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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 28

999 replies

CharlotteCollinsinherownplace · 10/01/2014 17:57

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:
KouignAmann · 28/02/2014 15:12

You can get another BC easily for about £10 online through the gov.uk website

tweedlezee · 28/02/2014 18:46

ooh ka nice one!
well he says they are not there. but I don't have them. Gah!
I realised 2 weeks ago and he has been all "yeh i'm looking".
I will get a new birth certificate tonight. For some reason I thought you had to go to the place you were born. MN amazing as ever

FairyFi · 28/02/2014 22:10

the FW i recall took a birth cert and sent it to his DF??? why ?

Wtafjusthappened · 01/03/2014 20:35

I'm at an all time low tonight.

FW is shouting at eldest DC to go to bed as there is no food - there is but he won't make any as he is hungover and pissed off with me.

I'm BFing the baby so can't do much in the way of cooking plus I'm absolutely fucking exhausted on every single level and still recovering for childbirth! Had a few injuries which I'm scared are permanent and cause a lot of discomfort but he doesn't care in anyway about that!!

He is pissed off because I asked what last night was all about as usually we don't sleep in the same bed let alone have any sort of intimacy. I asked why he thought it was ok to jump on me when he was pissed and carry on like nothing had happened recently and that it's not ok. He got furious and said we're in a relationship and I wasn't exactly shouting no no no stop it. I said that he has no respect for me whatsoever and he replied that no right now he didn't as I was accusing him of something pretty disgusting.

I don't see a way out, he holds all the cards financially and emotionally and I've no idea oh I got here!! He goes away for work soon and while I'm sure it will be lots of socialising and fun for him while I bear the brunt of the childcare as always I can't bloody wait!!

I never agreed to anything being this way but I get told
This is how is has to be because I'm not working. I had to give up my job! So while he pursues his career and puts us in the very bottom of the priority pile I must just suck it up or I'm moaning and complaining.

Today has really opened my eyes to what a cruel man he really is as I'm at a loss as to where to go from here.

TemperamentalAroundCorvids · 01/03/2014 21:35

He was supposed to be sorting out somewhere to go and leaving in the next 2 weeks - that was earlier this week. I presume he has not followed up on this?

Redtoaster · 01/03/2014 21:46

Can I join please? My H is an utter FW. I am in bed because I have a terrible cold. He has been a complete twunt. I am at the very bottom of his priority list. He has brought his mum and brother round and was expecting me to lay out a spread for them. He soon got a reality check. I'm counting on karma but it's taking its time.

TemperamentalAroundCorvids · 01/03/2014 23:29

redtoaster welcome. How did your FW take the reality check? And do you know what his mum and brother thought?

AtSea1979 · 01/03/2014 23:32

Checking in Sad

TemperamentalAroundCorvids · 01/03/2014 23:44

What's up?

AtSea1979 · 02/03/2014 00:04

Need the Lundy book if anyone wants to sell me theirs. Otherwise amazon it is tomorrow.

Redtoaster · 02/03/2014 07:42

Temp he had no choice but to take the reality check. He got takeaway food. Sad really that there is so little respect for me. He's a very entitled misogynistic FW. I think it's rude bringing guests when you know your partner is unwell. It's not like they live miles away and he sees them every week. Ongoing EA and disrespect.

tweedlezee · 02/03/2014 08:03

wtaf hugs and strength for you.
FW for me held all the purse strings. Gave me little bits of money (ever decreasing) to survive on. But only if I asked in the right way.
II left - I have not been so well off since I was working before the kids. Yes stuff is tight, but I am not having to secretly email my dad to lend me enough money to buy food anymore. I can organise my own time, the kids listen to me more and they are more patient with me as I am on my own. You will cope, you will survive, and you may even be loads happier. I know I am. I do whatever I want and no one says "Why?"" all the time like FW did.
welcome red. That is rude! But then he probably saw how ill you were but didn't want to acknowledge it as it would not then be all about him. Hugs to you and a big cup of lemsip.

