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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

Pissed off.....lies, lap dancing and so called friends.

265 replies

Fragglewump · 10/03/2014 11:16

I thought I had an honest marriage until Friday when out for dinner with friends the wife told me that her husband didn't believe in 'paying for it' and that mine probably only did it to 'further his career'. I felt sick and was baffled but didn't tackle as I was a little drunk and totally mortified about exposing this in public. Cue the next morning when dh reveals that a year ago he went to a lap dancing club with his boss and another colleague. He went to a private room with boss and dancer for a private dance. He didn't tell me because he knew it would upset me and he wasn't proud of it. But he did tell our friend!!! I feel sick and teary. It's the lies that hurt most. Dh doesn't think he has broken our trust. I'm upset by the private dance but would find it much easier to move past than being humiliated by a friend. How can I get over this? I feel sad and pathetic. Goodbye honest marriage.

OP posts:
WhateverTrevor83 · 10/03/2014 14:10

Yep - sure there's some truth in that.

OP - hope you manage to have a sensible and honest discussion with your DH about this Thanks.

BrokenButNotFinished · 10/03/2014 14:14

I always hesitate to shove my head into the fray in discussions like these... but here goes.

The discussion of the sex industry is a separate one to your relationship. To me, I would not describe your husband as a liar. He was committed the sin of omission, if you like, but has not actively lied. Yes, you can say, if you want, that a lack of truth is a lie, but we all fail sometimes. He probably just never knew how to bring it up - because he knew it would be a massive issue and didn't want to demean himself before you. Clearly, he should have thought about that before he went off with his boss - and that could be a weakness - but many people are drawn into behaviours by a group mentality, or by a perceived stronger person that they wouldn't countenance by themselves, in the cold light of day. And everyone can say 'he should grow some' - but maybe we can all think of a time when we have done something unworthy because of the situation we found ourselves in.

Secondly, you said something at some point about your previous relationship. This is not your previous relationship - and if you behave with the defensive patterns you have acquired from being hurt previously, you are more likely to bring it to an end. As far as you are able, I would say that you need to judge this relationship on its own.

Thirdly, it's a marriage. I find it difficult to understand how so many people I see on these boards are willing to end a marital commitment at the first evidence of failure. Clearly there are situations when a marriage needs to end, but that it is a personal and societal tragedy, I think - and shouldn't happen just because one party is a bit weak or doesn't quite fulfil the expectations of the other.

Fourthly, yes - I have been to strip clubs where it was evident sexual services were also being provided. I've seen men taking their clothes off for money, female strippers brought into the workplace (where some poor sod having a birthday was clearly uncomfortable and doing his level best NOT to touch her while she shimmied her arse in his face) and known someone who worked in a lap dancing club. I find the whole thing rather bleak and depressing - apart from the one instance of a carer paying for sex for his relative with Downs Syndrome. Which is the start of a whole 'nother conversation... However, we have no idea what went on in this private room and everyone being so certain that they do is just implanting images in the OP's head which have no right being there.

I can see that this is a shock - and disappointing - but for me, it wouldn't be any more than that. I certainly wouldn't rank it with adultery. And I would also be looking at myself to wonder why my husband didn't feel that he could tell me. Before everyone jumps on me, I'm not saying it's the OP's fault - but if two people are working to the common goal of a long and happy marriage, there's nothing wrong with both parties assessing what they could do differently to achieve that.

I would also be supressing the desire to punch the messenger into next Tuesday... Grin She clearly has issues and is no friend of yours.

Jan45 · 10/03/2014 14:15

trev, I think some of your flippant comments on this thread have been outside the realms of a support website and not remotely helpful to OP who is very understandably upset, tbh

Absolute rubbish, stop bullying AF, it won't work.

OhGood · 10/03/2014 14:15

trevor read about how much exactly [[
fawcettsociety.org.uk/equal-pay/ women are paid less than men]]

WhateverTrevor83 · 10/03/2014 14:17

That link doesn't work Hmm

I'm sure they do get paid less in some careers. I've been lucky. Still not sure what it's got to do with OP's DH not talking to his wife about going to a lap dance though...

BrokenButNotFinished · 10/03/2014 14:19

I thought rainbowsmiles' post was rather helpful actually... Smile

WhateverTrevor83 · 10/03/2014 14:21

Yep me too - interesting Rainbow

Grennie · 10/03/2014 14:22

How would you feel if you found out your DP had met a woman in a pub and went back to hers where she did a naked dance whilst on his lap?

I can never understand why paying for it makes it not cheating in some women's eyes.

