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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:
tryingtoescape · 30/05/2012 23:09

Hi fool and kerno thank you for support, it means a lot having this thread to come to. The panic attacks are crappy and it's predictable they'd come back when change and fear are happening, I guess. The breathing thing is a good thing to remember, thanks.

I agree re making the Lundy book compulsory for all teenage girls! I am reading it bit by bit but it's quite strong even in small doses, very revelatory and validating though.

I've got rental agents coming tomorrow to value house, poss plan being to rent it out and find smaller place for me and dc for a year at least, with a possible view to eventually being able to move back in here. Fwh knows nothing of this, impossible to talk to him about anything without abuse and ranting and intimidation so no point.

LemonDrizzled · 31/05/2012 00:40

fingers I feel a bit of motherly pride hearing that you have stood up to FWH. Now concentrate on making things as good as possible for your DC and yourself and recover from the last week's traumas.

Well done trying for having a Plan B. You can sort the money out even without your FWH mucking you about.

mother2 another vote for staying in touch with your DSis even if you never see her with her H. She need you to remind her he is abusive and provide a reality check.

Ronniesoak · 31/05/2012 11:24

Reading this thread does ring true with me, I went through a verbally/ emotionally abusive relationship with my ex, and, as someone above said, it was push push until She found the explosion button. I was cut off from my freinds, even when we moved and I had freinds in the street, I was soon moaned at If I spent 1 evening a week having a beer and chewing the fat with my neighbour. Also, I was shut out of the joint bank account, had to justify needing any new clothes, and moaned at if I spent money on anything other than petrol. Put down at every opportunity - either my weight/ I wasn't earning enough / was staying at work to long/ etc etc. In the end, she left me after having an affair with the one freind she allowed me to hang out with... during this affair.
The ultimate manifesation of the control that this kind of abuse is about was what she did afterwards - she KNEW that my main aim was to gain custody of the kids (who she never seemed to want to spend any time with anyway) and made false allegations against me (disproved in court) to prevent that happening.
So yes, I do fully understand the situation. All I can say is that there IS help and support out there (and for any other men in my position, mankind.org are amazing), but you need to be strong enough to get out. Staying in that kind of a relationship is damaging, you end up questioning your own worth, end up worrying what you have done to displease the abusive partner. But, there is light at the end of that tunnel, you just have to make that first step.

foolonthehill · 31/05/2012 14:27

hi Ronnie welcome, glad you are out of your tunnel and feeling the light (can you feel light? maybe that should be basking in the light??)

OP posts:
ladybird69 · 31/05/2012 15:42

my stbxh gave me ultimatum i am to leave house or he is and taking kids with him. he has convinced them that i am unstable even tho dr and counsellor say im fine just in abusive situation and reacting to that, and im the one walking around with the blackened eye :(
i dont know what to do, shall i leave quietly or do i tell him to go? god im so confused. any advice would be gratefully received x

arthriticfingers · 31/05/2012 15:52

Ladybird FW spent all yesterday saying - he would not go - the house was his - and, yes, I was unstable. In the end - Thanks Lemon, he just went.
Haven't heard from him since.
They are such cowards
Black eye = police = arrest for common assault.
Get some RL protection

ladybird69 · 31/05/2012 16:11

Fingers eye wasnt him, but he caused it! dont wanna go into too much detail, but police were called so have incident No. I dont give a toss about him, its just how he's mannipulating my children and turning them against me

arthriticfingers · 31/05/2012 16:26

Yup another standard ploy.
Don't fall for it.
It is shit at the moment, of course it is.
It is horrible.
I am in the middle of shit with my children, but at least it is shit we can work through.
There must be something better out of this.
FW wants us (well me - certainly not him - and kids are just collateral damage to him) to live in shit with no way out
Not going to do that anymore.

HerHissyness · 31/05/2012 16:45

Ronnie, thanks so much for posting here. Well done for getting out, you clearly suffered horrifically too.

