Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

What to do? (EA? SA?) Legal advice needed as well please - warning, it is extremely long!

493 replies

StickorFold · 25/04/2012 10:57

This is going to be long and warbled, and might not make too much sense, maybe a bit bitty, but will try and put as much as much detail in as I can so I'm not adding to it after.

Firstly, I am an old MN'er, used to be a prolific poster, so it may be that the odd one of you may work out who I am, I would really appreciate it if anyone that suspects just keeps it to themselves please.

Secondly, think it goes against MN rules to have two accounts, though I hope for this one occasion we can over look this, as it is the only way I feel safe enough to get this out and hopefully gain some advice.

Thirdly, I may not be able to reply as ofter as I'd like, but will try my best to get on when I can.

OK, so, background: H and I have been married for 11 and a half years, three children, he is a good, loving dad, he works extremely hard (60hrs a month), he is ace at helping out around the house, he does most of the cooking, involved in bath times/bedtimes (when he is here), he does put the kids first in everything, and that reason, and that reason alone, is the only reason we are still together now.

I also work, of sorts, I have two failed/failing businesses under my belt, and am now working part time while youngest is at nursery and the older two are in school, plus evenings/weekends (17-20 hrs a week). I will be coming back to my 'job' in a bit.

His 13 years older than me, we met when I was 17, moved into a flat together, got engaged, got married, and (planned) DC within 3 months of us meeting. At the time, I thought he really must have loved me, now realise he pushed us both into it, nearly losing my family along the way (didn't speak to my lovely mum for over a year, she missed my eledest's pregnancy/birth/first xmas etc.), I lost all of my friends, he didn't have any as he had moved from a different part of the country to be with me, because he loved me soooo much Hmm

He told me about a week before we got married that he had two children, by different women, that were only 5 and 6 years younger than me (the children!). He said he was young and stupid and that he'd never seen either of them, though he did pay a very small amount of CSA (big of him, eh? WHY couldn't I see it at the time? Angry) I have since found out that actually he did live with the mother of the second child for a while after she was born, but that it didn't work out, so all the 'firsts' we were doing to gether with our first child, weren't actually his firsts at all Sad.

He'd had a long term relationship with someone who he said he never wanted to marry, or have children with, even though she wanted to desperately, he apparently just left her one day, and then met me within 4/5 months and declaired his undying love ("I didn't love her enough, she was nothing like you, didn't I prove that when I married you and not her?")

He had a difficult upbringing, don't want to go into too much detail as I don't feel that would be fair of me, but, very quickly, his mum left him, his older siblings and his dad when H was very young, and by the time he was a young teen, his siblings had all moved out, and his dad had practically moved in with a new lady, H was fending for himself from 14yo.

Over the course of our marriage, I have obviously matured from being a 17yo girl (in essence), and over the last 3-4 years I have come to realise that H is (subtly) EA. He was very controlling over a friendship I had with a girl, to the point where we ended up moving 30 miles away, which was very convieniant for him. And it was the turning point in my mind, I could see as clear as day what was going on, what he was doing to me, and I told him we were over, neither of us could afford to move out, so we carried on staying under the same roof, big mistake, within a month, you'd never know we were going to split. I have now 'lost touch' with my friend, and have no others.

Since then, I have done a fair amount of burying my head in the sand, trying to 'tune in' to when he was preasuring me in any way etc. couple of times I known for sure and talked to him about it, he always wormed his way out of it, and after a few days of uncomfortableness (for me) I'd get over it and it was placed under that very lumpy carpet, with all the rest of the shit.

