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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:
NiniLegsInTheAir · 17/07/2012 14:03

I know Forsale & Hilde. I ask as he's started dropping the 'when we have another baby' into conversation, and I've told him I don't want anymore children. I've tried to explain that the reason is because of his behaviour, but it either makes him angry or he tells me my feelings 'will change with time'. Hmm.

Sorry Forsale, can't offer any advice on the support group side, maybe someone with more knowledge can?

I know what you mean with hitting rock bottom. When he tried to strangle me 2 years ago I swore if it happened again I'd leave. Then he knocked me over in April and left me with a bad back and a badly swollen knee. Yet I'm still here.

Hugs Hilde, we're all swinging with you.

jan2011 · 17/07/2012 14:09

just say i do separate which would be a first step - how do i know he will not be able to ask for rights to have dd sleep over etc whenever he wants to, if we both have equal custody doesn't that mean she could spend equal time at both ours? i could in no way handle that. i would want her staying at mine, and going to see him a few hours a couple of times a week - thats what i could manage. it would be the worst thing ever if i separated and ended up fighting for dd

unhappyhildebrand · 17/07/2012 14:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ForSaletotheHighestBidder · 17/07/2012 17:02

Gosh head in sand here trying not to think about access to DC. He is actually great with them, when it suits him or he has no choice.
DC2 asked me twice at the weekend if Daddy was in the pub out at work. The child is 3. Sad
Booked a counsellor for myself today. For once am gonna offload it all and see where that gets me. Rather than talking about my own mental health or our relationship or my codependency.
Am still considering Al anon but wondering is that more about detachment and understanding as opposed to Leave the Bastard type stuff.

veeeee · 17/07/2012 18:00

I also wish he would injure me so it would be a defining last straw. Although he did leave a finger shaped purple bruise on my bum a couple of weeks ago when I wasn't being enthusiastic enough during the sex that I'd said I didn't want Sad

I'm also at the a b c options stage. He's away for work this week which is wonderful, maybe I need to get copying documents too.

Ive already had a subtly horrible text - dd was screaming all night, I slept on the settee with her. I'm a teacher so finish on weds. He's text to say he's tired and at least I have time off this week. I've pointed out that he has a whole week off from dd and therefore uninterrupted sleep.

unhappyhildebrand · 17/07/2012 18:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whattodoandwhentodoit · 17/07/2012 18:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ladyWordy · 17/07/2012 19:09

Ladies, I hope I can post here. I don't have an EA partner. I do have a number of concerns related to EA, such as

  1. someone I love very much who I find very tough to deal with. Can't say more about it at present.
  2. someone I believe may be sleepwalking into an EA relationship
  3. I also have a friend who was in an abusive relationship. She got out, and is now happy with her new man. It took quite a while to get to that stage.

In that respect, maybe I can offer a friend's eye view of how it looks to outsiders, and how we want to help and fight your corner, while knowing you would resent our piling into the father of your children or your 'lovely at other times' partner. Suffice to say you can get very angry on your friend's behalf, and have to bite your knuckles a bit.

You can also worry yourself sick when you know your friend's boundaries are shot away, and she doesn't see she is risking her safety for the sake of doing the right/reasonable thing.

That went on longer than I meant it to :)

If you're Ok with me posting I will, but if you'd rather keep it simple - ie people in abusive partnerships only - I will respect your space and stay away.

lostmywellies · 17/07/2012 21:54

Quick post from the loo as there are lots of people staying with us atm and I don't want to be seen. Just want to tell you this because it's weird.

H is very proud of the holidays he organises - it's one reason he's special because they're so manic different from what the average person would do. So when I said I didn't want to come on the next one, he said... "You don't love me any more, do you?" As if that wasn't awkward enough, he thrust his hand down my top to grope my chest, out of nowhere! WTF?!? Had to turn a shudder into a need for a tissue (God bless hayfever!), bit unconvincing though!

Question hung in the air unanswered, but luckily he didn't ask it again. All a bit creepy, though...

newbeteacher · 17/07/2012 22:25

Very odd lost but I have come to realise to expect the unexpected especially after the past couple of days I've had.
So went to zoo with dd yesterday for her pre school leaver trip & did not think FWH would try to get back in the house. Luckily my mum thought otherwise & took it upon herself to come to my house & guard it!! Well lo & behold he turns up rants & raves at my mum that he has a legal right to be in the house & will be back at 4 with his stuff.
Mum rings me whole trip to zoo with dd spoilt spent the rest of the day wondering if we were going to have to go into a refuge. Dad changed the locks & told me to ring police if he turns up. Guess what he didn't !!

