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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

Sharing naked pictures taken and shared without someone's permission in order to bully them

161 replies

Offred · 24/11/2012 08:55

Haven't name changed because I don't want to undermine ability to advise.

Also, am not interested in advice which tells me I am wrong to be upset about this or this is a small issue I shouldn't be making it into a big one because it is pointless given I have a different opinion which I am not going to change. What I want is a bit of support/advice with thinking this through in the context of me feeling it is wrong.

Dh's best friend visiting last night. Something weird going on between him and I anyway; on Thursday he texted me (not uncommon) asking what I was up to, I replied I was tired and stressed, the house was a mess and I was avoiding it in the bath and contemplating drinking a half drunk old bottle of wine which might be vinegar by now. Cue a whole night of pestering to send him a picture of me in the bath indirectly. This kind of thing is not uncommon, he's quite like this (Pervy) fairly indiscriminately when he has been drinking.

Last night it was a bit like he was trying extra hard to be a sexist prick, telling me repeatedly i wouldn't be interested in things because i was female and asking dh's opinion about stuff because he was a man. At one point he got out his phone and was laughing that he had a picture of a woman half naked on it to show dh. He does this kind of thing fairly often too - trying to give dh porn (will not have it in the house where we have 4 small children). I am seriously anti-porn; they both know this so I was already Hmm

He went on to say the photo had been taken without permission by the woman's ex and when they split distributed round the school she used to work in causing her to leave her job and move away, the kids in her new school got hold of the photo and distributed it, crazily so did the teachers and even though he left the school in July, even he got texted it.

I feel Angry and :( for this woman, I told him it was really really inappropriate, his reaction was "so what? She's over 16..."

My dh was joining in with my expression that it was wrong at this point so friend says "so you don't want to see it then?" Dh says "well I didn't say that!" and giggles so then friend holds the phone up and dh looks and friend bangs on about the photo.

At this point I had not had a drink because I had a cold. I have been trying to be kinder to dh recently so have been going to things with his friends (they aren't my friends or people I particularly like but he normally wants me to come when he meets them all), cooking nice food for him, trying not to rant about politics or put things on the TV that he hates etc that day I had been cooking a curry and stuffed parathas and cleaning the whole house from top to bottom/sorting out our bedroom so it would be nice for him (us) when he came home. I also have a stinking cold and by 8.30 when we sat down I was knackered but had lemsip rather than going to bed because friend was coming round. This just felt like a slap in the face from him.

At that point I felt I had a choice between making my feelings known or having a drink so I would be able to continue to be friendly. One of the things that stresses dh out is when I argue moral points like this with his friends so I am trying to bite my lip.

So all night I pretended to be friendly and casual and this morning I am angry at myself for allowing myself to a. Be changed and b. be walked all over like some bastarding doormat when I'm trying really hard to be kind.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 24/11/2012 13:41

if being yourself is enough to rock the rails of your relationship, then what does it tell you

you can't keep up the Stepford wife act forever

Offred · 24/11/2012 13:43

No, I didn't show him, he works away on Thursdays so we don't normally talk to each other until fri night and friend was there. If we had then I doubt he would display any particular emotion about it...

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 24/11/2012 13:43

I do remember your other thread(s) about your relationship with your H, btw

Then, as now, I wonder why such a sorted person puts up with such shit

Offred · 24/11/2012 13:44

Honestly? Because now I have 4 small children, I'm in the middle of a degree and I'm scared of the new benefits landscape. Mainly.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 24/11/2012 13:45

It really doesn't fit into the Stepford mould of maintaining a relationship you are currently utilising, but tbh, the best thing you could have done is show your h those texts when his friend was there

You would have got a lot of information about where your H's loyalties lie if you had done that. What would you predict would have happened ?

AnyFucker · 24/11/2012 13:46

I haven't said "LTB" (yet) Smile

Offred · 24/11/2012 13:47

He would choose me. Always.

However I would feel like I had manipulated the end of a really important friendship and also involved the perv in our relationship more than necessary.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 24/11/2012 13:52

He would choose me. Always.

Would he have thrown said "friend" out of your house ? Or would he have laughed along with the idea that is was "just a bit of fun" ?

Are you going to show him those texts at all ? Because if you don't, you are complicit in perpetuating an unhealthy friendship. Yes, it's your H's choice to be friends with him...but you with-holding salient information is actually too much involvement. And will potentially backfire on you massively.

Charbon · 24/11/2012 13:58

Offred as you know, I had very strong misgivings about your partner's behaviour on that other thread of yours. Is this the biker friend?

This triangular relationship has always been a toxic mix, in my view. Whatever happens in your marriage, as long as this man is in it playing a role - there will be trouble.

But his role is secondary to a much deeper problem IMO.

Your husband sounds weak, childish and without any moral compass of his own. To react like this in front of you suggests that his behaviour would have been ten times worse if you hadn't been there.