Redtoaster · 02/03/2014 09:48

Tweedle thankyou for your kind words. That's another thing I am so sensitive to, kindness, because there has been such a distinct lack in my marriage. Tweedle your story is heartbreaking but you sound happy now. You obviously are v intelligent and have guts. Why don't these twunts see that their behaviour gets them nowhere. Sadly because they do zero self reflection amongst other things.

TemperamentalAroundCorvids · 02/03/2014 10:08

redtoaster of course it's rude and disrespectful to bring guests when you are ill. I was wondering if your FW shouted, sulked, ignored or was sarcastic to you, or gave any sign that he could be physically dangerous. And whether his family thought the situation was odd or just normal.

At least you didn't drag yourself from your bed to provide a spread - but there are others in similar situation who are crushed that they would have Sad

I understand about the kindness sensitivity. It still takes me by surprise when my DP is routinely kind!

TemperamentalAroundCorvids · 02/03/2014 10:09
  • so crushed
Redtoaster · 02/03/2014 10:16

Temp previously I would have dragged myself from my bed to be the perfect host. This year I have decided that I come first. It is hard but I am determined to not do things out of fear. FW is a coward and a bully. He largely ignored me apart from asking me what was for dinner. I have changed lot and I look back and cannot comprehend why I have been such a doormat that he took complete advantage of.

FairyFi · 02/03/2014 13:05

yes indeed
no longer will i drag myself from my flu bed to make xmas dinner for others fw when others are not ill!!!

FairyFi · 02/03/2014 14:42

anyone had a non-mol expire/renewed? just wondering if any words of wisdom on getting it kept in place?

98% of women back out of charges against the FWs! and I am one of them stats Sad

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/03/2014 14:14

Wandering back in with my old old name. Grin Because I am tired of hiding away and allowing my STBXH to consume my thoughts. Because I want to focus on improvements. Because I want to be supportive to others that are going through what I've been through (or worse). Because I'll be damned if I'm going to let STBXH turn me into a raving lunatic. (oh wait, I might be too late on that one! Grin)

So.. Fi Christmas dinner? It's March. I must read back and see what's up. Grin

Oh, and a warning - I've had a few cups of coffee. I may jitter a bit.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/03/2014 14:17

Fi re the non-mol order, has he violated it? how often? did you report it? when does it expire? I know, lots of questions, but all pertinent. If he's violated it quite a few times and you didn't report it, then I suspect you might be in a stronger position to renew it than if you reported it, but then didn't go on to press charges IYSWIM.

FairyFi · 04/03/2014 16:02

the xmas dinner related to someone else's comment about serving up food when ill, despite everyone else being not ill..

i see what you mean about reporting and not pressing charges. I fed it back each time to solicitors and police and court, but all fell on deaf ears.

Unfortunately too wiped out now to pursue anything any further. Too tired of it all, and it seems I never was strong, otherwise I would have pulled him on all the very obvious FWittery that he did. I think I have a gene missing or something that I never saw it at the time. I feel stupid and defeated. Had it with going round in circles and closed doors.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/03/2014 16:45

Of course you're strong, you're just at that "too tired to fight" stage we all hit here and there. Do something for yourself - even if it's something little - try to be kind to yourself and detach from the FW long enough to get your energy back. You'll be fighting fit before you know it.

You are certainly not stupid or defeated. Temporary setback, that's all.

What did your solicitor say about the order?

FairyFi · 04/03/2014 16:51

solicitor? Grin

I don't have rep. it was doomed from the start, and I'm back to ground zero.

What the courts won't accept is the grounds of DV, in that this particular leopard FW as with all FW's will not change his spots. He does not care about the damage to DC off all this and will continue to manipulate and use as pawns to make sure he has priority in all things.

FairyFi · 04/03/2014 16:51

i have a bad headache with it all today

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/03/2014 16:55

Any chance you can get a free hour with a solicitor and get some advice? the other option is this number - it's for free legal advice over phone.

0808 8020 008 mon - fri 8am to 8pm.

I've rung them and got very good advice. Never hurts to try.