Knowing someone who used to hit my Mum

[XmasKnapsack]

This is an odd one, and I don't suppose there's anything I can do about it. I work in a largish organisation, and I knew that a fairly senior figure in the organisation was my Mum's boyfriend before she met my Dad.

Over Christmas, I mentioned him, and my Mum said he used to hit her. I questioned her a bit more, and she said it was fairly regular for around a year (until she left him).

Ok, this was many, many years ago, and I suspect he's changed, and my Mum had the sense to split up with him. I just find it shocking that I see this person on around work, and knowing he did this to my Mum, and no doubt other woman, at least in the past.

I suppose all you can do is keep it at the back of your mind and maintain a professional approach. Do you have to have much direct contact with this man? Does he know who you are?

I don't know what I would do if I came across in work my dm's Exh who beat her up very badly about 10years ago. I would find it extremely difficult to have any dealings with him and if I was required in my role to do so then I would have to speak to my boss and say that for personal family reasons I was unable to work with him. If he had any sort of role working with vulnerable women then I would probably have to speak to someone - boss/HR etc about it as he was a nasty piece of work and my dm still suffers physical effects from the beating now

I don't really have any professional dealings with him, I just see him around work now and again. He doesn't know who I am, and I'm glad for that. It's quite horrid. I knew who he was before, but to know he used to hit my Mum (no matter how long ago) really brought something out in me