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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 thread for those in Emotionally Abusive relationships number *8*

999 replies

foolonthehill · 12/04/2012 09:54

Am I being abused?

Verbal Abuse A wonderfully non-hysterical summary. If you're unsure, read the whole page and see if you're on it.
Emotional abuse from the same site as above
Emotional abuse a more heartfelt description
Signs of Abuse & Control Useful check list
why financial abuse is domestic violenceAre you a free ride for a cocklodger, or supposed to act grateful for every penny you get for running the home?
Women's Aid: "What is Domestic Violence?" This is also, broadly, the Police definition.
20 signs you're with a controlling and/or abusive partner Exactly what it says on the tin

Books :

"Why Does He Do That?" by Lundy Bancroft - The eye-opener. Read this if you read nothing else.
"The Verbally Abusive Relationship" by Patricia Evans ? He wants power OVER you and gets angry when you prove not to be the dream woman who lives only in his head.
"The Verbally Abusive Man, Can He Change?" by Patricia Evans - Answer: Perhaps - ONLY IF he recognises HIS issues, and if you can be arsed to work through it. She gives explicit guidelines.
"Men who hate women and the women who love them" by Susan Forward. The author is a psychotherapist who realised her own marriage was abusive, so she's invested in helping you understand yourself just as much as helping you understand your abusive partner.
"The Emotionally Abusive Relationship: How to Stop Being Abused and How to Stop Abusing" by Beverley Engels - The principle is sound, if your partner isn't basically an arse, or disordered.
"Codependent No More : How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself" by Melody Beattie - If you a rescuer, you're a co-dependent. It's a form of addiction! This book will help you.
But whatever you do, don't blame yourself for being Co-dependent!

Websites :

So, you're in love with a narcissist - Snarky, witty, angry, but also highly intelligent: very good for catharsis
Dr Irene's verbal abuse site - motherly advice to readers' write-ins from a caring psychotherapist; can be a pain to navigate but very validating stuff
Out of the fog - and now for the science bit! Clinical, dispassionate, and very informative website on the various forms of personality disorders and how they impact on family and intimate relationships.
Get your angries out ? You may not realise it yet, but you ARE angry. Find out in what unhealthy ways your anger is expressing itself. It has probably led you to staying in an unhealthy relationship.
Melanie Tonia Evans is a woman who turned her recovery from abuse into a business. A little bit "woo" and product placement-tastic, but does contain a lot of useful articles.
Love fraud - another site by one woman burned by an abusive marriage
You are not crazy - one woman's experience. She actually has recordings of her and her abusive partner having an argument, so you can hear what verbal abuse sounds like. A pain to navigate, but well worth it.
Baggage reclaim - Part advice column, part blog on the many forms of shitty relationships.
heart to heart a wealth of information and personal experiences drawn together in one place

If you find that he really wants to change

I stay or should I go bonus materials this is a site containing the material for men who want to change?please don?t give him the link?print out the content for him to work through.

The Bill of Rights
bill of rights here is what you should expect as a starting point for your treatment in a relationship, as you will of course be treating others!!

OP posts:
TheHappyHissy · 05/05/2012 17:17

Oh he is there? bugger. Get legal advice, and sit the kids down and explain that fact to them, that you are NOT seeking to take anything, but that YOU gave up YOUR life to support his and that YOU need to live somewhere.

Do the old trick of working out what it could cost to hire someone to do all that you have done and show them all the real tangible costs of what a SAHM is worth.

Are you married? if so, go for a divorce and get the thing settled as soon as poss, the longer this situation goes on, the more damage he will do to you and your family.

ladybird69 · 05/05/2012 17:19

Thanks PillarBox, thats what friends say, i stayed in the marriage and faithful and he walked out and had to break wedding vows cause i didnt give him enough love wtf?
how are you now? hows your kitties?

ladybird69 · 05/05/2012 17:35

HappyHissy he moved out! then he moved back in after 6 months!!!! because he thought he was going to lose 'his house' he said parent in situ gets house and kids!!! for what i care you can get out on streets!
the divorce is gonna go thru in about 8 wks but now he says hes not going to attend mediation! he wants family home plus most of other assets, so dont know how its going to go :-(

PillarBoxRedRoses · 05/05/2012 17:36

I'm doing ok thanks. Up and down. Today it's up! I am glad you have friends to talk to in RL - particularly ones who seem like they are talking sense!

