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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

How can I improve sex life with dh?

239 replies

lollyj2 · 07/02/2014 07:36

We've been together for three years, married for almost two and since almost the beginning, sex has been a bit of an issue.

I have always had quite a high sex drive and when we first got together we'd have sex quite often.

A few months in, however, it started to tail off, which left me feeling a little hurt. Things came to a head when we moved in together, we had sex regularly for the first couple of weeks, I didn't think anything of it, but one night, dh thew an almighty strop, got angry at me, said couldn't he go to bed just to sleep without being pressured into sex. I didn't realise I was pressuring him. So I backed off.

Sex has always been very one sided. I am not allowed to initiate anything, as he told me it puts him under pressure, so I wait for him. Usually, it's once a week/every ten days when he's in the mood. He never engages in any foreplay, the most he will do is jab his fingers in me for a few minuets (TMI, sorry) until it hurts me so much I just get on with it and have sex to get it over with. He also looks so bored when he's touching me, most of the time he is staring at the telly, so I stop him to stop myself getting upset. Most of the time, I will give him a bj, touch him, kiss him - in part to try and turn myself on so that sex isn't painful, but mainly because if I didn't, sex would just be me on top until he comes.

I have never had an orgasm (not just with him, but with anyone) but I am ashamed to say that I learned many years ago just to fake it so as not to dent a mans delicate little ego.

He never undresses me, I think he's only ever seen me naked a handful of times, which makes me feel like crap.

I have tried everything, dressing up, sex toys (which he laughed at me while using, said I looked ridiculous), not asking for sex, asking for sex (If I ask can we have sex tonight/tomorrow I either get 'oh yeah, of course" and then it doesn't happen, or I get told "if you behave" which makes me feel terrible).

I have tried talking to him so many times. But he either tells me to stop slagging him off (I don't I approach it in a nice way) or he's nasty and tells me that he just doesn't want sex a lot, he'd rather go on his computer.

Oral sex is another big issue. It's the only thing that feels nice to me. When we first got together, he said he liked doing it. Then after a couple of months he stopped, so I left it. A few months later, I asked why he didn't do that to me anymore and he got angry saying he hated it, hated the taste and smell. Again, I felt like shit. He does it sometimes, but again, the other day, same thing. Had him shouting at me saying he hates it, what man could ever like doing that to a woman etc. I've posted about that on here before, and I got told by many 'stop giving him oral sex then'. But if I don't, like I said, sex is just him literally putting his penis in me.

I think he has a really unrealistic view of sex due to the amount of porn he used to watch. He hasn't watched it since we were together, but he openly admitted it ruined his sex life with previous girlfriends, which is why he stopped. His views on sex are very much pornified, all to do with the mans gratification.

I really love him, and I am desperate for some sort of connection and closeness. I don't know what to do. If I try and talk to him, he gets angry and there is a huge argument.

This is my second marriage. I was married to someone else for 9 years and that was totally sexless. For different issues, but I basically didn't have sex for the entirety of my 20's and all I want is a normal sex life.
He thinks we have a wonderful sex life - well, he does. He only gets sex when he wants and when he does I am so pathetically grateful that it's all about him.

I thought he might be gay at one point (I asked him outright, he said he wasn't). He seems to hate my genital area. Hates pubic hair, I have to shave everything off, to the point where I get huge, painful cysts where I get ingrown hairs. It's horrible and painful. He seems to hate my body and I hate my body too now. I've lost all my confidence and I have become so embarrassed about sex. It's now got even more painful as I just tense up and because I have tried so hard to kill my sex drive over the past year so that I don't get frustrated, I find it hard to get turned on. So now it's mostly horrible.

Sorry this is so long, I just don't know what to do anymore. I've tried talking, but how do you talk to someone who just gets angry and defensive?

OP posts:
Offred · 07/02/2014 15:00

Where he might go is not really your responsibility, harsh as that sounds. Also what about a refuge? Surely the court would take the need to escape abuse in your current relationship into account with regards the custody arrangements? They wouldn't want your ds living in an abusive relationship.

lollyj2 · 07/02/2014 15:06

If he leaves the flat then I would have to. The estate agent was very nice but said even if they could take him off he tenancy then my landlord would not accept me on my own with full housing benefit. It was hard enough to get him to agree to take partial housing benefit and that was with agreein to six monthly references from dhs work. It's very hard to find places that will rent to HB claimants.

OP posts:
lollyj2 · 07/02/2014 15:08

I've honestly been round and round with this talking to everyone I can think of. It's very frustrating.

I also used to work in social care and dealt with women in refuges. I would only go to one if me and ds were in danger of violence.

OP posts:
LilyBlossom14 · 07/02/2014 15:12

So Women's Aid is the answer isn't it?

Offred · 07/02/2014 15:13

Yy, I understand and I'm sorry :(

It seems terribly harsh. Women's aid, if you haven't spoken to them, or rights of women might be your best bet? It is quite a different story when there abuse involved and sounds like you need some advocacy and also some really intensive specialist help.

Xmusician · 07/02/2014 15:40

As a bloke it does not sound like you have any basis for a relationship with this man. His approach to sex sounds infantile and suggests to me he is controlling you with approval, possible rewards that never happen and the shaving! You have rights and one of them is to be respected about sex. To steal a phrase from some of the ladies....Dump the pig! Anything would be better than this surely????

AmIatwat · 07/02/2014 16:14

Have you told him you want to leave?

