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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.

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StickorFold · 27/04/2012 09:47

If your DH will be able to act completely normal, no matter what H says, and if he has the time, would be good to know why he rang him. I am calming down, he couldn't possibly have known on Tuesday, so perhaps just ringing for a catch up? He didn't mention he'd tried to ring, but then, why would he, if he'd have spoke to him then he might have said.

Actually, second thoughts, maybe best to leave it, it would have been impossible for H to know on Tuesday, I didn't even really know on Tuesday what I was going to do. I think leave it and see if H tries to ring him again?

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mistlethrush · 27/04/2012 09:48

I would say that 'nana wants to see us' or something that vague - do they really need a better reason in the circumstances? Its the truth - she does.

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 09:51

Saves putting your poor DH in that kind of posistion as well.

Don't think I have ever posted so many posts in as few minutes!!

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StickorFold · 27/04/2012 09:52

And one more for luck - my typing/spelling is awful, what is the matter with me?!

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mumofkyle · 27/04/2012 09:57

I've told him not to now, I'll obviously let you know if he calls again.

Have you any plans for the weekend, I know he's working tomorrow. I really wish I could press fast forward for you!

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 09:59

Mistlethrush, the youngest two will be fine, DS1, he will know something is up and be imagining all sorts. Maybe I should try and talk to him quickly Tuesday morning without the other two? But then what if he rings/texts his dad to try and 'fix' it?

Ahhh FB, he'll put it on there. Maybe it is a surprise visit to Nanas? And because it is inset day Thursday and Friday next week, and they've got the Monday bank hol, we thought it wouldn't hurt to take them out of school for an extra couple of days to surprise Nana in her new house, then dad had a job he couldn't get out of, and so he will meet us there later. Don't put it on FB in case anyone says anything to Nana.

Will have to prep mum, so she'll be surprised.

Cor blimey, it's like plotting to escape jail!

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StickorFold · 27/04/2012 10:06

Yes, we're going food shopping tomorrow afternoon and Sunday I'll be hiding in the garage.

If you find that fast forward button, press it as hard as you can please! I can do the being normal thing, but even when he just walks into the room, or I'm sat next to him on the couch, or when we go to bed, he turns my stomache. I was sneakily watching him last night while he was cooking, and I have been looking all week for any signs of remorse, or any sign that he is torturing himself inside, nothing. I haven't even had the obligatory 'I'm in the doghouse' bunch of flowers! Probably a good job, I don't think he'd look any prettier with a bunch of flowers hanging out of his arse, and I should imagine it wouldn't be that comfortable...! Wink

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BertieBotts · 27/04/2012 10:24

I did the living in limbo thing for 3 months and it was horrid.

Surprise visit to nana sounds like excellent cover for the DC.

I'm glad you have an emergency flying squad to get you out of there early if needs be!

PS, if you have an iphone 4 or 4S, it will have a micro-sim as opposed to a normal sized sim. So if you break your phone, you may need to get hold of a new sim card as well for the cheap phone, unless you have a sim card adaptor. The iphone 3/3GS has a normal sim card. You'll also need a paperclip or pin to get into the sim card holder bit.

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 11:14

Thanks Bertie, I have the iPhone 4, but I know about the sim card things. I am not actully going to drop it down the loo, just tell him I have, will switch it off, till we're at mum's. Use DS1's to keep in contact with mum and MoK, and then it gives me a reason to keep DS1's on me, where he can't send anything to H.

3 months? You are one brave lady! I am struggling more and more each day, you must have been going crazy!

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StickorFold · 27/04/2012 11:22

Argh, just thought, can't switch it off, need it for the sat nav. Maybe I could go back to the semi-old'en days and print a map? Shock TBH will probably follow it easier than any bloody sat nav anyway!

Oh god the drive, am so not looking forward to that, am useless when I don't know where I am, and all the roads into mum's town from the motorway have changed so I don't know them, there are four lane roundabouts (can barely manage the little mini roundabout in the village ) and I'll be shattered, and worrying because it will be around the time H will start getting the picture, and kids will be at their worst after 5/6 hours in the car. Really not looking forward to the drive Sad I will be the only woman in history led awake the night before she leaves her twatish husband, not for any other reason other than dreading the drive away. Bet I can't even take a Google Streetview 'drive', it's only all been changed in the last 12 months. Shit.

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ExitPursuedByABear · 27/04/2012 11:26

Sat nav is the work of the devil imo.

Print off a map and directions. You will be fine - once you have made it to your Mum's town you are home and dry and can hopefully relax - can your sister meet you to show you the way?

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 11:31

No, I will be fine, I more or less know the way from here to the motorway, then it's motorway nearly all the way, so it is only the bit between the motorway and mum's town I have to deal with, 20mins and it'll be over.

I will be shitting it fine.

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mistlethrush · 27/04/2012 11:36

Get your sister or DBiL to write detailed notes for you that your eldest will be able to help you with...

Along the lines of

come of the M ? at Junction A. At the roundabout take the 3rd exit towards ycc

3 miles down the road turn left at the T junction

etc.

It will give him something responsible to do to look forward to and keep interested in.

Play the 'yellow car' game on route (first one to spot one says 'yellow car' - there are no prizes for who has the most, and you don't even need to keep count - just keeps attention outside the car - lorries and vans don't count) - and take something to play in the car on the radio that you all like listening to - or even an audio book if that's possible.

coppertop · 27/04/2012 11:38

If your ds has access to FB and/or his own e-mail address, be very careful that your H doesn't use them to contact him directly once you leave. I would also make sure that any phone conversations your H has with the children are all with the speakerphone switched on. He's a very manipulative man and would no doubt use any direct contact to his own advantage and tell them all kinds of crap.

