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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 for those in Emotionally abusive relationships number 10

999 replies

foolonthehill · 09/07/2012 20:53

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
should 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:
veeeee · 04/08/2012 09:45

nini what's happened?

daiseehope · 04/08/2012 10:05

You are all amazing. I would like to say hi and ask if I can join the thread. FW is just that. I can't type much now he is here but read Whole Thread last night after a typical night at home with Twot Features. I am not happy here.

bertiebassett · 04/08/2012 10:27

Hi daisee Smile sorry to hear you have a FWH too...

NiniLegsInTheAir · 04/08/2012 10:32

Nothing major. He's just being the same selfish prick he always is at weekends. This is going to be a long one.

Wave to daisee

foolonthehill · 04/08/2012 11:26

to all of you struggling and with thanks to those who showed me this:
You have the right to be you.
You have the right to put yourself first.
You have the right to be safe.
You have the right to love and be loved.
You have the right to be treated with respect.
You have the right to be human?NOT PERFECT.
You have the right to be angry and protest if you are treated unfairly or
abusively by anyone.
You have the right to your own privacy.

You have the right to you own opinions, to express them, and to be taken
seriously.
You have the right to earn and control your own money.
You have the right to ask questions about anything that affects your life.
You have the right to make decisions that affect you.
You have the right to grow and change (and that includes changing your mind).
You have the right to say NO.
You have the right to make mistakes.
You have the right NOT to be responsible for other adults? problems.
You have the right not to be liked by everyone.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTROL YOUR OWN LIFE AND
TO CHANGE IT IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH IT AS IT IS.

these are basic rights, these are not exceptional expectations, this is a healthy way to live...not denigrating others to enable yourselves, but affording yourselves and those around you THE SAME rights and value.

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 04/08/2012 11:28

Do Not buy the lie that you are worth less than this.

Do not buy the lie that you are "good" for reducing your expectations to nothing.

Do not buy the lie that you can change someone else by changing yourself.

Do not show your children that this is the way to live love and be loved.

Stop the cycle of abuse and reach out for a better future

OP posts:
daiseehope · 04/08/2012 12:36

Hello all, FW is now at cricket so is out of the way now all day. Phew. I can't remember all the chat names I have read. You've made me see that my situation is not uncommon and cannot I think be resolved by staying together. In my case a few rl friends know about the issues but no one want me to leave(?) My mum shocked me by telling me to stay put. Has anyone else decided to stay put? I dont think I can. Sick of walking on eggshells / worrying about what mood he will be in. Even more sick of being accused of every sin he is committing. I noticed another chatter had this - was called aggressive and argumentative. Apparently so am I, and he's "scared" to come home at night lol. Once apon a time I had a house, a very well paid job and a life. Now I have none of these and live in a house he and the MiL own. Anyone know if I can ask him to leave this house with an occupancy order? I've read about them but have never spoken to anyone who took one out. I wouldnt leave the kids with him as I dont trust him to behave. And I cant leave here as I have no money / debts etc.

Fool - you speak the truth! I can see that, but it's like my brain won't accept it.
Have a lovely day all xxxx

daiseehope · 04/08/2012 12:37

Hello bertie! Unfortunately I think they make them in a factory, or when the girls have the lesson about periods at school they take some of the lads off and teach them how to be FWs ?!?!

daiseehope · 04/08/2012 14:14

Sorry for writing so many posts as a newbie. I have just had to deal with FW ringing and being all lovely and nice. Why do they do this? Where's my backbone? It's like now I've started to read about this I can't stop and have been on here all morning while the kids play the PS3, convincing myself I'm right and reasonable. Then he rings and is scary lovely. How do I deal with this? Sorry to be a pain Confused

bertiebassett · 04/08/2012 15:10

Hi daisee don't worry about how many times you post Smile

I'm afraid the cycle of nice/nasty is a common theme on here...

My NSDH is currently in nice phase too. It used to be enough to keep me hooked (which is their aim after all). However, the nasty phases got so bad that the nice phases weren't balancing it out (IYSWIM) and I realised finally and with the help of MNetters how the cycle was affecting me and DS. I recently made the decision to end it. Are you at this stage now?

