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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

complicated crazy

12 replies

QueenofWhispers · 04/09/2013 15:12

I have another thread running about an annoying habit my husband has. I apologise for the multiple threads, but I have multiple problems.

The past two weeks have been a struggle as I am inundated with family events. Ridiculous amounts of pressure and dinner parties.

My home life was very unstable as a child and I made a very calculated plan to make sure that when I left I would never have to go back. I made sure that I would be independent enough to never have to keep in contact with my parents. During the last phase of my plan to become 'free' I fell in love.

Anyway, I finished my studies, got married and started work in London alongside my DH.

Meanwhile at home, my younger sisters became the targets of the sustained abuse my parents had put me through; however theirs was less worse than the things they had done to me (Mother would regularly go to my after school job to enquire if my boss/co workers were paying me for the 'regular' sex I provided all of them because I wasn't paying her rent). Or she would take days off of work to come to my school and follow me from class to class to tell each and every one of my teachers (before/after class) that I regularly beat her. This caused massive bullying to me and really affected my credibility. My father would do other things, like throwing garbage and rotten food in my bedroom/on my bed on a regular basis. Complain to neighbours and people at our place of worship about me and my behaviour. These are just some of the examples of what my parents did on a consistent and constant basis. My father also is a serial cheater, so when he would disappear or cheat, mother would up the ante on her behaviour towards me. This is when the physical violence would happen, but it wasn't regularly enough to affect me enough to completely destroy me.

So when I left, I left for good. My little sisters however couldn't handle this type of behaviour and because they were much younger than me, I feared that they would be subjected to the same so I shared my plan with them, and instead of waiting to move countries to be with me after uni, I helped them get into Universities in London to be close to me. In this time I have been working very very hard to improve their self confidence which is still pretty horrible.

Sister1 has just recently got engaged, graduated from Uni and there are a few cultural events surrounding this week in her life. Due to the nature of our culture (and our decision to stick with it) we are all having to play happy families. So our parents were brought over for the week so no one would get too suspicious. Father decided to cancel at the last minute because his girlfriend of the month wanted to spend time with him, but he didn't tell our mother...she found out when she called him to make sure he got to the airport and he told her he was going to be 'busy'. His cheating has never been a secret within the family. Just outside it. When Mother found out, she became quite drunk at the graduation reception and told anyone who would listen that her husband was a terrorist.

When mother arrived, the nastiness has began in my house, but I put my foot down and told her she needed to follow some rules. She was not to be rude to me, my husband or my son. So she has tried, but yesterday she became quite aggressive and violent and we didn't engage and walked away (which is my usual method of dealing with her)...Today however she has run away.

It wouldn't be a problem, but tonight is another engagement type ceremony and her stupid presence is required. My father is already somewhere else on a break with his mistress, mother has run away which leaves my DH and I to fill in for them; Sister1's husbands family are of the same culture and are getting terribly offended that our parents have decided to avoid such a large and serious event. Sister1 is beside herself with embarrassment and is at a temple with her fiancee for a blessing. Sister2 is hiding because she doesn't know what to do.

I really just don't know what to do either and figured I would post because this is all just too crazy and embarrassing to tell anyone in rl. What in the world does anyone GAIN from treating other people this badly?

OP posts:
hellsbellsmelons · 04/09/2013 16:33

Wow - that's a lot to put up with on your part.
You have done a wonderful thing in helping your sisters.
I really don't know what you can do about your mother.
Maybe it's time to come clean with your soon to be in-laws?
Not sure if that is possible in your culture.
Write a list of what you need to do and tackle each of them one at a time.
You can only do what you can do. You are not superwoman (well you are almost) so stop making excuses for your toxic mother and father and go and enjoy the engagement party.

Hoseason · 04/09/2013 16:41

I also think you are going to have to be honest with your sisters fiances family. I don't see that you have any other choice. It sounds beyond hideous, wishing you strength

Hoseason · 04/09/2013 16:41

Does the fiance know what your parents are like?

QueenofWhispers · 04/09/2013 17:15

Well, the ceremony is in two hours.

Mother is still missing.

Fiance found out how horrible mother is yesterday when he found Mother getting violent with Sister1.

He's advised that his family in no way will be understanding towards her not showing up this evening.

ours is a convoluted culture.

