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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

So...what to do when he hits you and claims he hasn't? LONG

364 replies

NiniLegsInTheAir · 24/04/2012 20:39

Related to:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1448343--to-expect-DH-not-to-deliberately-wake-me-up-early-in-the-mornings

And to a lesser extent on and off here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/1451592-Red-flags-I-should-have-heeded-share-yours-for-womenkind

So, 5am this morning he starts screaming at the cat (who is on the windowsill (sometimes she scratches the woodwork but wasn't this morning). He started banging the bed violently with his hands so I told him to get a grip and he punched me on the arm. Which hurt.

He gets up at 6:15 and stomps around the house like he always does (this is where the first thread is relevant), and at half 6 goes into DD's room to get his workclothes - he refuses to sort them out the evening before. And like always, he disturbs her, she thinks he's going to pick her up so when he leaves she starts screaming and crying. So I told him off for waking her and he throws some clothes at me and shouts at me.

I've been stewing all day about the ridiculous morning situation (and how my eyes have been opened by being on this site the last few weeks). So when I got home I moved my clothes into the wardrobe in DD's room, put his clothes on our bed (to sort out after having put DD to bed). So I put her to bed and go downstairs. I put dinner on. Suddenly he walks through the door, a good half hour earlier than normal (and he claimed he was gonna be late tonight).

He comes in, breezy and talking to me normally, which gets my back up straight away. I was a bit frosty so he goes straight upstairs (WHY OH WHY did I not tell him about the clothing arrangement then?! I'm such a fucking idiot). Next thing I know is I hear DD crying.

So I go upstairs. He's playing with her in her cot. She's supposed to be settling to sleep (she's 14 months). He knows that. I asked him "What are you doing?" He says "I'm playing with her." I say "She's supposed to be sleeping." Then I go back downstairs to finish putting dinner on.

Within a few mins I hear her screaming the place down as he's obviously left her now. Not impressed particularly with that. Then there's a great crash from our bedroom. He comes flying downstairs shouting at me "There's mud everywhere now!" I said "What? Why is there mud upstairs?" (a bit confused). He then starts yelling about me moving the clothes and how because of me the clothing rail has broken (no shit Sherlock, its been broken for most of the 3 YEARS I've been using it). So I said to him "You're being too noisy for DD. Why is she crying?" He shouts even louder that he "doesn't fucking know", slams the cupboard door by my foot that he's just taken the dustpan out of and almost knocks me into the boiling saucepan I've got in front of me on the hob.

So I lost it a bit and squared up to him. Can't remember quite what I said - bit of a red mist - something along the lines of being sick to death of him etc etc. So he shoulders me and I went back at him. Then he grabbed me and threw me into the dining room floor, knocking my back and my right knee. And he's screaming at me for "scratching his neck" and how I should "never fight him when he's bigger and stronger than me". I started crying at this point (tears of angry but also my knee was agony) got back up and just let rip with what I thought of him. How much I hate him. How I'm sick to death of him for a whole host of reasons and I won't tolerate being hit by him again. He claims he never hit me. I was totally shocked that he DARED tell me he didn't punch me in the arm this morning. According to him it never happened, please tell me I'm NOT going crazy!

I then let rip, told him exactly what I think of him, what a tosser he is, how worthless he makes me feel, how much I hate him, that it's all over. I told him to stop gaslighting me (ahh how sweet it was to see the confused look on his face when he didn't understand the term Grin). I told him not to come home tomorrow night as I need some space - "I'm not going anywhere" he said. I told him the door would be locked if he came home (not smart I know). I eventually had to back down and went to the kitchen, finished dinner and ate it alone while he swept up the mud upstairs. Our poor cat was so spset, she kept meowing and rubbing around my legs. I was slumped against the sink and she stood on her back legs and took my hand with both her front paws, it was amazing Shock.

He's now in the bath on the phone and I'm in the bedroom. My right knee is in agony, it's red and feels swollen already (I have bad knees anyway, any knock to them causes this kind of pain). DD is still awake, I went in to her afterwards and cuddled her, she was happily chatting away to me. I can't believe we dragged this innocent little soul into such a shitty life, what kind of mother am I. It's making me weep Sad. The cat is curled up closely next to me.

Turns out the 'mud' was from my little giant sunflower I've been growing for DD that was on the mantelpiece. He swept up the dirt on his stuff but has left any that fell on anything of mine. Just shows what he thinks of me. I'm worthless to him. Sad

I don't know what to do know. My head is in tatters, I can't think straight, I've just written this as it's come to me and it happened over an hour ago. I dont have anywhere to go or anyone to talk to. I will probably sleep in with DD tonight to make sure he doesn't steal her away or something in the morning. Please help!

OP posts:
Nyac · 24/04/2012 20:43

You need to call the police and ask to speak to their DV team and tell them he has attacked you.

How awful. I'm so sorry he hurt you. :(

You probably need to go to A&E or your GP about your knee too.

MyNameIsntFUCKINGWarren · 24/04/2012 20:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MyNameIsntFUCKINGWarren · 24/04/2012 20:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

legoballoon · 24/04/2012 20:45

If you are ready to leave him, I don't think anyone here would blame you for doing so. He sounds totally unreasonable, and potentially very dangerous. You cannot go round walking on egg shells forever, and whatever single parenthood would hold for you, cannot be as miserable as coping with his mood swings and threats of physical violence.

I would call the police, report an assault, and make arrangements to separate.

Do you have friends and family who could help out? Google women's aid and see also what facilities there are locally. Is the house yours, or in joint names? Do you have financial resources to draw upon? (If you have a joint account, call them tomorrow and make arrangements to protect your funds).