Luckily my friends and family have seen him in nasty phase (recently) so they know the situation. It sounds like you don't have that support behind you if they want you to stay?

daiseehope · 04/08/2012 16:12

Its really odd re: family support. My dps know and really dislike him, I think they are scared for us in a financial sense. Several friends know and I think they are wary after I have disclosed then put up and shut up. I do think I'm ready, but I need to think....

veeeee · 04/08/2012 16:49

Don't apologise for posting on here daisee!

bertiebassett · 04/08/2012 16:50

daisee I do think it's difficult for people outside a EA relationship to really understand what it's like inside. I also think that friends/family are often reluctant to get involved until a definite decision has been made to stay or leave.

I found that once I'd made my decision that it was over, my friends said they were so relieved...they'd been hoping I wouldn't decide to stay (because they had witnessed what he was like) but wanted to support me in whatever I decided to do.

The financial side is really tricky...I'm struggling with this myself...but there is some great advice here on MN. Even if money is tight for a while, it will be worth it. You can't put a price on emotional stability (this is what I keep telling myself) Smile

sunrise65 · 04/08/2012 17:08

hi daisee sorry to read what u r going thru. Like others have said I think it is common for friends and family to understand. Personally, it took a long time to convince my family because they thought it was just arguments and that we had to stick together for the kids type thing. 7 months on not only is my relationship with abusive ex over but also the one with my mother. R u getting any help from women's aid? The fear of finances, how u r going to cope etc is often worse than it actually turns out and even if it will b a struggle is no way worthstaying in an abusive relationship for. Him being all lovely again is classic abusive, he is manipulating u and playing mind games. Every time he does this remind yourself what an utter arsehole he has been. Take care. X

sunrise65 · 04/08/2012 17:10

typo *not understand !

daiseehope · 04/08/2012 21:18

Thank you so much. It's really good to get a fresh look at things. Just been round to ds friends and blurted stuff out. She looked at me like I was mad. oops. Before I meant to document stuff that happened, and I noticed a poster has started a private blog, which I am going to do tonight when all is vaguely peaceful. He's still at " cricket "(lol it's pitch black nearly). But that is sweet..

daiseehope · 05/08/2012 00:26

Ick. He's just back and very slurred, drunk and all smiles. Wasn't pleased when I pointed this out. Gone downstairs muttering to sulk and will hopefully sleep there. Very sad he is so easily annoyed by "me" and is destroying our family

daiseehope · 05/08/2012 00:29

Fuck. He just came in. To apologise for lying about not being drunk. Apparently. My heart is going like the clappers.

NoMoreNotNever · 05/08/2012 08:22

Daisee, just wanted to offer all my sympathy. My P does similar - drinks downstairs and then pops up at random moments to interrogate or accuse - I know EXACTLY how you feel and I'm so sorry, it's horrendous on the nerves!

All I can say is, that the more you talk, the nearer that moment will get when you just think... No. Not doing this anymore. And that in itself is a huge relief, whether it shows on the outside or not, or you act quickly or not; just knowing to yourself that the status quo is no longer acceptable is a huge moment.

veeeee · 05/08/2012 10:12

Those who have left, did you speak to a solicitor first?

His behaviour towards dd has been disgusting this weekend so that's it for me. As well as the incident friday morning he's called her a little bastard or bitch a couple of times each day, pulled her by 1 arm towards him so he didn't have to lean forward to pick her up, told me he has smacked her hand when she was trying to grab the laptop cable at home and said he cant wait until she's old enough to smack properly.

Please help me to stick to this! She is such a happy loving baby and it breaks my heart that he's doing this to her Sad

bertiebassett · 05/08/2012 10:31

Oh veeeee I'm so sorry...

I'm not one of the ones that has left well not yet anyway but I don't think you need to worry about seeing a solicitor first. Just get yourself and DD to a place where are both safe. Do you have somewhere to go? (((hug)))

arthriticfingers · 05/08/2012 11:05

Vee, don't worry about a solicitor now. Just go.
You will need a bloody good solicitor soon because things are about to get a whole lot worse before they get slowly better, but that can wait until you are safe and can think straight.
I can't say how happy I am that you have reached this decision - sad and hard though it is to have to make it - I know :(

arthriticfingers · 05/08/2012 11:07

Also, from now on all contact is via email. Do not get involved in telephone conversations or - under any circumstances - agree to meet the FW.
Stay Strong

veeeee · 05/08/2012 11:17

We are still away at the moment, coming home tomorrow. I just don't want him to be able to take her away from me.

arthriticfingers · 05/08/2012 11:40

Forgot to send .
He will not be able to take her away from you, but if you are unsure, you can always post on legal, or, as is often said here, get a free half hour consult with a solicitor on Monday, but write everything down so you don't waste any of the free time