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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

What to do to support someone being has gas lighted?

9 replies

Normalisavariantofcrazy · 19/05/2014 00:43

I have a very dear friend who is blatantly being gas lighted, she has called her husband out on it first in private and now more recently quite vocally in public

He does it over little things like arrangements he's made to go to the pub he won't tell her he's made them until she makes plans, asks him to join her and them he'll chip in 'I told you I'm doing x' she saw red the last time he did this and shouted at him to stop doing that and that he hadn't said anything of the sort to her. He turned on the charm and somehow had everyone believing she was the one who hadn't listened to him and that 'she never listens' which is why she's always missing plans. Other things he does it over aren't so minor but big things like whether to have another dc or have permanent contraception solutions, he'll say one then when she suggests going to the drs he says 'what are you talking about we never discussed this'

Anyway this all came to a monumental head today. She has some plants in her garden that are very special to her and given by now deceased relatives. He's took it upon himself to pull them up and dispose of them, when she sent a dc to water them the dc returned saying it's not there. She challenged him saying where is it, has he moved it, and he responded 'what plant? There's never been one there' she's seen red and wants to leave but doesn't know how. All her confidence has gone and she's doubting everything she does everything she says, he's utterly undermined her in every way possible and everyone thinks he's Mr Wonderful.

So where do I begin to support her? She's in pieces and I'm, quite frankly, too tired to be much use at the moment!

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 19/05/2014 05:56

If she's actually said she wants to leave then she would be well advised to ignore his antics best she can and take legal & other practical advice immediately. Gaslighting and other types of psychological bullying do have the effect of crushing someone's confidence and making them doubt themselves. For strength, therefore, they need to call in some big guns (solicitors, CAB, etc) who will be on her side and are not easily intimidated by some arse of a man. She might also consider talking to Womens Aid for advice. Domestic abuse is a very broad church and they can probably recommend a solicitor with specific experience.

The best think you can do is listen to what she says, tell her 'I believe you' and back her up that you don't think he is Mr Wonderful at all. If you can offer practical help like a weekend bolthole when it gets too much, that would be good too. She will get confidence from knowing that she's not alone, not going nuts and that you are on her side.

Walkacrossthesand · 19/05/2014 07:33

That is so bizarre. Has he always done this, but she's only starting to realise it's him, not her, as he's doing increasingly outlandish things? She must feel so lonely and afraid - it's so 'unproveable' isn't it? (Unless she happens to have a photo of the garden with said plant in place...). Is she keeping a log of the incidents? That would be a good thing to do I feel.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 19/05/2014 07:51

I would strongly suspect that the gaslighting is only one example among other emotionally abusive behaviours. I expect if you showed your friend one of the many online lists with titles like 'Signs of an emotionally abusive relationship' (like this one) she would recognise more traits. People who are the victims of psychological bullies often don't realise how much they've been manipulated into accepting as normal behaviour things others would find quite shocking. So they don't necessarily mention it. Worth asking a few questions and seeing what else is going on.

HidingFromMyself · 19/05/2014 07:56

I think my husband does this, it's really confusing and I'm never quite sure if I'm in the right or not.
He's a pretty good liar and 99% of the time he gets away with it. It usually benefits him though like "we talked about this, you agreed to sell your stuff to help pay for my new play station" I'm a bit sure we never had that conversation but after a while it makes you doubt yourself and when there's other stuff going on too you just aren't sure of what's happening.
He does it with other people to get his own way too but mostly me, after 15 years everyone thinks I'm really forgetful, a bit dim and unsympathetic because a lot of the time I'm not quite sure what's going on and I'll not be told about messages but then he'll say he told me and I forgot.

Give her support, try and help her get proof of what he's doing.

Walkacrossthesand · 19/05/2014 08:50

Note to self - don't let others lay blame at your feet for disputed conversations - 'well, we evidently remember that conversation differently' is a vital phrase to access!

CogitoErgoSometimes · 19/05/2014 08:52

'You're talking your usual load of bollocks so you won't mind if I stop listening......' is another vital phrase.

VodkaJelly · 19/05/2014 09:29

Hiding why are you letting him get away with it?

Being stubborn and bloody minded is a god send when dealing with gaslighting. As soon as your DH says something you know you havent said go down the bloody minded route.

"I didnt not agree to that, we never had that conversation" and keep repeating and repeating, DO NOT waiver and change your stance. You KNOW you never agreed to selling your stuff to pay for a playstation. Get it into your mind that you are right and he is lying.

I think you have bigger problems to be honest.

HidingFromMyself · 19/05/2014 12:59

I know there's bigger problems, him sneaking off to sleep with men is a problem.
I'm working on leaving I just have to organise things first.

VodkaJelly · 19/05/2014 14:04

Wow, shit Hiding, you really do have bigger problems.

I wish you the best of luck with leaving and I hope it goes smoothly for you xx

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