Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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 thread for those in Emotionally abusive relationships :15

999 replies

foolonthehill · 09/01/2013 18:20

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
a check list Use this site for some concise diagnostic lists and support
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

what couples therapy does for abusers

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:
ponygirlcurtis · 16/01/2013 14:09

No more Trying - you are doing, and Flying!!!! Am so pleased for you, hope the elation is still with you today. It will be a hard road, no doubt about it, and dealing with FW will be difficult (he'll pull at your heartstrings one minute and threaten you with all he's got the next). We're still here to help you through, lovely lady.

Bertie - definitely manipulation on the DS bed front. He's poorly four times since NY? How does he sleep himself, your FW? Eejit.

Leclerc - hurray for you and DS and you going with your instincts, if he slept all night then you are obviously onto something, he's needing to feel you close at night. I think you're an amazing mum, and an amazing person. Hope you got a decent sleep and feel better. And watch that ToD, he's a sly one, maybe some talc on the floor as well.

MrsM and Leclerc - mine too, till my eyes were rolling back in my head, I'd have agreed to anything he said just to sleep!

thatsnotmyname - glad you've been reading and digesting. What's your plan, once your 'little ones' have flown the nest?

doing - sorry to hear about your FW being, well, a FW. You feel anxious because you are walking on eggshells yet you know it makes no difference, he'll still potentially kick off if, say, you sniff the wrong way (or laugh/splutter). You are not in control, he is. Sure there's a bit in Lundy too about them saying you can't have a go at the because, as Leclerc says, they might still be abusive but they are slightly less abusive than before... Madness, really!

jan get in there first and tell the landlord exactly what is going on, and see what they plan to do if FW asks for his half back. He's threatening to do it, so you actually do it. If it's criminal damage, maybe your landlord will report it so he can claim it on insurance or something.

MaggieMay05 · 16/01/2013 14:23

Afternoon all! Think Pony just basically said all I was going to write too! Great minds and all that! Talc on the floor though?!!! Lol! Is TOD into northern soul dancing?!! Grin Grin Grin

Must be something in the air, I too have that paniky/nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach today, suppose it doesn't help with the last conversation we had before he left for work. Basically he told me I'm the one in the wrong and I needed to make a change to save our family blah blah blah, I rose to it and asked him to name one thing I've done wrong-he couldnt-i then reeled off a short list of some things he's done to me-mainly PA stuff, smashing my head into mirror, smashing my windscreen, driving fast hitting steering wheel and throwing my stuff out of window etc (you get the picture). He had the gall to stand there nodding in agreement and then told me I deserved it all Sad sad thing is, 6 months ago I would have burst into tears and thought the same. Not anymore, I left it at that, didn't say another word and he then left for work as if nothing had happened. Roll on next week when he's away and Dbro coming to help me get some stuff into storage AKA (to FW) tidy up the loft and take stuff to tip/put on ebay. God, I can't wait to be free of this evil twisted bastard. Slowly slowly catchy monkey...safe little baby stepsHmm

Hope everyones doing ok? Fi hope you are feeling a bit better today? x

ponygirlcurtis · 16/01/2013 14:37

Maggie - that's an awful conversation. Him saying you deserved it is just a classic abuser stance. Roll on next week indeed. (hugs)

MaggieMay05 · 16/01/2013 14:59

Thanks Pony ((hugs)) back. I think I've been trying to excuse his behaviour all along by thinking he has a mental health problem or drinking prob. In reality more and more I am thinking he is just a clever cold stone evil abuser Sad 13 years wasted taking his crap and feeling like it was me that made him act like that. What a waste Sad only good thing is my DC but then how are their lives going to be, how do I explain it all to them when they are much older. Ok-end of emotional 5minutes now! Back to poker face or as my friend always calls me a duck-gliding calmly on the surface but under the water my feet kicking like mad-the show must go on. Until later ladies....Thanks

MrsMorton · 16/01/2013 15:19

Maggie, that's rubbish. When I tell H stories about his behaviour but in the third person like "Oh, so & so's husband wouldn't let them do this" he's always horrified..wtf? Do you think yours would recognise his own behaviour?

I have just taken the first (very tiny) step towards finding alternative accommodation... this is going to be hideous but baby steps.

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 16/01/2013 15:35

My FW once had the nerve to tell me domestic abuse doesn't only have to be physical! Shock Wish I'd had the nerve to tell him what I thought then. I still have never told him I think he is abusive.

jan2013 · 16/01/2013 16:17

mrsmorton well done on taking first steps that will start things and it will all fall into place

i told the landlords scretary whats been going on she is going to tell him tomorrow and ring me back. im so not coping at the minute with all of this...never knew there would be so many ongoing issues and consequences of separating

TisILeclerc · 16/01/2013 16:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheSilveryTinsellyPussycat · 16/01/2013 16:51

Freedom is paramount to me. And I thought it was to FW.