He really is quite an entitled knobber...his own selfish entitled twunthood walked him out of his marriage...he should have been thrown out!

Fur babies are good :)

ibuyjaffacakesnow · 05/05/2012 17:42

Oh I get it now ladybird, photos to show you couldn't cope! My exh brought up things like that! (still does sometimes). He is using something he caused, by walking out for another woman, against you. He's got no chance! Mention to your solicitor why he took them as well. I bet they will laugh at him.

He's 'worked hard' to renovate it, presumably you've done all the 'invisible' hard work every single day! Things that have to be done over and over again, and almost as soon as you have done them, it looks like you haven't. It has to be done again endlessley. How would he have felt if the following afternoon after finishing his marvelous renovations, they were mostly undone and he had to start again!

It might stand for nothing to him, but a solicitor and court would recognise the contribution you made to the household and family.

The kids only think that because of his influence on them.

Don't let him force you out. Or if you decide to go, with the kids with you, to get away from him, he will have to buy you out.

Perhaps you know all this already if asked solicitor? Or go and see solicitor again?

ladybird69 · 05/05/2012 19:28

after what hes done/said/called me nothing he could ever do would surprise me! but getting buddy to take photos while his wife was going to pieces well thats unbelieveable. Overheard him on phone with 'her' discussing me coping too!!! would love to know who she is so i could tell her to run while she can!!!
oh yes ibuy ive done absolutely nothing for 25 yrs! fat lazy bitch i am, yet everyone says what a great job ive done with family! even a business associate said he cant believe it, hes always said what wonderful wife and mother i am!
He is mannipulative and a fantastic liar and cheat but i pray that one day their eyes will be opened as mine have.
He says i dont deserve anything cause i havent done anything but as my solicitor said he wouldnt have had opportunities that he did without me soley taking charge of family, house etc

ladybird69 · 05/05/2012 19:30

PillarBox I just taking one day at a time :-( was feeling so strong but had wobble. its like 1 step forward 10 steps back hes trying to destroy me!
Glad fur babies ok x

Livingmagicallyagain · 06/05/2012 08:41

Skimming through this latest thread I'm as amazed as ever at the shared script that abusers follow. I have found it so empowering to know what he said in the past and what he tries to say now are textbook abuse, helped me to know what to expect. Incredible feeling now that I'm out of that!

Awareness of emotional abuse should be taught in schools.

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 11:58

left dd with her dad this morning and I feel sick. I hate him so much. He had yet another new pair of Fucking trainers on and I found out he has been trying to take money from the council that was owed to me. He hasn't seen dd for 10 days and said I haven't seen u in so lon, but he didn't see her for two bloody months! Missed her first birthday and everything, but nothings ever been said about where he was. He is such a nobhead and I'm scared I am about to make the biggest mistake of my life moving to refuge in the area he is living in next week! He is going to love trying to see dd ,ore and making my life he'll. Cries...

ThePinkPussycat · 06/05/2012 12:01

According to another MNer I know who has been in refuge, they will move you if nobhead finds where you are?

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 12:20

I think I am worried about the fact that I will only be in refuge for a while and then be on my own. Also he will know I am in the area so I can see him demanding more time etc.

ThePinkPussycat · 06/05/2012 12:23

I think there will be a refuge support worker who will assist. Can you ring anyone to discuss your concerns before you go?

