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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

Poking the hornets nest - give me strength to get through this, scared. Seeing solicitor on Friday -

19 replies

MiscellaneousAssortment · 16/02/2015 04:01

So I'm meeting a solicitor on Friday. Next step to try and find the answer to my question 'How best to start divorce proceedings against a very troubled man?'

Here's my first thread, I'm starting a new one to help me screw up my courage to do this.

I'm writing an account of the marriage and ds, to give a good overview when I won't be be any good at explaining it in person - I still blank a lot out. Has been useful in making connections I hadn't before, and I'm hoping once it's down on paper it will kind of mark the end of being IN it still. But oh, taking up the past is rubbish. Picking at old scars.

I need to work out what to ask her in the meeting - I'm paying for it so need to get the most out of it as poss.

Really I want to create a plan of action and fundamentally help me decide what to do about Ds and H. Need to protect him but sensibly, not over reach myself (evidence, law and what judges normally do), and end up with a court sanctioned bad situation.

It's hard decisions. Ds has stepped up asking for H since my dad died, and I don't know what to do. He even asked if h is dead, like grandpa :(

OP posts:
MiscellaneousAssortment · 16/02/2015 04:03

Here's my first thread linked

OP posts:
TheOldWiseOne · 16/02/2015 04:03

Just wanted to say Hallo and that you are not the only one up at this ungodly hour ..

MiscellaneousAssortment · 16/02/2015 04:20

I need to think about:

H is not British, he's from a war zone and he's damaged. I feel terrible sharing that secret, and using it 'against' him to explain my concerns about ds safety alone with him. I spent the entire time hyper alert to protect ds and I still didn't manage it.

His visa status now is unclear. He is a very troubled person and was from the beginning of our relationship showing signs of mental health issues. I believe he has untreated PTSD. This got worse throughout the marriage and by the time Ds was born H had become very disturbed. He has been abusive to me throughout- financially, emotionally, socially, sexually and finally physically. Though I'm sure he wouldn't see it that way. Took me years to say it.

I'm scared of him. I can't bring myself to say why at the moment, what happened and why I think he has ptsd.

But with regard to other things:
-he was arrested for rape but not charged due to lack of evidence. This scares me, because of what used to happen to me. And that he genuinely has a righteous anger as he doesn't think he did it. Hard to say this, but I can see how it happened. But I don't know if a judge would see it as anytjjmg to do with ds.

The gambling, living on the street, stealing from me and general awfulness.

The mess he makes of the house, sounds small but I cantdo it again. I'm disabled and him fuckkng up my house risks injury and certainly takes away my ability to do anything for myself. And carers having to be with him to make sure ds ok, which means they aren't caring for me. We moved and he doesn't know my address. I don't want him to know or start it all up again. I feel safe here and made a secure home for ds. Don't want that destroyed. Pretty sure judge won't give a shit about this, from the stories I've heard on here...

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Rinkydinkypink · 16/02/2015 04:34

I haven't read your other thread op but just from what you say here your ds needs protecting from your H. I think a family solicitor should be able to help with this.

I think your a very brave lady who has done a very courageous thing by seeking to leave.

Your dh needs to take responsibility for himself and his actions. You are not to blame for his unreasonable and highly abusive behaviour!

From what you've said here you certainly have grounds for divorce.

Please stay safe op. He sounds like it's not going to be the easiest of exits. Have you got some support from domestic abuse services/womens aid? Not to worry you but leaving/divorcing an abusive partner can be the most dangerous time.

I wish you luck op and hope you live a happy, fulfilling life x

CogitoErgoSometimes · 16/02/2015 08:34

Please have a little optimism. Judges do 'give a shit' provided there is evidence to back up claims such as the ones you are making. If he was arrested for rape and investigated, that's significant. If others have witnessed his behaviour (doctor? friend? family? carer?), that's also useful. But these are the kinds of things that your solicitor will steer you through. It may take more than one session and you may later remember something that you want to clarify. If it helps to write it down, do that. Send it to the solicitor in advance of the meeting so that they can then ask questions based on the information provided.