OP posts:
OvertiredandConfused · 04/09/2013 17:25

I don't like enabling abuse but maybe you'll have no choice but to say she's been taken ill?

So sorry you're in this position OP

SirRaymondClench · 04/09/2013 18:15

Could the wedding actually be called off if your parents keep acting like this (I don't know which culture yours is or how it works)

You've done an amazing job to become the woman you are and help your sisters too.
I think you will have to tell them that your mother has taken ill and your father is looking after her if your mother does turn up (if she acts like she did yesterday though, isn't it better if she doesn't show up?)

Hoseason · 04/09/2013 19:47

But what does 'in no way, be understanding' actually mean, in reality? will they cancel the wedding? Will the finance go along with them, if they do?

you cannot control this situation. If she is AWOL, then she just is. They will have to deal with it, with as much whispering and tutting and hand wringing as they like. There issue is with your parents not you. It isn't your fault and there is nothing you can do to change what is occuring

i wouldn't lie to cover up for your parents. What if your mum breezes in at the last minute. I would either tell the truth, or say you don't know where your mum and dad are....that is also the truth

good luck

QueenofWhispers · 05/09/2013 00:28

Her Fiance's family could very well suggest and push him not to proceed with the wedding. However, I don't think he would listen. He is devoutly in love with her (which I am ever soo pleased about)...but I think this fiasco will hinder her relationship with her inlaws because how they will view the whole situation.

Her fiance was originally supposed to have an arranged marriage; but fell in love with my sister during their years at uni together so broke off the arranged marriage and started to date my sister...and after almost 2 years he proposed proposing pending how our parents reacted to him. (We don't need approval, but we do need to introduce the future husbands to our families according to our culture). The parents generally have to accept unless there is something alarmingly wrong with either party.

We went to the ceremony and the WHOLE of his family (150+ people) could not stop commenting on the absence of our mother and father. I told them she was ill; but everyone just could not get a grip that a mother would not attend such an important event.

We have tracked my mother down, she has decided to fly back to our home country. Father is blaming me for this entire episode.

I can't stop having flashbacks about all the times our parents would just leave for weeks at a time without telling us when they would be back. The anxiety is just unbearable. I think it may be time for some serious counselling.

OP posts:
SirRaymondClench · 05/09/2013 08:17

I'm so sorry your parents are the waste of space that they are.
I know it caused so many problems that she wasn't there but can you imagine if she had been there? And drunk like she was the night before?
Ignore your father. He has some nerve blaming you for anything after his behaviour! Disgusting.
Can you not completely emancipate yourselves from your parents?
They don't bring anything to yours or your sisters lives.

Is your sister ok after last night?

Ledkr · 05/09/2013 08:25

I can't say anything helpful but you sound amazing.
You have done so well to rise above this and hell your sisters do the same. Well done.
Are there any elders in your cultural community who could liase or help other people understand your parents shortcomings are not yours and your sisters fault?

Isetan · 05/09/2013 10:31

What you and your sisters have suffered at your parents hands is unbelievable; cruel, neglectful and abusive. Your "convoluted culture" didn't create these people but it appears to have been used to cover up their abuses. As long as your parents behaviour is the family secret and you continue to expose yourselves to them, they will always, always have the power and means to make your lives miserable.

Even though the level of abuse that your sisters were and continue to be subjected to may be slightly less than yours (which is very subjective because we all have different weak spots and abusive people are adept in tailoring their abuse to their victims), their youth made it harder for them to defend/ insulate themselves.

Lead by example, stop letting your parents hold you emotionally to ransom. Covering up for them/ lying, is a very short term solution whose medium and long term repercussions will always be far worse then the reason behind the lie.

You have all flourished despite your horrendous upbringing and your resilience in the face of such abuse is remarkable. However, you will be surprised at the way the mind works in protecting us, the short term survival instincts you had to adopt to survive your childhood are the very instincts that can hinder you later on. I would definitely suggest you seek out counselling because that level of abuse, despite your own Herculean efforts to overcome it, will leave very deep scars.

QueenofWhispers · 05/09/2013 23:58

There really isn't any real way of standing up to this behaviour without affecting our personal safety and subjecting my children to further harassment. Taking a stand isn't a safe option for us.

OP posts:
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