The reason he's got fuckwits for friends is that he either likes them just the way they are and agrees with their take on life, but pretends different views with you because it suits you and him for you to think he is different to them. Or he disagrees with them but will never articulate that. He might make a half-hearted attempt in front of you, but easily backs down even then.

If it was the latter, I think you'd have seen these friendships waning by now. Even for the most conflicted person, it's hard to maintain a split-self for any length of time and if he genuinely thought their views were offensive, he would by now have started to find them difficult company.

So my money's on the former. He aligns himself more to their views than yours, but hopes you won't realise that.

forgetmenots · 24/11/2012 13:58

Offred, I've seen you give very good advice to other posters. I agree with AF. This thread makes me really sad, I can't believe your DH's friend was allowed back in your home after pestering you for naked pictures (except to grovel and apologise to you both). I also suspect this 'passing round of naked pictures' was a threatening manoeuvre on this 'friend's' part to show you what he does with pictures like that and as a reminder of the pictures he had asked you for. In your own home. In front of your DH. Without fear of reproach.

I find this unsettling and a bit menacing tbh and I'm disappointed in your DH. I'm not saying LTB thinking it maybe but there needs to be new boundaries - now. And this guy has to be on the other side of them, quite firmly.

Offred · 24/11/2012 14:08

He did tell him to leave the last time he was an arse. I doubt I will show him the texts, but I will talk about them. The trouble is its not about the texts, or the friend, it's about dh.

I definitely think it is that he disagrees but is not a person who believes in challenging people who disagree and his relationships with them are extremely superficial, he doesn't talk to his friends about things. He is a person who is frightened of conflict.

His friendships have waned since he met me, a huge amount, this friend has just moved back up here.

I agree it is possibly a threatening move from the friend (yes biker friend) and I find it upsetting that he has recently been a really good friend to me and then behaved like that but I have cut out dh's friends for similar things before so it is quite unimportant.

OP posts:
Offred · 24/11/2012 14:10

And there is no way in hell I would ever have sent any kind of picture of that kind to him ever and I feel Angry that he might be so arrogant as to feel the need to put me off in that way.

OP posts:
forgetmenots · 24/11/2012 14:14

No I think it's just him showing you and DH how he treats women, and it makes my skin crawl. You are right to say your DH's response and behaviour is your number one concern, I think there needs to be an evaluation of boundaries (for him and his friends). I genuinely think he could benefit from counselling but if not, you two need to have a serious discussion about what is acceptable. I feel for you, this is very difficult and not pleasant at all.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 24/11/2012 14:17

Offred why don't you want to show DH the texts?

Offred · 24/11/2012 14:24

Because it would then become about the texts and his friend and not about him potentially. I think we'd just end up having the wrong discussion surrounding analysis of the texts and not what he needs to do to stop destroying our relationship.

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FairPhyllis · 24/11/2012 14:30

The friend is revolting.

Your DH is either spineless and immature and puts his friends over you, or he has the same view of women as the friend. Either way, he refuses to engage in your relationship. What are you getting out of the relationship?

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 24/11/2012 14:30

Ah, ok. I was confused by the fact that you wanted to talk about the texts but not show them, but I can see you want the focus to be DH's position, not the friend's.

What outcome do you want, do you think? Friend not to come round, DH not to see friend at all, DH to not side with friend over you...?

Charbon · 24/11/2012 14:31

What do you mean by the friend being arrogant enough to put you off in that way?

Put you off him?

Why is that even an issue?

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 24/11/2012 14:41

Charbon I read that as "put Offred off her stride" or something similar.

Lueji · 24/11/2012 14:58

Offred, I know you need to get your head sorted about this, but you have to explain your feelings about last night to you OH.

Offred · 24/11/2012 15:08

Charbon - that I think he may be blaming me for his inappropriateness and is trying to be an arse to put me off him in his arrogant world where I am the problem and not him.

OP posts:
Offred · 24/11/2012 15:09

I agree those are the two interpretations of last night btw, which is shit.

OP posts:
forgetmenots · 24/11/2012 15:19

Sad this is shit, Offred.
Are you going to sit and talk to him? (Common one but would showing him the thread help?)

ivykaty44 · 24/11/2012 15:25

amarylisnightandday

I used to think it was exp friends that were the problem. I was deluded. It was just him. He chose to keep that company.

nothing so blinding as love

Op sorry to say but your OH is the issue. he chooses to look at photographs past on to all and sundry out of spite and hatred and gained from immoral ways - as I read it the friend of your oh received the nude photo by text.

Remove this type of behaviour from your life

Charbon · 24/11/2012 15:29

I think some of your behaviour involving this man does need scrutinising Offred. He is deeply manipulative and unfortunately some of your responses towards him have played right into his hands.

The only reason I can see for other friendships of your husband's waning is one of proximity. If they all moved to where you are, he would be no different with them than he would be with this one, who is hopefully the worst his friendship circle has to offer.

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