How long have you been out? what help are you getting to recover/heal?

if any of our posts resonates with you, and if you have any questions/musings/wonderings etc, please feel free to just dive in. I'm sure the techniques are the same, and the steps required to heal from them are similar.

ladybird69 · 31/05/2012 17:15

Fingers its like a living nightmare isn't it.
kids are just being used like pawns in his game! I feel so sad for them, but at same time they are all ganging up and attacking me now :( my friend just text and said look after yourself.
We must stay strong eh

arthriticfingers · 31/05/2012 17:29

Ladybird your children are not ganging up on you; they are hurt and scared.

ladybird69 · 31/05/2012 17:32

Fingers I know thats why I'm not blaming them and keep cuddling them and telling them that I love them. It just hurts so much

arthriticfingers · 31/05/2012 17:35

Yes, I know.
Space and time to everyone ...

ladybird69 · 31/05/2012 18:12

(hugs)

foolonthehill · 31/05/2012 18:21

ladybird given that the professionals see you as ok how about you walk out of the house with your DCs go to refuge with your black eye 9however caused) and say you have reason to believe that your DH is planning to abduct DCs to punish you as you have been in an abusive relationship for X years and can't cope with his threats any more.

I guarantee the police will find you a place either in local hostel or B and B you will get a DV liason officer, help from Women's Aid and lots of legal support.

I have forgotten how old your DCs are but unless you think they would refuse to go with you this would seem to be the safe way to sort out his blustering and threats.

OP posts:
ladybird69 · 01/06/2012 00:32

fool, DCs are too old to take/tell what to do. I have managed to speak to solicitor today about this and she will be contacting his tomorrow about injunction. dont want to really go down this route but feel its only option that i have left :(

foolonthehill · 01/06/2012 13:28

well done ladybird

OP posts:
arthriticfingers · 01/06/2012 14:53

Only way to go Ladybird

foolonthehill · 01/06/2012 21:55

How are you today fingers???
Hope the freedom and space are being enjoyed and your great lump of doom is stillcasting his shadow elsewhere.

OP posts:
arthriticfingers · 01/06/2012 22:04

Hi Fool Thank you very much for asking.
FW has vanished off the face of the Earth.
Kids are down, which make me very sad.
I have not asked them to side with me, just to understand I had no other option. They said they did.
I am feeling a bit blank, but more myself than I have felt in years.
Things had got so bad that I have been taking anti-depressants for months, for the first time in 52 years.
Funnily, now, can't wait to wind them down for good!
I have had not ONE second thought. The only depressing thought was why did I not do this years ago!
How are things with you?

foolonthehill · 01/06/2012 22:15

well done you, sorry kids are a bit down but guess that's understandable.
I knew he was a dark shadow...you won't be needing the happy pills for much longer I bet...take it slow though. For me week 1 was amazing and then it was a bit tricky for a while when had to actually sort things out and deal with the separation. Then gradually better and better Grin

7 months on and I am in an ok place. Most of my problems are just due to being the only parent to lots of children, working so many hours and having no time at all [violin emoticon]. It would be nice if NSDH stopped being silly, or even paid something towards the DCs...but I'm not holding my breath.

If I could have my dream i would sell the house and find something more affordable with none of those memories...probably would be worse for children at this point, but I dream on!

OP posts:
arthriticfingers · 01/06/2012 22:26

Fool how long can he continue to not support his own children?! (apart from the very useful contribution of the scaletrix - sp?- , of course!)
Is he trying to prove a point?

foolonthehill · 01/06/2012 22:49

Maybe...or maybe he is just so entitled (and sure that he will be back) that he does not feel the need?

or he is playing the "you won't let me see DCs so I'll give you no money" game?

OP posts:
arthriticfingers · 01/06/2012 22:53

WTF?
Are you managing?
I have signed all equity over to FW, but I still have access to his salary for the kids.

foolonthehill · 01/06/2012 23:05

I am lucky...although my job pays badly... because i work from home i don't pay for childcare and work as many hours as I can get hold of. so far managing but only paying half of interest on mortgage....it is flexible so it just means the equity is being eaten Sad all that hard work to rescue us when he mucked up the finances last time wasted (or buying me time, depending on your point of view)!

probably no-one will really see why I am delaying applying for divorce but the DCs need calm and peace to heal for a bit longer and it will definitely not be peaceful if I file....just using the time. I cannot see that we will get anywhere with his new idea of mediation..... but I'll jump through the hoop anyway.

OP posts:
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