The day cannot come quick enough when he will be XFWH

Wrenner · 17/07/2012 23:40

Lady I think it's a brilliant idea Smile

ladyWordy · 18/07/2012 00:43

Thank you Wrenner :)

MisSunshine · 18/07/2012 03:40

Hello everyone. This thread is amazing. I have been through so much this past eighteen months that I am only just now being able to talk about it. I have read all of the books suggested and all of your words on these cold nights have been such a comfort.
I would like to know if it would be alright to tell you about a manuscript I have written and am about to post up on a site called Authonomy which is run by Harper Collins. When I was going through all of my EA, I couldn't find anything that matched what I was going through. So I have been working on a book of my own... I would now very much like it to be published and am going to donate all proceeds to Women's Refuge which is our equivalent to W. Aid in the UK. It would be wonderful if I could have some readers feedback and it would help me immensely to be brave and put it out there...
I lived in the UK when all this was happening and they were a godsend.This is quite scary for me but I have always been a writer and would very much like to help other women now I am on the road to recovery. Your thoughts would be much appreciated. I will ask MN also if this would be appropriate. Thank you all once again for being out there and motivated to talk about your experiences.

foolonthehill · 18/07/2012 07:31

that sounds brilliant MisssSunshine I would love to read it...or you could blog excerpts of it. Well done, well done!

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 18/07/2012 07:34

To those of you struggling in the mire of awfulness and who doubt yourself and who cannot see a way out read this:

www.caepv.org/membercenter/files/your_bill_of_rights.pdf

then sing along to this

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 18/07/2012 07:35

To those of you struggling in the mire of awfulness and who doubt yourself and who cannot see a way out read this:

www.caepv.org/membercenter/files/your_bill_of_rights.pdf

then sing along to this

OP posts:
ForSaletotheHighestBidder · 18/07/2012 08:15

Yes thanks Misssunshine, I am reading everything I can get my hands on at the moment!

TodaysAGoodDay · 18/07/2012 08:53

MisSunshine, when you say 'our equivalent to W.A in the UK' where are you? Are you the person I replied to on the 'I'm writing a book' thread a couple of days ago? Just check with MNHQ and I'm sure it'll be fine. We don't bite. Well, not on this thread we don't. Let us know what MN say, and then ask away!

newbeteacher · 18/07/2012 09:09

Thanks fool made me feel better this morning. Did not know it was possible to experience such a range of different emotions in such a short space of time. I'm elated and empowered one minute; crying my eyes out the next; confused; disappointed - the list goes on. I am so glad he is not here but I still have to tell the DCs that daddy is not coming home just letting them enjoy their last few days of term. Fool as someone who has gone through it tell me it gets better please! I find myself reflecting on things that have happened with NSDH things I hadn't realised was EA I feel such an idiot. Just feel so sad at the moment.

And sunshine please do share

foolonthehill · 18/07/2012 10:55

indescribably better.

not just me either for the DCs too. they are better, happier, calmer, more thoughtful, fight less, play more, DC1 and 2 have become performers from being almost silent in school....all this in just under 9 months, their reports are better (they weren't bad before).

the anger gets more focussed and less all consuming, the fear diminishes, the crying is less often and more about definite things, the exhaustion changes from emotional to "real", the future is less scary, the present happier.

money none,
security none,
time none,
but still so much better.

but remember I have established very very strong boundaries for NSDH around Dcs and myself, for the first 2 months after separation he ran rings around me and things were bad, very bad.

OP posts:
newbeteacher · 18/07/2012 11:37

fool thank you no amount of money can buy happiness and although feeling very raw at the moment it feels good that he is not going to step through that front door.

It has all gone very quiet so just awaiting his next move!! He also ran rings round me with DC's and money when we split a couple of months ago as I was reluctant to have to go through a solicitor (in the hope that he would be decent enough). I have an appointment with my solicitor on Monday she has highlighted that he will have to make contact regular and until he provides an address (which he would not do last time he moved out) then under no circumstances is he allowed to take the children anywhere.

Wallowing in self pity - I'm hoping this is all part of the healing process :(

foolonthehill · 18/07/2012 12:03

oh yes...wallowing is necessary...but it will end. because now it is all about you...not all about him (beware this will feel scary)

I will know that I am truly free when I don't mentally check whether NSDH will be upset by what I am doing....even though he doesn't know!!

OP posts:
ForSaletotheHighestBidder · 18/07/2012 12:29

foolonthehill, you describe this stuff very well, and life as it is now for you sounds wonderful.

"the anger gets more focussed and less all consuming, the fear diminishes, the crying is less often and more about definite things, the exhaustion changes from emotional to "real", the future is less scary, the present happier."

Sounds really wonderful!

Got a cancellation with a counsellor this afternoon, wish me luck! I think it will really help to verbally go through all the things I've been thinking about over the last weeks/ months/ years and consolidate my thinking about the EA, VA and alcoholism.

Hope everyone is well and as happy as they possibly can be, considering. Hmm

LemonDrizzled · 18/07/2012 17:42

Seems like it is time for a Brew and a Biscuit for everybody

newbeteacher · 18/07/2012 17:43

Fool so that does go away then - "don't mentally check whether NSDH will be upset by what I am doing - even though he doesn't know"?
The guilt I have because I am in the house with the DC's god only knows where he is :( He obviously is living somewhere but I found out today that until we pay the arrears off our rent (another story) not only can his name not come off the tenancy but he also cannot take out another tenancy agreement :(