragraph of what you think i'm saying.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:02

When this was pointed out to me it made sense.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:03

That's ok insnt it? Am I not allowed to come to conclusions of my own?

swallowedAfly · 05/04/2012 11:04

i was talking to SF in case that wasn't clear.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:05

I was actually referring to the original convo I had with another poster in the main.

SigmundFraude · 05/04/2012 11:05

Lundy Bancroft would be measured to you. Others aren't quite so convinced..

'The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has obtained some of the material that the university uses to train the student jurors (dubbed ?reviewers?) who decide the fate of accused students at Stanford. One such item is Why Does He Do That: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men. The book?s author, Lundy Bancroft, is clearly not an impartial or objective commentator on this topic: he has frequently made extravagant claims with no proof. According to him, ?at least one out of three American women will be a victim of violence by a husband or boyfriend at some point in her life.? He also claims that jurors should be ?very, very cautious in accepting a man?s claim that he has been wrongly accused of abuse or violence. The great majority of allegations of abuse?though not all?are substantially accurate.?

I am no lawyer, but I am fairly certain that telling people the accused is probably guilty counts as ?prejudicing the jury.? No evidence is given for the second assertion, and the first is an hodgepodge amalgamation of other statistics with no accurate citation.'

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:06

Righto about to pop out to do some shopping...soz x

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:08

Why would Lundy's book be measured to me?

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:09

Have you read the book SF?

swallowedAfly · 05/04/2012 11:10

no it counts as countering the myth that women make it up and are unreliable witnesses.

southlundon · 05/04/2012 11:11

Wow. I have been following this thread and feel like I have to post something about all this arguing.

Ladies - please, do you think any of this arguing is helping the OP? She wants advice - from both sides of the coin - but the rest of this bickering is helping noone. It's not helping you, and I certainly doubt it's helping her.

Namechange if you are still reading, then I hope you can take the posts that actually have some advice (from those who think this is abuse and from those who think it probably isn't) and decide what is best for you. I have never been a victim of DV (but was subject to EA from a previous P) so am not an expert in any way and the only thing I will say is this:

If my otherwise wonderful, caring "amazing" DH had a huge row with me over something extremely trivial that pushed him over the edge, in grief over your MC (and I hope you are feeling better today with your infection), which ended up getting physical even though you are clearly ill, I could understand it - if he was immediately regretful afterwards and you both made it up after discussion. But he didn't, and that's what makes me think that at the least he is being an absolute arsehole and at worst this could be the start of a cycle of abuse.

But as I said, I'm not an expert but someone who is concerned for you from what you have posted.

I hope you manage to sort it out one way or the other. But he needs to show complete remorse for the way he treated you even before it got physical.

Good luck.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:12

It really is an excellent book one that many MNs have found extremely helpful and thoughtful, sure it is a tough read and he absolutely admits that. In fact he suggests that women only act on the suggestions when ready.

Lueji · 05/04/2012 11:13

What southlundon said.

And I hope all went for the best last night. :)

sunshineandbooks · 05/04/2012 11:14

Can you provide a link to that please SigmundFraude? I can't find anything about it on the FIRE website.

I'm aware that Bancroft himself has come in for some criticism - some of it deserved, some of it not. However, it is my understanding that the research he based that 95% figure on is not research he himself conducted but peer-reviewed, academically accepted research.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:15

southlundun y'know I agree with that, but in actual fact I dont feel I am bickering because I have genuine questions regarding viewpoints on this thread and am at great pains to deflect any of the harsher comments with humour.

ike1 · 05/04/2012 11:18

Yes thought provoking and worth a read even if you think you will not agree with every statement. Its good to be challenged.

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 05/04/2012 11:34

Namechange how are you today? How did last night work out and are you feeling any clearer about what's going on?

Please try to ignore the arguments and keep posting if it's helping you. People obviously have strong (different) views, but I do think generally they are trying to be helpful, and just disagreeing about the best way to do that!