FrancesNiadova · 16/02/2015 09:14

MiscellaneousAssortment you are such a brave, strong woman. Well done for getting him out, moving house, keeping your son safe now & contacting the solicitor.
You know that you have to keep on keeping your son and yourself safe & that the only way to do this is through a divorce.
The SS involvement, the DR' s report & the police report about rape should be enough to secure a divorce. Be honest & tell your solicitor these things.
The courts will protect your child. Talk to your son's headteacher - they're usually responsible for child protection. If you're on 1/2 term, call the education authority & ask to talk to someone from their child protection team; their role is keeping your son safe. They will help you.
Does your son have a passport? If he does, get it locked into your local bank's safe deposit box ASAP (it really doesn't cost much).
If he doesn't have a passport, get one ASAP (so husband can't apply for one) & get it locked away at the bank.
Keep going MA, you're one brave lady & you owe it to your son & yourself to create some long-term safety, peace & happiness. The water in front of you is choppy, but keep your eyes fixed on the horizon Flowers

MiscellaneousAssortment · 16/02/2015 15:09

Poor ds is sick today so I can't do anything I was planning - work or finishing writimg that summary :(

I wonder if I'm using it as an excuse though... Arggghhh

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MiscellaneousAssortment · 17/02/2015 20:27

I did a bit more today. I did loads, I thought most, of the summary in one go, but I guess I did the easiest bit I'm finding the rest really upsetting to remember. And I can't write it down properly - succinctly and without lots of emotion.

Bugger.
I feel useless.

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Anniegetyourgun · 17/02/2015 20:43

Write it down on a different piece of paper, then; let it all pour out, then later whittle it down to a précis like an English assignment in school. I don't know if that method works for you but I find it helpful. The opposite way is to jot down bullet points and then elaborate on them later. Don't despise yourself for not being able to write it all out perfectly first time. Even the world's greatest authors usually spend ages polishing their prose before it's fit to publish!

MiscellaneousAssortment · 17/02/2015 22:37

I can't reread it after I write it, it's just too painful :( and that's the stuff I forced myself to write, there lots of gaps where I can't seem to write it.

Living it was bad enough without having to RElive it again. It took me a long time to understand I was in a terrible situation (mostly through mumsnetters pointing it out!), and a longer time before I'd call it abuse and lay the blame at the right persons door (H), and stop protecting & excusing him.

Then I got together the strength to make him leave, and he refused for months but did in the end. Was a happy day. Thought I'd got the worst behind me.

But then came the phase I'm deeply not proud of, where I facilitatdd his contact with ds, determined not to let DS not have a father and suffer because of h rubbishness. Only to realise I was facilitating an awful thing and damaging Ds, and me, in the process.

So, since I stopped doing that (March last year) & moved last April and didn't give my address. Was amazed how much safer and more peaceful it was knowing we are properly away from him, no more middle of the night visits, borrowing money off my neighbours which they think I'm going to pay back. And then I've just tried to focus on present and future and deal with all the other things life is throwing at me...

Point being. I didn't know how much I was effected still by H and what happened to me, and most of all to DS. Ds is ok now, and I did protect him mostly, but even the tiniest thing is too much and that's why I acted... But it's still with me and so much more than I thought. :(

So I have a massive rambling document which doesn't have proper timeline or stick to facts, but also has massive holes in it that I can't force myself to fill in and won't be useable even if I do.

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MiscellaneousAssortment · 17/02/2015 23:41

I divided it up into:

  • early years of marriage - abuse and his mh problems
  • 2009-2010 when things got even worse and then pregnant with Ds and I started to become ill. Ds born, is neglected by h unless I'm there constantly. Am on hyper alert 24/7. Get much more ill can't even walk. He hit me. Badly. I told GP. SS called but don't believe I am dependent on h as carer (which is awful as he abusive), and tell me if I report any more incidents they can take Ds from me. I cover it up with H, to make SS go away. Am not told adult ss can help. :(
-2011 I got diagnosed with an awful genetic condition and h refused to get a job/ look after Ds or do anything to stop my condition deteriorating rapidly. Took 6 months (at least) to get him to leave. Finally find out about carers. But carers for me turn into servants for him. I'm trying to pay off massive debts in my name with a debt agency & working part time. Almost go bankrupt. -2012- 2013 - I faciliate contact but do it 'safely' by letting him come to my home & making sure he's supervised at all times (& trash it/ stop carers from helping me/ steal money, let himself in whenever he feels like etc). Still paying off debts & having to work though against advice. Lots of examples here of bad stuff.

-2013-early 2014-
Found out he was arrested for rape late 2013. Becomes homeless. Runs up more debt in my name. Gambling addiction gets really bad. eg Takes back Ds present on Boxing Day so he can gamble the money. Becomes scary, slurring words, can't function I don't know why, maybe mh or more addictions? Things from my house keep disappearing like papers which meant Ds school application was late, enormous stress. I think he was using my papers as proof of address when he got arrested? Or maybe to claim benefits of some kind? Not sure.