I collect song references to freedom e.g.

'We are normal and we want our freedom' from a song by Love, referred to in a song by the Bonzos

FW fitted Frank Zappa's tongue in cheek definition, which he ascribes to (part of) the youth culture of the 1960's:

'Freedom is when you don't have to do nothin or pay for nothin, we want to be free!'

Feel free to ignore, am indulging in contented rambling...

TisILeclerc · 16/01/2013 17:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ponygirlcurtis · 16/01/2013 17:59

Go for it Silver - we need to hear that you can feel contented again, one day!

Just marking my place in the middle of dinner - another 15-sec DS2 handover. What's the betting he tries to engage in conversation again when I'm picking him up, ie not on his time any more??

And, although it was DS1's birthday a couple of days ago - nothing from him. Not a card. Not a birthday text. No indication he cares or even knows (but he must do because he drives past my window twice a day and there's a big birthday banner in it put there partly for his benefit). He's a grade-A arsehole.

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 16/01/2013 18:01

I've just had a comment from FW when picking up the dc that it will be his turn to have them for Christmas dinner as I had them last! Told them it was January now and we didn't have to discuss this now. At least he suggests he knows the split is permanent.

TisILeclerc · 16/01/2013 18:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PrincessFionne · 16/01/2013 19:05

just slippng in by the back door to note a couple of things.... disappointing for DS pony when I saw your post about his appalling treatmentof a child's special day. DC at xmas received no gifts from the formerly effusive giver of gifts and proclaimer of love [ExFW new gf] towards DC. DC had bought gifts for her and her children [who she tells everyone after a few months ofknowing them that they are now DC siblings! and then treats DC that way. Another FW me thinks. Right end of that...

one about 'freedom' from me for silvery compilation/mix/thing:

'I wanna be free..... to do what I wanna do' mmmm cant remember name or who sang.

x

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 16/01/2013 19:18

fi it's a 90s band, isn't it, Primal Scream?!

MrsMorton · 16/01/2013 19:26

I often think about Xmas dinner when I've had a lot to eat!! Even in January.

PrincessFionne · 16/01/2013 19:26

sometimes sadly 'pawns' seems to be the word that befits better than 'children' Sad

PrincessFionne · 16/01/2013 19:28

oh yeah, cool to remember that match, as great tune Smile

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 16/01/2013 20:17

I don't think it is that now. How sad I have had to leave a voicemail for a friend to tell me what it actually is?!

By next christmas I should be in my own mortgaged house and divorced. I will be 10x more used to negotiating with him by then.

How are you feeling today leclerc?

Any more contact from fw try?

How did the handover go pony?

Did you hear from the landlord jan?

How was your exam nini?
silvery I'm feeling like you at the moment, relishing my freedom.
fi sorry your dc have to be around two FWs at once Sad

MaggieMay05 · 16/01/2013 20:21

It is The Soup Dragons-Im free I think! Blush(90s rock/indie chick, still think I am sometimes!)

Oh Fi FW and FWGF sound like they deserve each other, let them grind each other down. You are well off out of it. You just stay doing what you are doing-being a fab mummy, your DC are not stupid and will always know who is in the wrong here. Its now your time to shine, live for yourself and don't worry about them, just be there for DC when they need a shoulder to cry on. You will become stronger and will rebuild your life, you will see!

Match Shock christmas dinner?!!! Oh my life! Clutching at straws me thinks! Smile

TisILeclerc · 16/01/2013 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CharlotteCollinsislost · 16/01/2013 20:26

fly, I'm enjoying hearing of your progress. Only problem is, with your new nn abbreviation, I'm picturing you as a super cleaning lady! :o Got the extraordinary dishwasher working ok?

On a different track (as it were) to the songs mentioned about freedom, I keep hearing a song I rather like from a good few years ago: "I'm wicked and I'm lazy. Oh, don't you want to save me?" Fits FWs well, don't you think? I've thought I could save FW from himself in the past - and he's basically asked me to keep on trying to several times recently. Hmm I'm taking the song as a tongue in cheek commentary on idiots, so I can still enjoy it!

MaggieMay05 · 16/01/2013 20:27

Good luck Lecerc hope you can ship him out as quickly as you did earlier! Grin

CharlotteCollinsislost · 16/01/2013 20:28

pony, thinking of the other side of the coin, if he had given a present to ds1, having already frozen him out of his life and promised it was going to stay that way - it could've been a bit confusing for the poor lad, couldn't it?

MaggieMay05 · 16/01/2013 20:29

Grin Charlotte lol!

Swipe left for the next trending thread