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 12:56

thanks pink. I am going on tuesday and they r shut over bank holiday. I guess will have to discuss things once I am there. Just picked her up now and as usual he was moaning about not having enough time. My dd is still breastfed and so needs to come back to me after lunch. he said in his solicitors letter he respects this but just now he was like, well its too rushed..i said she needs her bf and nap and he said yeah well we'll see about that.. I don't know what he plans to do but he always says it.he

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 13:01

p.s. The thing is its his fault that contact with did has to b this way. I was acomapnying him and was letting him come over for tea and bathtime before he assaulted me (not for the first time) it was the last straw and I reported him so now yes contact is a bit rushed but he is the one to blame.

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 13:03

sorry I know, moan moan moan...

ThePinkPussycat · 06/05/2012 13:14

That's what this thread is for [hug] Brew. Hopefully someone with more experience of fleeing to refuge will be along...

Yayaboots · 06/05/2012 13:51

Hello, I hae been reading on here for a while and am going through a bit of a horrible time. I have no one to talk to about it and I really need some advice about how to cope with my dh. I have a thread on Aibu (I'm sorry I don't know how to link it) about not lending him my car. I would so appreciate any advice xx

arthriticfingers · 06/05/2012 13:52

Sunrise You are NOT moaning. You have a fucking shithead problem that needs dealing with

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 14:02

thanks arthritic :) .
Hi yaya , are you able to explain what ur going through? Lots of nice people on here who can give great advice. X

ThePinkPussycat · 06/05/2012 14:16

Didn't mean you were moaning! Just this is the place to post this stuff...

Here is yaya's thread

TodaysAGoodDay · 06/05/2012 14:39

Hello sunrise,
If that arsehole ex partner finds you, they can move you. I moved 300 miles away and changed my name, he can't find me now.
Moan away on here, we really don't mind. It's what this thread is for Smile
Keep repeating 'I'll be safe on Tuesday, I'll be safe on Tuesday', and we'll all think of you. Good luck and [hugs].x

thebighouse · 06/05/2012 18:23

Big day for me today. The children spent the first afternoon with the Nice Boy and me. Went for a long walk. It was fine.

When I left, XH made me sign a bit of paper saying that I wouldn't introduce them to anyone else until I'd left for six months. It's nearly been that now, but when I dropped them back off with XH today the first thing the children said was that they had gone for a walk with the Nice Boy. There was a brief look across XH's face which looked like utter rage, and I had that old familiar feeling that he might just hit me (never has) - and then I just said goodbye and left.

I think that XH is probably gutted that I'm happy and that I've moved on - but of course he only really seems to have emotions on the scale of rage > fury > indifference.

Anyway, we had a lovely, peaceful, calm afternoon and it feels like a positive move forward into a new part of my life.

Don't know why I'm posting really, just wanted to share it with someone.

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 20:28

oh pink I know you didn't mean that! Sorry if you thought I thought u did hehe! Thank you too today. I feel that I can never fully be free of him sadly. Just due to the fact we have dd together. I am moving back to his area so that she can have some sort of relationship with him...but look at that, its crazy isn't it!? I mean, I am making an effort for him again.. :( I think I am worried about the unexpected and just want to give dd a chance with her dad even if he is a unless piece of poor to put it mildly. I don't want her to ever feel rejected.
Hi bighouse,, its great to hear positive stories on here. It sounds like you are feeling so much ,ore confident and regaining control. You know how he is working and so he seems so pathetic.

you are all so amazing on here. You may never realise how much you are helping me right now and I bet so many others. The support on here is invaluable . So much love to u all! Xxx

sunrise65 · 06/05/2012 20:32
  • that should read useless piece of shit poo ! Need to turn off predictive text!
ibuyjaffacakesnow · 06/05/2012 21:12

Hi sunrise, (you know me on here already, not in real life I hasten to add, fancied a namechange) I know just what you mean about feeling will never be free of him due to dc. I do find as time goes by it gets easier to detach, so even though not totally free, you will be less bothered by him and what he says.

What will you do about contact, as he won't be allowed to know where the refuge is? (will he?).

He shows a blatent disregard for naps and breastfeeding doesn't he? But solicitors don't.(IME) So don't let him persuade you to use a bottle for his convenience/so he can have her for longer! You don't sound like you will.