Throughout the whole time we have been a family, he has always (and I believe will always) love the kids wholely, and properly, there are a couple of very small odd things that have become sticking points over the years (e.g. he insists that when we all eat dinner, we don't cut into a boiled potato (or whatever) and just eat the potato, we also cut a bit of the fish (or whatever!) and eat the fish and potato at the same time, I know that is really odd, but it is just one of the tiny things that sticks in my head) He also can never seem to manage the small things we ask of him, e.g. I have two sugars in my cup of tea, he never ever puts two in, why not? Hmm

About two-ish years ago, I got very drunk, with him at home, saturday night, overdid the wine, not a regular occurance. When I woke up in the morning I thought I could remember him having sex with me in the middle of the night, I asked him and he denied it, I questioned myself (was I that drunk/dreaming?) but (sorry for TMI) I found the 'evidence' as I went to the bathroom, if you follow my drift? So I knew he had, I thought maybe he was drunk as well and couldn't remember. Wrote it off as a strange night.

Since then I have woken up to feeling him ejaculating on me, or wiping me with his t-shirt after he has ejaculated on me, or woken up just as he has tried to actually put his willy in me, sometimes I have asked him what the bloody hell he thinks he's doing, sometimes I just pretend I'm still asleep. Any time I bring it up, I apparently should feel lucky that he still wants me after so long, and after the children, and if I was more willing he wouldn't have to resort to these measures. Now I am the first one to admit, our sex life has suffered over the years, we tend to go in spits and spats, sometimes it can be two or three weeks, sometimes 5 or 6 times a week, no pattern to it, sometimes it is when I am most angry/hurt that we have more sex, not sure if that is me trying to regain some control?

Money has always been a problem, we've never seemed to have enough(!) (though TBF we have never been as tight as it is right now, now we are struggling for food at times, whereas, whilst there might not have been much left over 12 months ago, there was some) I was a SAHM until 2 years ago, I have tried and failed two different businesses (trying to work around child care etc.) neither of which had big outlays, but both of which really needed money for advertising that we just didn't/haven't got.

H point blank refused for me to get a part-time evening job, either in a bar/shop/etc. Saying that we'd never see each other, I'd miss the kid's bedtimes etc. But we were desperate for money. That stupid bloody program came on the telly about the phone sex line girls, H jumped on it, said it was be perfect for me, I could do it while the kids were out, and maybe some evenings to get extra money in, and that it might open my mind a bit and give us a boost in our sex lives. So for the past 4 weeks I have spent many evenings, in and out of the garage conversion, to deal with bedtimes etc. while trying to take/dodge calls from people. He will say things like "Did you touch yourself for any of them?" "Have you made much on your wank line?" "Oooo, bet you're all turned on now, talking to those other men". He sits in the living room watching the phone to know exactly when I'm on the phone and when I'm not, watching porn, sending me pictures of his errect penis over a photo of me, sending videos of himself wanking over pictures of me on the laptop etc. This is all supposed to get me in the mood... Hmm and Sad and Angry.

So, after a shit week last week, and having made some extra money, I went and bought us some wine on Saturday, I drank nearly two bottles (again, I like wine, but not usually that much!) H actually poured the last glass of the second bottle but I said I'd had enough and was going to bed, we had sex and I went to sleep. Next thing I remember waking up, he was on top of me, having sex with me, my legs were closed underneath him, he was completely squashing me, I was whimpering, actually whimpering (makes my bloody boil when I think how I was), I was saying no, ow, no, but strangely, I wasn't screaming and shouting it, or trying to move away or anything, I was just a pathetic whimpering heap, why didn't I try to stop him? He ejeculated in me and gave me an extra tight squeeze, and rolled off me. I asked him why he just carried on when I was saying no, and he said he thought I was moaning in pleasure Hmm He asked if we were ok, I said yes, rolled over and went to sleep.

He spent Sunday morning walking on egg shells, being extra nice, I didn't say a word about it and just acted normal, thinking I needed time to work out what I was going to do, and it was best to keep my cards to my chest as it were.

Yesturday we got into bed, he asked, actually asked, out of the blue, "can I cum on you?" I said no in a lighttone and pointed to the bathroom, he seemed to shrug it off, gave me a kiss on my cheek, turned over and started to fall asleep, I turned over and led there with my eyes open, he obviously presumed I was asleep, he started wanking, I purposefully moved to see what he would do, he just carried straight on, I heard/felt him get his t-shirt to clean up (it is always his t-shirts) and then he was asleep, I came downstairs and cried. He has absolutely no respect for me, I think the porn thing is playing a part in this, he never (seemed to) used it before a couple of years ago, and slowly but steadily, he has been using it more, and in the same time frame I am becoming more and more of his object to do with as he pleases, when he pleases.

