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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

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:
BertieBotts · 10/05/2012 22:22

That's so lovely Sof, glad to know you're enjoying your new found freedom and keeping that strength up! :)

mistlethrush · 10/05/2012 22:38

Really pleased to hear things are going so well - and hope that you have a good visit to the schools and get that sorted asap.

kingbeat23 · 10/05/2012 23:26

This is one of the best posts i've ever seen. I despair sometimes thinking that some peo[ple won't escape but you've made such brave steps in your life and I am immensely proud. It reminds me of what i've done and how i've come though this and for this, i thank you, makes it all worth while

May you continue in all your glourious freedom and have the life that YOU choose. x

foolonthehill · 10/05/2012 23:35

i am H-a-p-p-y happy, I know I am I'm sure I am I'm H-a-p-p-y!!!!

Bless you SorF.

foolonthehill · 10/05/2012 23:36

sorry for singing on your thread but the posts today have been Sad so many damaged people and you've got out to anew life and saved yourself and DCs from the awfulness...can't help but Smile

AnyFucker · 10/05/2012 23:38

great update x

BustersOfDoom · 10/05/2012 23:47

Wow! So very pleased for you and your DC! And I just knew you could beat the bastard roundabout Grin

empirestateofmind · 11/05/2012 00:15

Great news SoF. I am so pleased you escaped and can start your life again. The relief and happiness in your voice is lovely to hear xx

TheLastNameLeft · 11/05/2012 08:24

Fantastic update Grin onwards and upwards Stick X

sugarice · 11/05/2012 08:47

Great news that things are so good for you and the kids.

ExitPursuedByABear · 11/05/2012 09:52

Lovely to read your update. So glad things are going well for you.

crunchbag · 11/05/2012 10:03

What a lovely update, well done :o

NicknameTaken · 11/05/2012 10:10

Wow, is it really less than three weeks since you first posted? What a revolution in such a short space of time! Really, really happy for you and for your dcs. Well done!

PooPooInMyToes · 11/05/2012 10:58

Just read whole thread. Im off to repair my make up now Smile

NatalieJane · 28/05/2012 19:28

Hello, I am SOF, don't know if anyone is still watching this thread for updates, but I linked it to another realtionship thread to see if it would help and figured I owed an update :)

Well firstly, still in a state of total relief. I was starting to worry that I was being too calm, too OK, feeling too brilliant, but it has been 4 weeks today that we left, and I am not missing him, or missing little things, or even missing the house or anything!

He is still having the odd tantrum, but thankfully the texts have mostly calmed down, and I am at the point where I will only speak to him on the phone if I am absolutely not doing anything else, and it is essential.

He has seen the kids every weekend, and is hoping to move closer to us at the end of June, he'll be in a town about 40 mins drive away, so good for the kids to see him etc. but far enough away for me!

We are still at mums, think it will be a while before we can get a house, money is extremely tight, H is not paying anything until after he has moved (I am OK with this, I cleared him out for this month, and he will have moving costs next month, which is for the good of the kids) but if it carried on, I have CSA's number, and he knows this.

Only once has me dragged me down enough to nearly drive me to tears, he asked what i would tell the kids when they were older, I said i don't know, but whatever I chose to tell them would be what they needed/could handle, he then asked about the divorce, and i said (honestly) that I hadn't looked into it, and he basically went on to say that if I was to divorce him on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour (i.e. abusive rapist!) that he would contest it (or whatever it is) and claim I picked the kids up from school drunk and that he'd come home from work to the kids crying their eyes out in the living room and I'd be hiding in the kitchen ignoring them Hmm I took the bait Blush. And since then have kept phone conversations to bare minimum.

Apart from that i have faced up to, and blocked any type of controlling behaviours, and have physically, emotionally and mentally totally detatched from him.

DS2 had his first day at his new school today, DS1 doesn't start back till after half term (they have missed so much school :() so will be spending the next few weeks and months catching them back up and hopefully getting them through it.

