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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

I beat my husband today please help me

1000 replies

Ashamedofviolence · 11/01/2014 11:41

I have NC

I don't want to be flamed. I know I was wrong.

We had a bad night and a bad morning, both stressed and argued. It got out of hand and I punched him repeatedly. I feel dreadful. He was calm and left the house.

We have huge problems that I can't go into as it will out me, its no excuse I know but we are both under immense pressure, tired and stressed.
I love him and I feel so ashamed. What do I do now? Where do I seek help for this, I don't want it to happen again.

If he had done it to me I'd be terrified and would leave.

How can I ever make things better?

OP posts:
TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 11/01/2014 14:53

It's not me being black and white.

If this was a man posting YOU would see it in black and white.

If it was a woman posting her oh had done it YOU would see it in black and white.

Wrong.Very wrong.

There is NO excuse

horsetowater · 11/01/2014 14:54

OK OP you are not convinced there is emotional abuse but others who know your situation say there is?

I suggest if you haven't already, to write a diary of what goes on or the kind of things that happen so that you can analyse it and look at it in perspective.

If your live is very hard because of your children I suggest you do need a lot of agencies and support involved, as many as possible. There are carers organisations in every area, Home-Start will give you an afternoon a week and more if the situation is really bad.

WorraLiberty · 11/01/2014 14:54

Quite excusetypos. I wouldn't be scared if my DH hit me - I'd be concerned for his mental health and frog marching him to the doctors.

Wouldn't you be scared he might hit your children?

FutTheShuckUp · 11/01/2014 14:54

Have you read NONE of my earlier posts?

neiljames77 · 11/01/2014 14:55

ChippingInWadesIn-100% correct.

LucyLasticBand · 11/01/2014 14:55

it is the title of the thread that is angering some posters.

op, i gather you have outed yourself, doesnt mean anything to me.
but as others have pointed out, life is not black and white.

SiliconeSally · 11/01/2014 14:55

OP, I am a name changer.
DH and I have in the past lost control and ended in violence. Twice I hit him, once he shook me.
After I was violent I sought counselling and got help for my depression. After he went for me he left because he was ashamed and also never wanted to do it again and worried that with our dynamic as it was, he might.

In the end we decided that we wanted to work from rock bottom up and make our relationship work. I continued counselling and the ADs made a he difference to my confidence, tiredness, frustration and anger. He went for Anger Management which he sourced through our GP. We both went for counselling.

This is 10 years ago and neither of us sunk so low again. We still have arguments but we have better knowledge within ourselves as to how to communicate reasonably, and how to not let arguments get out of hand.

Violence is not acceptable, but I think there is a difference between living with someone who you fear (DH and I never physically lived in physical or emotional fear of each other) and having an out burst that goes much further than it should and then facing up to what you have done and addressing it.

I think that 'forgetting it' as your DH suggests is not the best option. Because you don't want it to happen again, ever, and because there are other problems in your relationship.

In your shoes I would, as separate initiatives:

Seek counselling to find your strength and assertiveness - how to make your point and stay calm and strong, and how to identify your choices in life..
Seek anger management, so that you know you will never undermine yourself like this or risk anyone else becoming the target of your anger and frustration.
Ask yourself whether you want to stay with your DH. You may have crossed the line into violence - but is he emotionally abusive? Is he always a partner who puts you down, blames you for things and refuses to act as a team ?
Then either make a decision to split - or else seek help to make your relationship fairer and more mutually supportive.
If you want to stay, and he wants to make a go of it, and if he is not EA, then you should seek couples counselling (they will not accept you if it is an abusive relationship, as in on going abuse).

Violence is serious, obviously. There are no excuses for it. But when women on MN post to say they are ashamed they have smacked their children they get constructive support, mostly, not to do it again, and re-assured that as long as it is stopped and relationship does not become toxic and terrifying for the child, no lasting harm will be done.

When we discuss violence amongst adults maybe there should be room for people to talk beyond 'go to the police'. and offer the same constructive support, in some circumstances.

Obviously if someone is living in the shadow of the threat and actuality of violence as a regular thing or a means to control they need to be urged and supported to leave. But there are cases that may not have to be black and white.

OP whatever the outcome of this, I am sorry your life is so difficult at the moment.

Twinklestein · 11/01/2014 14:55

Op, how about deciding that you won't post like this again? You've upset a lot of people and created a whole heap of drama. And what has been achieved?

It's not for anyone here to tell the OP how to post. The OP herself hasn't upset anyone as far as I can see, the drama and upset has been created by other posters.

The OP asked for help and some people have given her sensible advice.

FutTheShuckUp · 11/01/2014 14:55

Trip trap you have really annoyed me. You couldn't be more wrong

horsetowater · 11/01/2014 14:56

And I suggest someone starts a new thread called 'The Duplicity of MN attitude towards DV' or something so they can go over there and discuss this instead of clogging up this thread with their opinions.