So, for anyone that has got this far (and bloody well done if you did!) firstly, am I being unfair on the kids to take them away from their dad when he is brilliant with them? They love him to bits, it will break their hearts and I don't want to risk being the cause of the that.

Secondly, we rent our house (both names on tenancy), he owns the car but I drive it 99% of the time, we have no savings etc. My mum lives 200 miles away and it is the only place I could go. The only way I can get away from him, with some money in my pocket to get us there and a means of getting us there is if when he next get's paid (last working day of each month) to move some money from our joint account to my own, (this will leave bills here unpaid), take the car, pack up everything I can get in it, and take the kids and I to my mums. He will know exactly where I am, I'm not scared of him, but the fact I have cut all ties (except the kids obv.), will show him that we are over. He will hate it, he will hate me for doing it, but he will calm down fairly quickly, and realise he's pushed it too far, for the sake of seeing the kids.

Would I be facing any legal repercussions in taking the car/money? I just dont know how else to do it.

Right, this is humongous, I am sure I still haven't given all the details, but I really just wanted to get as much as I could down. Thanks to anyone who has made it to the end, and if anyone has any advice, I am all eyes ears.

OP posts:
mistlethrush · 29/04/2012 09:04

Thinking of you today.

LondonKitty · 29/04/2012 09:06

Can you check his browsing history to see if he has been on mn?

You will make yourself sick worrying.

Maybe it is time to take your dsis offer of help? You need to be at your mum's now.

solidgoldbrass · 29/04/2012 09:26

The DV unit will help and support you in leaving and make sure you get away safely. I'm afraid you are in danger until you get away: abusive men are most likely to escalate to major violence when their victims leave. Best of luck, you can do it.

TheHappyHissy · 29/04/2012 09:31

The DV team will act on the fact that you are in gennuine fear and that you wish to leave.

They won't arrest him unless there is evidence of a crime. They WILL help you exercise your right to end a relationship/leave. Comes under preventing a breach of the peace AFAIK. IF he hits/harms/threatens you under their gaze they can act.

You have to get away from him love. You really do!

sugarice · 29/04/2012 09:44

Thinking of you and the boys.Take care and believe in yourself.

FatherDougalMcGuire · 29/04/2012 10:10

SOF, do you think you Should wait til tomorrow. If he knows then you should maybe think about telling him its over, and that you are going today? I worry about Surat he's up to whilst keeping you upstairs, have you got your documents etc somewhere safe? I don't want tomske you feel more stressed, but the longer you are there with him in full knowledge the more likely it is that he will try and find some way ofh stopping you??

FatherDougalMcGuire · 29/04/2012 10:11

Sorry, that should read 'what' he's up to. Typing and bfing!

StickorFold · 29/04/2012 10:18

I don't think he knows. I think hes seen some of the thread (or it was a huge coincidence about the flying machines) we've just been sat having a cup of tea and talking of what we're doing next weekend, and other stuff. I really don't think he knows Grin i can read him like a book, I've had years of second guessing him, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself getting something into the conversation we've just had.

I think we are going to be fine. Grin

OP posts:
StickorFold · 29/04/2012 10:21

I am about to get ready and go food shopping, will be on my own so can get some stuff to take with us etc. am going to ring mum while I'm out, safer than doing it here. MoK, if I can't tell her more than we're going tomorrow, am I ok to tell her to ring you? And I will ring you this afternoon from the garage!

I can't wait to see her tomorrow, I am in desperate need of a hug! Blush

OP posts:
FatherDougalMcGuire · 29/04/2012 10:24

SOF if he's seen some of the thread what's to stop him seeing the rest??