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 12:09

I will print off the AA Route Planner thing, DS1 can be in charge of it (watch us end up in Scotland or something!). We play the 'how many X's can you see' game and variations of when we're on long journeys, kids have done them all their lives, they are fairly used to them, though we ususally time the journey to be at night so they will sleep...!

DS1 does have an FB account, (a little extra 'gift' for his 10th bday), he only has his class mates and family on it, and all privacy settings are set so only his friends can see anything. If I delete H as his friend, he won't be able to contact him through FB will he? Or see what DS1 has put on or anything?

DS1 also has a mobile, 10's of email addresses, a website, I can't take all of that away from him as well. It is all very closely monitored. He is a sensible kid, he will listen to me when i've made myself very clear he is to listen, and I trust him.

I think I may need to explain to him some of what has gone on, not the gory details, and in many ways he won't understand, but it will hopefully give him the idea that he must tell me of any communication his dad tries. And of course it will be supervised only time on the internet for the time being. Will just have to watch with him, as I said he is very sensitive, and he is the type to take it all on his shoulder's, will need to watch him like a hawk. And yes to the speakerphone only.

I hate this man that has done all of this, I can handle what he's done to me, but to the kids? They have done absolutely nothing to deserve any of it, and yet it is them that will be most hurt. I can phsyically feel the anger and hatred of H bubbling up in me, I have no idea how I am going to keep it in till Tuesday, really I don't. I have no idea how I will keep it in tonight, let alone Tuesday.

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MrsMcEnroe · 27/04/2012 12:17

Hi StickorFold - wow, this thread has moved on since I last checked it - you are doing AMAZINGLY well and it's only a few more days now and you'll be free of this abusive monster. You and your sister obviously have a lovely bond - when she first posted on the thread I started crying Blush - it's great that you have her in your corner. Please keep strong - you can do this.

Yes, be very careful about DS1's access to FB, email etc.

Also - I understand that you want to leave your H on your own terms. And I understand that you want to leave with access to some money and a car with a tank full of petrol, of course you do. BUT you are allowed to leave NOW if you want to - it sounds as though your gorgeous sister or BIL would come and get you and the kids - so if it all gets too much, take that option. Your safety is paramount. Just saying.

I will be keeping everything crossed for you love, you are being very brave and strong and YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING. xxx

sugarice · 27/04/2012 12:22

Good to hear that you're feeling anger towards him rather than pity. Tuesday's D-Day isn't it so keep calm and stay on track. Also,might be a good idea to avoid any glasses of wine over the weekend in case you let anything slip by accident.Smile

BustersOfDoom · 27/04/2012 12:30

Also make sure that you turn off 'find my iphone' if you've got it activated. If your H knows your iTunes log in then he can use it to track you. Maybe change your iTunes password as well just to be on the safe side.

Wishing you a weekend that flies by and the best of luck!

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 12:41

Yes, my sister is the best there is Grin And I can't wait till this is over and I can actually talk to her :) I don't know how I am going to be able to tell mum on Monday, I feel like if I say it out loud, it will become really real, and I don't know how that is going to play out. I can't risk it playing out before Tuesday! So yes, Monday will be the hardest, especially because the money will be sat there in the bank, and all I'm waiting on is him sorting the bloody tax!

I know we could go now, I could just go and get in the car, pick them up from school/nursery and go, but I'd have no money, nothing for the kids, it'd just be another nightmare. I need to do it the right way, for us at least, one way or the other, we will get through the weekend, then it's only one more day.

No, no wine, have no intention of ever getting into bed with him while I have even a drop of alcohol in me ever, ever again. With any luck I can be busy in the garage for the most part of the weekend, then I feel guilty, should I get us all out together so the boys will remember the last weekend as a good one?

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StickorFold · 27/04/2012 12:42

I don't think I have it activated, but it is on my new list to check. Also don't think he knows my iTunes P/W, but will change it just in case. :)

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mumofkyle · 27/04/2012 12:57

SoF, you are doing brilliantly. I can fully understand where you are coming from in regards to DS1, he is so switched on. He will find it very hard to understand but he trusts you so much he will get there.

Unfortunately, I live 100 miles in the opposite direction of our mums, otherwise I would be meeting SoF and 'guiding her home' but my sense of direction is as bad, if not worse than hers!

Our situation is very similar, I met my DH, who is 10 years older than me, at 16, married at 18 and had our DS at 21. We went through the same problem with growing up with our DH and can see how hard it is for them to let us go so to speak. I am very lucky in that my DH understood this and 'backed off' and let me find my way through the hard times, it is hard for them as they are used to 'protecting' us. I know I'm not putting it right but, when things last came to a head with SoF we were able to help as we had been there, and in the last few years she has blossomed. This time the situation is completely different and we have no idea how to help, apart from obviously being there for her.

As for telling mum - would it be of any use me ringing her on Tuesday giving the very basic details and then you can talk properly when you get to hers?

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 13:11

No, thank you for the offer though. I need to tell her the situation so I can gage how she sounds. I know she would do anything for us, but, we've said even recently, she is different now, I need to know/hear that she is ready for this, because it could, potentially, get quite nasty.

And besides, it isn't as if we will be able to talk properly when we get there because of the kids, so I'd like to be able to tell her I am OK, properly, before she's built it all up in her head, if you know what I mean?

I just hope she has the thought to not have... errrm... a house full on Tuesday afternoon, if you get what I mean?!

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StickorFold · 27/04/2012 13:13

Ha! 'Do ya no wot I mean, like?!' Could I have said that anymore in that last post?!

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mistlethrush · 27/04/2012 13:21

Did lead me to wonder, to start with, quite what your mother might be getting up to on Tuesday afternoon Grin

StickorFold · 27/04/2012 13:25

Ha ha, if I told you, you'd only be dissapointed!! Wink

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