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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

Support for those in Emotionally Abusive relationships: thread 27

999 replies

CharlotteCollinsinherownplace · 04/11/2013 21:57

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 violence Are 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.
Warning signs you’re dating a loser 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’re 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 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
What you should expect as a starting point for your treatment in a relationship, as you will of course be treating others!!

OP posts:
funnymummyspeaks · 31/12/2013 21:09

Hi everyone, can I just say thank you to whoever started these threads, I have only just come across this and it couldn't be at a better time. Have had an exceptionally awful day with DH today, being shouted at, accused loudly and in earshot of not wanting to spend time with my children (rubbish), basically just being told how awful I am and how everything I do or touch turns to shit! 2013 has been a hard year and finding this thread as I sit here on my own feeling very sorry for my self has been brilliant! Hope you all have a good night and a very happy new year to come, I for one intend to do whatever it takes to make 2014 a good year for my children and me!

bountyicecream · 31/12/2013 21:31

Sorry you're here funnymummy but you will get some fab advice here. Come back and share more in the new year and I bet we can help you realise your dream in 2014

funnymummyspeaks · 31/12/2013 21:35

Thank you very much bounty for your lovely message, I will definitely post more when I'm feeling a bit stronger, I'm sitting here panicking about what will happen when he comes home as just don't have it in me for more nastiness... For now it's just nice to know there are people who get it (although I wish no one had to go through this)!!

MinkBernardLundy · 31/12/2013 22:24

bounty I am in on my own with the dcs. which makes it better than last year already Smile have a good one and may next year be a better one.

funny new year with a FW is never a great experience. keep posting. onwards and upwards yo 2014.

ColinButterfly · 31/12/2013 22:28

I am home ill as I was the last two NYEs. Happy to be going into 2014 without FW though. Just wished I could forget him.

Happy 2014 all. Wishing you strength and courage xx

MinkBernardLundy · 31/12/2013 22:31

Hey Colin hope you feel better soon.

bountyicecream · 31/12/2013 22:39

Aw I'm spending new year with some of the people I like best in the world. Certainly the people that have helped me the most this year.

at mink and colin (hope you feel better soon)

Stopping now before I get too slushy and sentimental.

ninilegsintheair · 31/12/2013 23:02

FW has firstly stormed out and then came back to announce he was going to bed - he doesnt like that my family and me playing the new karaoke game I bought specially for tonight. Hes ruined the whole night and dampered the atmosphere, all because we just had two nights away without DD and he spent almost all our time away pestering for sex and waving his cock in my face. Hes angry that I didnt let him have sex on me.

I hate him.

ninilegsintheair · 31/12/2013 23:03

But happy new year ladies. This will be my third calendar year in our little group.

Wine for all!

MinkBernardLundy · 31/12/2013 23:08

nini hoping this is your last NY with the big orange knob of entitlement.
Happy New Year! May 2014 be the best year yet.

MinkBernardLundy · 31/12/2013 23:10

Btw friend of mine has suggested he take the knitted BOKE and use it as the speakers symbol in meetings. so you are only allowed to speak if you are holding the Cock Grin

bountyicecream · 31/12/2013 23:11

Is there any light at the end of the tunnel nini good for you for ignoring the cock waving

ninilegsintheair · 31/12/2013 23:31

Had to laugh at 'big orange knob of entitlement' mink Grin. If only I had someone who could knit it for me!

New year's resolution: get out or die trying! 2014 will be our year ladies!!!

MinkBernardLundy · 31/12/2013 23:54

If you ask me nicely nini I have one and I have no idea what to do with it. what if I die and my parents find it!!! Grin

KouignAmann · 31/12/2013 23:54

Happy New Year to you all. Bounty I have spent the day with people I love and who care about me. It is so good to be able to relax and be myself without any mental doublethinking.

Nini you need a New Year's Resolution to make this the last time you let your FW ruin New Year. Onward and Upward!

Love to all for 2014

MinkBernardLundy · 01/01/2014 00:05

Happy New Year All.

It has just come back to me that I dude actually see in the bells last year thinking I hope this is my last NY with you FW. he was gone before the end of January.

ninilegsintheair · 01/01/2014 00:23

Haha mink that is very very cool Grin.

FW came down briefly to get a drink and went back upstairs without speaking to anyone. 2014 will be the year I no longer care what he does.

Seeing so many of us able to enjoy life after FW is very heartening. Smile

Happy new year everyone!

bountyicecream · 01/01/2014 00:46

Happy new year all

I'm having a stupid sad moment. I thought that I'd feel nothing this NYE. But instead as Gary Barlow (i know Blush ) was singing "you saved my soul, don't leave me now" all I could see was FW crying and begging me not to leave him as I walked out. Stupid emotions

ColinButterfly · 01/01/2014 00:56

How's everyone feeling?

I felt emotional watching the fireworks in London, knowing FW is there (he lives there) and not thinking of me. I feel a great sense of injustice that he gets to move on just like that while I bear the scars and will do forevermore or for the foreseeable future.

New Years are weird.

Mink, I'm also laughing at the orange cock.
Nini, what a twat. I hate your FW. They always spoil happy occasions.

Bounty I tried posting this earlier but mn would allow. I feel sad too.

daiseehope · 01/01/2014 03:01

Happy New Year! Sorry to those that had to put up with a fw tonight. luckily mine was working. I would like to second your resolution Nini xx

daiseehope · 01/01/2014 03:02

lol Orange cockConfused

MinkBernardLundy · 01/01/2014 03:15

daisee I was going to share a pic of it. someone, possibly that's? described their nsdh as a big Orange Knob of entitlement. so I knitted one. Can't upload pics to MN just now.

happytalk13 · 01/01/2014 03:25

Hello everyone. None of you will recognise me but I'm I former poster to this thread until fuckwit found me on here. Just wanted to say HNY to you all and wish you all a 2014 that sees you being less harangued by all fuckwits.

Love n hugs n all that.

redmapleleaves · 01/01/2014 09:15

Happy New Year one and all. I am so grateful you are all out there. This is a great community.

Mink love the idea of a knitted orange knob of entitlement. I'm now thinking yarnbombing. Knitting lots. And pushing them at irregular intervals through FW's door. You can imagine the police...'And so you think someone is knitting orange knobs, and pushing them through your door? ....'

Nini so sorry to hear all this. Good for you for doing karaoke with so much that is soul destroying going on.

My FW would do this door slamming/spoiling too. I think for mine a. he doesn't want to be bothered to do things with others b. there is no way he would do karaoke where he wouldn't be in control and might not be the best c. he hated to watch us having fun without him because it made him feel isolated. But never got the links with getting involved.

I and DCs went to the panto last night. It was a brill thing to do, such a contrast with previous years, and sense of a new beginning. Of doing something where we were at, not going through the motions for others. And at the end they brought in a pipeband to pipe in the new year and the whole theatre got up and sang old langs ayne, holding hands. For DCs its their first year back in UK after years abroad, so they were very Confused. They'd spent the morning in tears about FW and his behaviour, so I felt it was great to show we can be miserable and yet laugh at corny jokes, feel too cool to watch the fairies and yet enjoy it.

ColinButterfly · 01/01/2014 10:21

Good morning all! Hope the new year has you feeling good, new year, new start, rest of your lives and all that.