FatherDougalMcGuire · 29/04/2012 10:25

I can't wait til tomorrow either, I think everyone here is in anticipation for you! :o

StickorFold · 29/04/2012 10:28

I know, asked myself the same thing, but I really don't think he knows, either that it's about him or that it's my thread or something else has stopped him making the connection? I am being careful still, I know he could be trying to play a part, but I really don't think he is.

He is that ott that he could have seen that, thought hah that's something I bet she'd like or do, and he was testing me

OP posts:
mumofkyle · 29/04/2012 10:45

I couldn't see how he could have know and not shown any emotions - fingers crossed x

Of course tell mum to call - how much do you want me to say?

StickorFold · 29/04/2012 11:26

Sorry, had to go quickly at end of last post, he came in.

You can tell her everything, as long as you think she is handling it. I might be able to tell her, but just got to do it quick and not cry because I am sat in the car park!!

Will ring/text you later, am about to ring her now. x

OP posts:
LaVitaBellissima · 29/04/2012 11:27

I've just read this whole thread, keep strong SoF, you can do this, you are only 28 you have a whole amazing life of you!

Sending virtual support and a great big unmumsnet hug

You and your sons deserve so much better Thanks

StickorFold · 29/04/2012 11:30

Shit answer phone. Will try again when I've got the shopping, and again in the garage if needs be.

God, I had spent the whole drive over here feeling sick and shaking knowing I was going to have to say it out loud.

OP posts:
StickorFold · 29/04/2012 11:31

Thank you LaVita x

Right, shopping, can't even remember what we need! Blush

OP posts:
TheHappyHissy · 29/04/2012 11:34

My heart is in my mouth. thinking of you SoF. You really ARE amazing. You DO deserve so much better than the life you are leading.

In a VERY short time, you will see that.

Stay safe, lovely.

MrsMcEnroe · 29/04/2012 11:39

Hi SoF and MoK, thinking of you - wasn't expecting the latest developments but I'm rooting for you. SoF, honestly I would phone the police now and get them to stay with you while you pack the kids in the car and get away. Stuff calling 101, this is a case for calling 999 - this man has raped you, that's a crime, he is still controlling you - look at all the machinations you've been through while on this thread, just in order to stay one step ahead of him. He is clever, and controlling, and I would bet my last penny that he knows exactly what you're doing. You are in serious danger if you wait until tomorrow. Get out, get out of there. MoK, can you and your DH just drive over to her house now and help her and the boys get away? There are HUGE red flags here.

FatherDougalMcGuire · 29/04/2012 11:41

You are being so brave SOF, good luck telling your Mum. Un-MNy hugs to you.

CiderwithBuda · 29/04/2012 11:47

Have just read this whole thread and wanted to wish you the very very best of luck for tomorrow. I really hope he hasn't seen this but I suppose you won't know until tomorrow. Christ. You will be a nervous wreck by tonight.

As will most of us!

LondonKitty · 29/04/2012 12:18

Don't waste money on shopping SoF! Just grab documents and what you need for the journey, put the kids in the car and GO! MoK and her DH can pick up the rest of your stuff after you get legal advice.

Sallyingforth · 29/04/2012 12:18

And remember SoF, although you are quite properly doing this now for yourself and your DCs, you are also doing it for other women reading this thread who are in a similar position but haven't yet found your courage to make the move.

Hopefully your example will show them that they don't have to accept abusive behaviour and they can do something about it.

StickorFold · 29/04/2012 12:25

I'm ok, I am 99% sure he doesn't know and ready to ring police for the other 1%.

I have got loads of stuff that we will take with us, and some extra treats for the kids, don't know why I think some extra chunky chocolate cookies is going to soften the blow for them? It made sense in there!!

Right am going to try mum again, though going to have to be quick - frozen food and I'm 30 mins from home!

OP posts:
Polpettona · 29/04/2012 12:28

I've just been reading this thread and wanted to send you huge hugs! Stay strong, you're doing the right thing for yourself and your children hun. Good luck for tomorrow.