Fragglewump · 10/03/2014 14:22

Broken thank you for wise and compassionate words

OP posts:
Paintyfingers · 10/03/2014 14:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Grennie · 10/03/2014 14:24

And if you think a friend should tell you if she knew your DP had had a one night stand with another woman, then your friend should also tell you if your DP went to a club and had a naked woman writing on his lap.

OhGood · 10/03/2014 14:24

fawcettsociety.org.uk/equal-pay/

Nothing to do with OP's post, loads to do with you claiming never to have met a woman who gets paid less.

IceBeing · 10/03/2014 14:25

whatever Even on a strict pay grading scale, women still get stuffed because they don't get promoted at up the scale at the same rate as men of the same ability....

I am on a relatively strict pay scale but due to my lack of a Y chromosome I am less likely to get promoted up the scale than an equally skilled male colleague.

BrokenButNotFinished · 10/03/2014 14:25

No probs. I've just celebrated my tenth wedding anniversary after kissing an awful lot of frogs. Clearly this has turned me into Clare Rayner... Hmm

Grennie: the pub analogy just doesn't work. It lacks the element of peer/employer pressure.

WhateverTrevor83 · 10/03/2014 14:26

LOL I'm not 'claiming' anything! Just saying I'm not aware of anyone I know getting paid less than men for their job. Fact.

If I have met them maybe they've not chosen to tell me about it Hmm

But thanks for the education - I'll have a look-see Smile

Paintyfingers · 10/03/2014 14:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IceBeing · 10/03/2014 14:31

Peer pressure is definitely an issue with this kind of behaviour. The fact he was with his boss is actually quite a mitigator in my eyes.

But not telling the OP about it seems pretty wrong to me. I have done some pretty useless things in my current relationship and have been in bits almost immediately after and told DP everything. This meant that together we managed to set better boundaries and prevent anything untoward occurring again.

MissScatterbrain · 10/03/2014 15:00

MissSC: well, yes but really why is it any different from a woman watching a man strip, it is though and why is that....?

Simply because of the sheer number of vulnerable women working in the industry - so many may have been trafficked or conditioned in a way to earn income in this way. Also there is the balance of power - sadly it seems that generally in society this is still very much unequal.

Male stripping is still objectification though and I suspect some of these men will also have been exploited.

Back to OP - your feelings are valid.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 10/03/2014 15:17

Sorry your H did this and you had to find out that way, OP.

I've heard it said that (single or married) men are programmed to look to maximize the number and breadth of sexual encounters, without being very choosy. Whereas women look to maximize quality and control of their sexual encounters, always looking to "trade up". Your H thought you'd not hear about that encounter and you thought this relationship was stronger than your previous one. Both of you were mistaken.

Imagine if the situation were reversed, how he'd react if you were out for a night and much later on, one of his friends told him you had done something similar but never told him. I bet he'd have a lot of questions and not be fobbed off with an easy shrug and so-what attitude. I doubt his boss had to frogmarch him into the club then on into a private room. Whatever his friend or friend's wife thinks of him, you don't deserve a blanket refusal to see it as any kind of big deal.

Would I jump for joy if DD said she is working at such a club to supplement her income - no I would not. Every girl or woman working there is somebody's DD. Touching permitted or not, I would be sorry to think she'd work in such an environment, whether it is 'harmless' cheesy entertainment or a money-making racket that makes mugs out of the clientele and yes to some extent the employees.

Tiredstilltired · 10/03/2014 16:38

I actually think the pub analogy is a great one. Employer pressure removed. If and his employer met two girls in a bar and they came back to his hotel room and gyrated their bare vagina in his face, would that be acceptable?

Logg1e · 10/03/2014 16:41

I wouldn't want to end my relationship over this, but I just don't think I could get past it. Every time he tried to touch me I'd be thinking about it, every time we discussed finances I'd think about it.

I just don't think Good People (Husbands or otherwise) pay for the services of sex workers.

Jan45 · 10/03/2014 16:51

I think you might find a lap dancer may take umbrage with being described as a sex worker, some of them actually see themselves as exotic dancers and that alone.

Just shows how we are all different in our take on what's acceptable or not.

I'd be livid if my partner done this but I wouldn't think of him as bad, just stupid and inconsiderate.

We all make mistakes, what makes a strong relationship is working out problems, resolving them so both parties are happy and moving on from it.

SauceForTheGander · 10/03/2014 16:53

Logg1e that would be me. I wouldn't want to break up but it take a lot of work to rebuild us. I would struggle TBH.

AnyFucker · 10/03/2014 16:54

Does this guy accept he made a mistake ? So far, OP has been told she needs to "move on" by him. Yep, that's a great way to "work out problems" innit.

AnyFucker · 10/03/2014 16:55

Strippers and lap dancers work in the sex industry. They are sex workers. The blokes are buying a sexual service.