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Relationships

I think our marriage is over

31 replies

Owlwing · 17/11/2012 19:39

Have namechanged for this. It is long, sorry in advance.

I met my husband eleven years ago, and he asked me to move in with him almost immediately. I had just turned 21, he was 28, we met through a mutual hobby.

He was the first person that I had ever had sex with, btw, so I had/have no one to compare him to. I found sex to be painful, and was always very nervous about it. He said it was just me. Maybe this is true. I'm not sure. He used to want sex all the time - every night. I was uncomfortable with the idea of giving him oral sex. He said I would have to do it eventually. I was embarrassed by this and went along with him. (I still hate oral sex, btw. I don't like receiving it either.)

We lived with his parents at first, then after six months he proposed. I had doubts at the time, but I was scared he would attempt suicide if I turned him down - he had told me that he had tried to kill himself before, but had survived. He said no one else knew he was depressed, and that I was his lifeline, had changed his world. So I said yes.

We moved into a rented house near to where his parents lived. He promised we would move closer to my side of the family in a few years. He has since refused to do this several times. I only get to see them once a month at most because of distance. We see his relations regularly. In fact, we ended up moving even closer to his parents.

I cannot have children, due to fertility issues. When we found out, I told him I would understand if he wanted to split up so that he could have a family with someone else. He told me he would rather castrate himself than cheat on me. Then he said he knew I didn't enjoy sex because I was asexual, and that he wouldn't pressure me.

Apparently this meant that he wouldn't ever initiate sex again. Or be intimate at all. Well, except when he was in the mood. Every so often he insists on sex. I never say no as it's the only time he touches me now. So for the past three years, we haven't done it more than once every couple of months. And only if I dress up - he expects me to seduce him but he never attempts this in return.

At first I was glad he wasn't wanting sex every night. But I missed being cuddled, kissed, etc. And I hated the fact that he only seemed to want anal or oral sex now. Ever since we found out I can't have children, normal intercourse just doesn't happen.

I tried to dissuade him from anal sex once or twice, but he ignored me and did it anyway. So now I just let him do what he wants, in the hope that it won't hurt too much, and that he might bother to give me an orgasm afterwards. Usually he goes to sleep instead.

I told him I wasn't happy in our relationship. He assured me that it was because I was asexual. I insisted that no, I deserved affection outside of sex, and that he needed to be more considerate during sex anyway. He apologised and promised he would change.

That was a month ago. He was affectionate for maybe a week, if that. Then he stopped again. He has gone back to ignoring me. No affection or sex. I don't mind anymore, tbh. I no longer want him to touch me. I dislike even sharing a bed with him.

I want out. But here is my difficulty. Due to us both being disabled, we are on benefits. I would love to be fit to work, and to be fair so would he. We have tried to get back into work, but have so far been turned away as unfit.

So we have a low income, and our rent is covered by housing benefit. We are lucky that we are in a nice area, with good neighbours. But it makes saving difficult - financially, I am not sure I can afford to divorce him. Although my dad might give me some money if I tell him. I don't want to worry him though, as he has a heart condition and lives alone. My mum died suddenly a couple of years ago, just as I was getting up the nerve to tell them about my marriage. I kept it to myself instead.

After mum died I had counselling. I told the counsellor some of my concerns - not the sex stuff, I was too embarrased. But I told her about the way my husband hordes stuff, including rubbish. And how he spends hours playing on his computer, and never lifts a finger to do any housework. But still controls exactly what we eat, as he insists that I am incapable of cooking.

Oh, and if he sees me doing any cleaning he at once makes me stop and sit down! Apparently this is his job - but he lets it all pile up and if I say anything I am nagging him?! I hate this! I would rather do everything myself, because then it gets done. He won't let me. He even hid my alarm clock so that I would sleep in whenever I tried to get a normal routine going.

My counsellor asked me what I wanted to do. I told her I wanted to leave him, but I wasn't ready yet. I wanted to save up some money first. I actually managed to save several hundred, but then one of our pets had to have emergency surgery and the car needed work done...guess who paid for everything?

I don't mind paying the vet bill, but my husband owns the car and he is meant to have the money to maintain it. He had spent it on other things. So now I am penniless again. And he is resisting my efforts to clear out all the junk that he has horded - I am making him do it though.

I am a horrible person. I am making him help me get the house sorted out so that I am not ashamed to let people in to visit. I want to get this done now, before I tell him to go. I know my family will insist on visiting when that happens and I don't want to be humiliated when they see the house.

I am not worrying about the money side anymore. If I keep putting this off until I have savings, I will never do it. I realise this now. If I get really stuck, I will ask my dad for help, or apply for a loan. I have never applied for a loan before.

I am scared. I am really alone and scared. My husband has worked his way into every angle of my life - I no longer have any friends of my own. Just mutual friends, and they prefer him as he turns on the charm around other people. He is very charismatic when it suits him. I am quite reserved in comparison, but before I knew him I was good at socialising! I still am until he arrives and takes over. He does this every time I meet new people, btw.

Please don't let me back out of this. There is a small, stupid part of me that is still addicted to him. Please tell me not to let that part control me.

Thanks if you are still here.

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Abitwobblynow · 20/11/2012 07:32

Remember the other definition of nagging Ccarpenton: how a [destructive] man describes a woman asking him to uphold his responsiblilities (Lundy Bancroft)