MigratingCoconuts · 05/04/2012 11:34

just read through the whole thread and...wow!

Seems to me that there are good points made by both sides of the debate (!) but there is little point in offering any fresh advise unless op comes back with an update.

hope you are ok, op!

Nyac · 05/04/2012 11:52

"there is always two sides to a story, always - i think the OP put that across very well, it is a shame that she didn't receive rational advice"

Could you explain the other side of assaulting someone so hard you leave a hand-shaped bruise on their chest please Bob. And is it something a jury would have to take into account if this crime is reported to the police and goes to court?

EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist · 05/04/2012 12:07

Oh, there are definitely two sides two every story. It's just one is the real story of domestic violence and the other is lie made by a man refusing to take responsibility for his abusive behaviour.

Nyac · 05/04/2012 12:19

Thank you Emily.

namechangeforthis100 · 05/04/2012 14:52

Wow - that was a lot to read..

Sorry for the absence, we talked a long time last night and then this morning had a dog related nightmare and had to rush out before I had a chance to log on.

Thankyou for all the replies, I know that many don't agree with my take on things or the way I'm going about it, but to be honest, last nights conversation could have gone anyway so I truly am very glad of all the advice. (everlong - your defense of my stance makes me want to hug you..)

DD went down easy thank god and the first thing DH did was try to hug me, which I resisted. He didn't start with sorry, but tried to talk about what had happened in the pub. I said that I didn't want to talk about that, but about him, and that actually, at the moment I barely even recognize who you are. My DH would never behave that way, hurt me, leave, stay out all night, ignore me... especially when I was ill and looking after DD... he then said that basically, he is really down. His friends, and in particular my brother with his new found freedom after the break down of his relationship (gf and two kids) has just led them to rib him about it / me / being under the thumb ALL the time. I've been drinking a lot (which I suppose I have, but also been feeling pretty shit about the baby and feeling ill that at the end of the day, a glass of wine is literally my savior, but for the past week and a half it has been most evenings and a couple of big nights out.) and because I've either been busy, or out, or looking after DD, or feeling down myself, he hasn;t been able to talk to me.

Tuesday night, he admits, got completely out of hand, and he was just so angry, and that anger lasted for much of yesterday. He said he felt ashamed all day about hitting me and that was why he didn't want to reply, and the fact I kept on and on and on and he didn't know what to say about it just made him madder. He said of course he is sorry, and shoudn't have ignored me all day, specifically when my doctor had prescribed me rest and not being left alone until they get my blood results back.

It's not the best excuse, but it's an excuse. I have to try to deal with this I suppose by making him go to his GP and talk about being down?

I know that this mc has knocked me for six. I was so sure eveything would be fine (and my sister in law is pregnant, and we would have had due dates 2 weeks apart, two of my close friends would have had babies born within the same 2 month period and it just all felt so perfect.) and I suppose I didn't really think that much about DH being down. Straight after we were both sad but I suppose that once that initial sadness went away and just a sort of dissapointment and depression lingered (worsened by how ill i've been subsequently). I thought DH was fine, but he's not, and especially upset by my decision to not actively try for a few months. (and after this maybe a tad longer.)

He has gone to work today and has promised me that after tonight (no idea what he has planned), I'll be happy and I'll forgive him.

I feel a bit shit about it all to be honest. I think I thought that after our talk everything would go back to normal and I wouldn't be upset anymore, but I still do. I tried to take DD to an afternoon playgroup, drove 45 minutes around backstreets of Epsom trying to find it and when I eventually did (down a private road!) it was shut. So I just sat in the park and cried in my car.

I'm hoping things will improve. I suppose plan of action is get DH to the doctor, try to talk things out, and just see how things go.

OP posts:
Nyac · 05/04/2012 14:55

Depression isn't an excuse for attacking you. Nor is you drinking wine.

If he really is truly sorry and guilty for what he did he should go down the police station himself and turn himself in.