JoinYourPlayfellows · 07/02/2014 16:21

He has to know what he has done to me, how he's made me feel.

He DOES know.

You've already told him and he just shouts and you and refuses to listen.

But he knows.

He just doesn't care. Or maybe he enjoys the power he has over you.

LumpySpacePrincessOhMyGlob · 08/02/2014 11:03

Did you have a chat? How did he respond?

lollyj2 · 08/02/2014 12:50

Yes we did.

It's me. He just doesn't find me attractive. Hasn't done for a couple of years, since after we got married. He said he had doubts before we got married but couldn't pull out as it had gone to far.

So I've had two years of feeling like shit. I can't be with someone who finds me repulsive.

He's got a friend he used to go to uni with who has room in his shared house.

I really don't know what this will do to ds.

OP posts:
lollyj2 · 08/02/2014 12:51

Sorry I don't know if I'll be back on today I am absolutely heartbroken.

OP posts:
Offred · 08/02/2014 12:57

Please don't feel heartbroken. Remember what I said up thread about talking to him and how he'd twist it round to you.

This man is horrendously abusive towards you, he had said this to completely destroy you and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he followed this up with a calculated return once you are suitably destroyed.

Please call women's aid today if you can? X

Fairenuff · 08/02/2014 13:00

lolly do keep posting for support. It's good that he has finally been honest with you but pretty awful that you have had to put up with this for two years.

It is over now. Time for you to start building a better life for yourself and your ds.

Fairenuff · 08/02/2014 13:01

Btw, it's not you. It so definitely is not. It's clear from every single post on this thread that his behaviour is not normal or acceptable x

Offred · 08/02/2014 13:07

I doubt it is really the truth tbh fairenuff. The problem being that he wasn't sure about the op doesn't make sense from the way he has behaved and the things he's said. I think it's just calculated to hurt/manipulate tbh.

AmIatwat · 08/02/2014 13:11

I think the writing was on the wall before you got married. I'm feeling for you OP but when the dust has settled, take some time out to make friends; I think you are naïve and place your trust in men whom you see as " rescuers". Sorry to sound brutal, but you probably have " victim" stamped on your forehead. You have to learn to make informed choices about future partners and you cannot if you have no friends or family to measure them by.
You are responsible for yours and your child's future happiness. You have to break this cycle.
Your son will get over it, I expect he knows his step dad is a bastard, kid's are not stupid.

AmIatwat · 08/02/2014 13:12

FWIW I think he is probably gay.

AmethystMoon · 08/02/2014 13:18

It occurs to me that he is just not sexual. He doesn't like either sex. Maybe he just does what he thinks he should do (misguided by porn Sad) it sounds like he just wants a life without sex.
Unfortunately he has treated you appallingly as a result of whatever it is. Which is abuse.
So regardless of being gay/ straight/ neither he is not nice.

AnyFucker · 08/02/2014 13:28

I am sorry, love

let him go

You and ds will recover from your heartbreak which is temporary and so much better than for both of you to be living this half life on a permanent basis

LilyBlossom14 · 08/02/2014 13:37

Please do not believe a word he says - this is not you at all. This is all about him, but it is easier for him to blame you rather than address his own issues.

You deserve so much more.

sebsmummy1 · 08/02/2014 13:39

My gut instinct is it has nothing to do with you either. It's just an easy thing to do to blame someone else.

AmIatwat · 08/02/2014 13:44

It is all about him. You have done nothing wrong. He's just plain evil.
Listen, he wanted to marry you for a reason, a manipulative bully like him could have jilted you before you walked down the Isle as it's evident he likes to cause as much pain and humiliation as is possible.
Let him go, it would be so wrong to bring a child up in the presence of such a vile piece of crap. Your child needs good role models in his life. You can start by restoring your confidence and getting a life of your own, on your own, until you are strong enough to start looking for a stable and caring man who will love you for who you are.

AmIatwat · 08/02/2014 13:59

aisle, I meant to say. Things will get a lot worse if you stay with him. Cut him out of your life completely, and never ever go back.

LumpySpacePrincessOhMyGlob · 08/02/2014 14:13

It's not just you is it? He has been unable to sustain a sexual relationship with any woman. This is why I would snoop and find out if he is still watching porn and what type he is watching. If you were certain he was gay then you could force him into a being honest.

He is a nasty bastard and your son will ultimately be better off without him in his life.

Please be kind to yourself today, this is not your fault.

Offred · 08/02/2014 14:29

I don't think you need him to be honest to get your closure. I don't think it is necessarily possible to get the answers you need from a man like this without him destroying you in the process.

He's given you what you need to get closure on the actual relationship by being utterly, utterly despicable to you. You don't need to know more than this and I know what he has said and done will have absolutely floored you you need to shut your life off from him now.

You don't need his approval, you need to rebuild the self esteem that he has destroyed and that will help get you closure.

I think the reasons he gave were not true because we know from how he has behaved that he is not afraid to let you down or humiliate you - this is something he does on a regular basis. I don't think it is true, it's achieving the twin aims of twisting it to be your fault and of destroying you as a person. It doesn't fully explain what a gratuitously nasty twat he has been either.

I am quite worried about you lolly so I hope you are ok. I hope you'll give women's aid a ring. They are so good. I was amazed at how quickly they picked out my ex and could predict all his shitty behaviour, really made me feel like it wasn't me that was the problem.