LucyLasticBand · 11/01/2014 14:56

i could well go and punch DH just now.
i would have to name change to post what has been happening in my house these past two weeks.

ProfPlumSpeaking · 11/01/2014 14:56

I am sorry you have gone through this.

It is good you are posting. It is good that you recognise that your behaviour was immensely wrong and cannot be repeated. Seeking anger management help with the GP is a good start.

You need to ask yourself some hard questions and answer them honestly:

  • might you hit any of the DC when you feel under stress?
  • might you have used a weapon had there been one to hand (kitchen knife, hammer, whatever)?

If you can answer yes to either of those (be honest) then, difficult as it may seem, you need to find a safe place for your DC (perhaps with your DH) and remove yourself from the situation until you have some answers to your stresses and the way you deal with them. This is important. You do not want to end up serving a long prison sentence where you would be of no use at all as a mother.

If you can say no to both the questions, then you have a little more time to address your issues. You are clearly under too much stress and you must take action to ensure that you NEVER hit DH again by addressing those stresses (and taking that anger management course you mention).

Perhaps, short term, you need to call on friends (or paid help if you can afford it, or perhaps temporarily even if you can't) to help you at challenging moments - are those breakfast times, or nappy changing, or whatever. Perhaps a mother's help? Have you tried Surestart?

I wish you all the best xx

FutTheShuckUp · 11/01/2014 14:57

Someone should start a thread about the audacity of mumsnetters who have the brain capacity to analyse people's individual situations. Bloody vile hags they are!

Edenviolet · 11/01/2014 14:58

I would never, ever, ever hit dcs. I would not have used a weapon on dh, I do love him but our relationship is essentially ruined.

ChippingInWadesIn · 11/01/2014 14:58

Worra - yes I can actually. It's not 'how she reacts when pushed to her limit' - she is regularly and repeatedly pushed to her limit on a daily basis - it is how she has reacted 'once' when pushed to her limit by an emotionally abusive partner who doesn't do anywhere near enough for her or her children and will not be even slightly hurt by her thumping him in the arms/torso. She needs help, it's not like she just wants it. Her children are in no danger, whatsoever, of being hit by their Mum.

Fut yes :(

ImagineJL - I think she is more worried about people on MN constantly bringing it up on other threads and doesn't want it tied in with her usual posting name.

YellowTulips · 11/01/2014 14:59

OP - now you have dropped the NC do you feel able to tell us more about your situation or give permission for someone who knows your backstory to do so?

Please ignore Mintyy. You have every right to post here.

I think it would help if we had the bigger picture.

You know the assault was wrong and I'm glad you have committed to seeing the GP. That's a good first step.

FutTheShuckUp · 11/01/2014 15:00

I wish there was some help for you practically really I do

IAmNotAPrincessIAmAKaleesi · 11/01/2014 15:00

Chipping- being a crappy husband isn't illegal, violence is. I am in no way excusing any of his behaviour or minimising the difficulties the op is having but that doesn't mean it's ever ok to physically abuse someone

And even if he is not affected physically or mentally (and there is no way any if us can tell if he is or isn't) what about the effects on the children who were there when this was going on?

Edenviolet · 11/01/2014 15:00

It doesn't matter I'm sure it might get mentioned at some point on threads but I just need help.

I don't want to ever do this again, dcs have to put up with enough, what they heard/possibly saw today is not fair on them.

horsetowater · 11/01/2014 15:01

I have a feeling that OP wants someone to just come and sort it all out for her, I don't blame her really. She must be overwhelmed and can't be doing with all this analysing and debating. If it were me I would want someone to just come along and rescue me. I hope she finds that person.

Ubik1 · 11/01/2014 15:01

It's not about double standards. It's not about you lot feeling really great about yourselves cos you got to have the moral highground over someone who has admitted she has done something terribly wrong and has come on here for advice.

It's about someone seeking help. You can hop up and down all you like about DV being wrong - we all know that. But how does that help op and her family?

What would help is for Op to feel confident enough to seek help for the sake of her children and her own mental health.

WorraLiberty · 11/01/2014 15:01

Chipping no you actually can't.

Even if you have a crystal ball you can't say someone who has violently snapped will be selective on who they punch.

Being tipped over the edge and reacting that way isn't particularly selective.

Edenviolet · 11/01/2014 15:02

I have four disabled dcs and we struggle massively. Dh needs to give up work to help care for them. He does help a bit just not enough.

Dcs were ill all night we were tired I needed help and he didn't want to take ds2 age 1 out for me so that I could do what I needed to with dd2 and clean the house. I was tired and desperate. Had a bad day yesterday trying to sort things out and was just worn down.

LucyLasticBand · 11/01/2014 15:03

bless you op,
Sad

Bitofkipper · 11/01/2014 15:03

Hedgehog, the reason people recognised you was because this situation you find yourself in would have resulted in some of us (me) doing something similar.

Something has to give and that something is his job.

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