They seem to be coping well, last week when H dropped them off they all started to cry their hearts out, he left them sobbing, once I'd calmed them down, spoke to DS1 and H, it turned out that H felt they weren't missing him enough so while they were on their way home to me, H started asking them if they missed him when he went, do they cry etc. Angry I told him if I ever found out anything like that again then he wouldn't see them, and this weekend was much better, DS2 sort of cried/moaned, but I think it was because of last week more than anything.

DS1 has asked some very pointed questions, (will I have a boyfriend soon he doesn't want another dad) when I asked him if he'd asked his dad the same, he said no, which stank to me of H putting questions in his mind? Still not much I can do other than to keep DS1's mind clear.

Oh and H (who had a total of 21 friends on FB before I 'defriended' him) has recently added 3 friends, one called Naughtybutnice, one with barely any clothes on, and one who is two years younger than me, not that it bothers me in the slightest (not least because I couldn't see any of them being the slightest bit interested in him other than for the £££'s he is probably paying to speak to them or whatever!) but the only reason I know this is because DS1 is friends with him, so when I've checked his FB (as I do regulary) of course up it pops. Disgusting man, he would have a fit if I added men to mine! Hope he and his porn are very happy together! :)

Hope that last paragraph doesn't come across as me being jealous or whatever, I really am not, I am just so pleased to be away from him, I am finding it quite funny that he is doing it, in the hope that it would rile me, and it is all for nothing, only thing i worry for is DS1.

I have today gone to town on my own, just sauntered about, sat and watched the world go by in the sun, and just felt so absolute, so normal, so at peace with myself, I could have sat there all day! Everyday is smiley, happy, yes the weather is helping this week, but it is so much more than that.

I feel Fantastically, Brilliantly, GREAT! :o

sugarice · 28/05/2012 19:34

Hi , you are fantastic and I'm thrilled for you that you're so happy Smile.

KatieScarlett2833 · 28/05/2012 20:27

Oh my love, you are a wonderful woman and mum. This has been both the best and worst thread I have ever read on here. You deserve and will have a great new life, how could you not when you are so strong and amazing?

NatalieJane · 28/05/2012 22:08

:) Thank you :)

It has been brilliant, I really can't put into words how much better I feel. Mum (and everyone) have been fantastic.

I have decided he unintentionally did me a massive favour on that Saturday night, he gave me, and us, our lives back. I wonder if he realises that?

Freedom is indeed sweet :)

coppertop · 28/05/2012 22:17

The difference in tone between your first post and latest post(s) on this thread is amazing. I'm so happy for you and your children. :):):)

MushroomSoup · 28/05/2012 23:06

Just read this whole thread from beginning to end - couldn't stop! And I was going to have an early night!
Such a fabulous thread. NatalieJane you're an inspiration and your boys and your family are wonderful xx

InstructionsToTheDouble · 28/05/2012 23:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

ComradeJing · 29/05/2012 09:37

Oh fantastic Natalie, well done!

ExitPursuedByABear · 29/05/2012 10:17

Great update NJ So pleased to hear you sounding so happy and that everything is working out for you.

mistlethrush · 29/05/2012 10:41

I was wondering how you were getting on - glad to hear that you're enjoying life again and all is well! Nice to see the new name too!

NatalieJane · 29/05/2012 12:44

Thanks everyone :)

Not a new name, t'is my old MN name - I've got nothing to hide now!

So day two of DS2's new school, he cried going in again, but he was really happy when I picked him up yesterday so hoping he'll get over the crying stage, it is so hard to leave him there like that.

I am taking DS3 to a playgroup tomorrow, he can't start nursery till September, so going to be lots of these to come I think. Will do me good as well, should be able to meet some new friends that we won't have to move away from :)

And DS1 and I have just been into town and he's spent his pocket money so he is a happy chappy.

:o