Hope this helps. You have one life - don't waste any more time with this man.

ErikNorseman · 24/04/2012 20:46

Call the police now and they will arrest him and take him away. Do it.

KatieScarlett2833 · 24/04/2012 20:47

Police. now.

He assaulted you, the fucking bastard.

He has to go.

tantrumsandballoons · 24/04/2012 20:48

Phone the police Op and you may be wise to go to a local walk in centre or hospital as it sounds like you are in a lot of pain.

Please don't stay in the house alone with this man tonight, call someone to be with you AFTER you phone the police.

neuroticmumof3 · 24/04/2012 20:53

Please phone the police. I haven't read your other threads but this level of violence is really worrying and it sounds as though things are escalating.

saladsandwich · 24/04/2012 20:54

he cant deny throwing you to the floor and smashing your knee up though can he? ring the police and have him removed, definitely get your knee seen to.

NiniLegsInTheAir · 24/04/2012 20:55

I don't have anybody :( no family within an hours drive, most of our friends here are his not mine. I can't leave DD to go to a&e. I'm having trouble bending my knee but I've put a cold compress on it so that might help.

He's been pottering around like nothing happened, has packed himself a bag. I think he was talking to his Dad on the phone so I'm guessing he's made arrangements to go there.

It sounds pathetic but I'm too afraid to ring the police. Afraid of what people will think. How pathetic is that. I'm going to lock myself into DD's room with her and the cat. I don't trust him one inch.

lego The house is jointly ours. We don't have a joint account (I've never trusted him with money as he's so controlling), but I have a fair bit of debt (about 2.5k) and he has savings.

Thanks for talking to me everyone.

OP posts:
KatieScarlett2833 · 24/04/2012 20:58

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

You need to have this on record tonight. So he stays away.

Hebiegebies · 24/04/2012 21:00

Agree with all the above posts, please take care of yourself and dd

legoballoon · 24/04/2012 21:01

If he is moving out tonight, please call the police and report this incident. You need to have it documented and the police these days are aware of the issues surrounding DV.

FWIW no one will judge you. Many women on MN have been through this, myself included, many years ago. You have to take back control of your life. If you have reached the decision that this relationship is really going nowhere, that it is detrimental to you and your child, then now is the time to deal with it.

In a few years, this will be behind you and you will be happy again, I promise. This is the hard bit, but there are agencies around now who will support you, and lots of information online and on this website about how to access help.

As the house is jointly yours, so IMHO stand your ground and ask him to move out. This would be less unsettling on your DD in the short term. You may then have to sell up and split the equity, but it would give you enough (I hope) for a fresh start. Don't be frightened of the unknown, it can't be worse than living in fear of someone in your household.

BibiBlocksberg · 24/04/2012 21:02

Oh my god OP, that is horrendous. Admit to lurking on your other thread (nothing useful to add then) and thinking 'this is going to escalate'

Please report this to the police as assault because that's what it was. You must be in shock still but getting this logged will help further down the road.

What a sense of entitlement this fucking idiot has, feel like crying at the thought of you there on the floor being comforted by the cat (wonderful, perceptive creatures that they are)

Have you got any RL support you can call on? Keep posting here if you feel up to it but am sending you strenghth to show this twat that he's blotted his copy book with you and DD now.

NiniLegsInTheAir · 24/04/2012 21:18

Thanks guys. I've found the number for our local CARP, and I'm going to give them a ring in a minute. He keeps wandering in and out so I dont want him overhearing.

Bibi how sad is it that I've had more affection from the cat tonight than I've had from him for as far back as I can remember? :(

OP posts:
neuroticmumof3 · 24/04/2012 21:21

If you really don't want to involve the police (and I seriously think you should) then call NCDV on 0844 8044 999 and apply for a non molestation order and an occupation order. These injunctions will get him out of the house and keep him away from you without giving him a criminal record. Of course if he breaches the injunction he might end up with a criminal record.

IslaValargeone · 24/04/2012 21:22

Just offering a hand hold and some support.

lemonbonbons · 24/04/2012 21:23

Do in your heart what you want to do

BertieBotts · 24/04/2012 21:23

Take her with you - tomorrow, if you don't want to wake her tonight. From experience the staff in the adult part of A&E find small children very much a novelty and won't mind her being there at all. A friend's 14mo DS charmed one nurse so much that she went out into the car and brought him some of her own children's toys to play with!

KatieScarlett2833 · 24/04/2012 21:25

Good, well done.

BibiBlocksberg · 24/04/2012 21:26

I can categorically state now that the love I've had from my cats has always been better and more unconditional than the men I've shared my life with.

'you love the cat more than meeee' was an often heard lament in my house until fairly recently. Too damn right it was too!

Anyway, this isn't about me, well done for keeping on with the plans, hope you manage to get a call in to CARP - guess its not possible to get out of the house to make the call without upsetting DD's routine?

Not religious but am praying for you here!

mathanxiety · 24/04/2012 21:29

Call the police immediately. Get to a hospital asap to have your injuries seen to and documented.

Call a friend anyone you know, a neighbour and have them take care of DD while you get this done.

I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT:

CALL THE POLICE

MrsMicawber · 24/04/2012 21:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mathanxiety · 24/04/2012 21:31

If you don't call the police he will interpret it as meaning he can do it again, or he can stay and see how the wind is blowing, or that you are afraid to.

BibiBlocksberg · 24/04/2012 21:52

The OP on the 'punched my daughter' thread has had to call the police tonight I just noticed. Perhaps have a look there briefly for extra courage?