2014-now
In jan he used my house as somewhere to doss & wash occasionally though he ignores Ds, and after final incident I realised I couldn't do it anymore and Ds was getting harmed (& Ds was the only reason I was doing it in the first place).

Last contact at Ds bday party in April when he turned up v late and didn't stay long (he smelt and was incoherent and almost asleep but he kept himself away from others so don't think people noticed, beyond my dad). No presents for Ds of course. Me & Ds come within days of being homeless but manage to move and I didn't tell h where to - though he knows the area.

2014- sept to current. H phones and says he's sorted himself out (doubtful), & he MUST see Ds now. I say it has to be done slowly and carefully & I'm v positive about him committing to regular time with ds (at least positive on the phone whilst I'm not sure what to do in rl). He wanted to creep in and surprise Ds w a big present etc. I say no, Ds has been devastated his daddy disappeared and its not about big surprises and expensive presents, he takes that as a no he can't ever see Ds and gets angry. I say he's no longer allowed to shout at me. Same time as this Ds starts school, h doesn't even ask how he is. I say let's take things slowly, he texts a few times getting angry. I am chased for more money he owes. I want to do supervised contact but worried about after that would end.

At this point In October/ nov I go into hospital in emergency. My dad comes down to help out. H rings my parents house to shout and scream down the phone - whilst I'm in hosp. He hasn't phoned/ texted since.

Dec My dad gets ill and I realise how much I depend on dad to help me with Ds as am still v disabled. My dad dies. I've been disinherited due to still married to h. Ds crying for h now as he misses my dad so much (he wasn't so upset before). I need to sort it out and get divorced.

(from here is when I started not being able to right it)

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MiscellaneousAssortment · 18/02/2015 00:31

Ignore that last bit in brackets, that was from before I wrote that, I was starting to write when I can't seem to do any more and surprised self by continuing to write this basic timeline!!!

Shall I just send solicitor that and not the long version?

Missing out all the details about exactly how scary h is to me and how disturbed he is, or how he neglected Ds when not supervised.

Not sure.

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MiscellaneousAssortment · 18/02/2015 00:33

And some examples I've just made myself howl over. God I feel sick.

Ignore bit in brackets, was starting to write where I can't seem to do any more and surprised self by continuing to write this basic timeline!!!

Shall I just send solicitor that and not the long version?

Missing out all the details about exactly how scary h is to me and how disturbed he is:
Eg I woke to find him strangling me in his sleep/ trying tobreak my neck as he reenacted torture in his dreams (I think he has PTSD, grew up in a war zone, v disturbed man. Who doesn't get help or see the risk)
Or the neglect to DS
Eg his out of control sleep problem which means he goes unconscious at any time and can't stop himself, hits out when I try and wake him.
When Ds was a baby he'd fall asleep any time h was left unsupervised (& when he was super used it didn't stop the problem, but stopped the risk to DS). Eg. He DROPPED ds on the floorboards and slept straight through the screams of his fallen baby. Lots of EGs of neglect when I couldn't be there to stop it, like when he smeared poo around the living room whilst h slept. Of when Ds ate a cigarette h left out with his lighter as well...

I am guilty. But I had to go back to work even though I was v v ill and also had many Hosp appointments (most of which I had to cancel), and H wouldn't work to help, and looked after Ds so badly it only continued for a few weeks. I am a bad mother. I couldn't protect my child. I had no idea that adult ss could provide carers and help me. I had no idea that there was any option but to carry on trying to keep Ds safe by self, with h still there. He was an abusive twat but without him I couldn't get to the front door, feed myself, wash... And when he'd storm off for hours/ days after an argument I just had to manage without. At least Ds was young enough to be breast fed so didn't suffer when that happened.

Even when I paid for nursery, h refused to get up to take him, or bring him back. It was a 15 min bus ride. Once He failed to pick Ds up from nursery one afternoon and due to nursery error in calling my mobile wrong Ds was there until 1930pm!!!! I had to pay £270 and they were going to call ss when they finally realised they weren't calling my mobile. Thank God they realised. Poor Ds had cried himself to sleep waiting for his parents that didn't come.

And then the one I'm very ashamed of, when he hit me very hard. He hit me with such force on my chin/ top of neck that even with his hand open (so slap more than a punch), I flew across the room and snapped my head into the wall. I couldn't see through the grey clouds and think I lost consciousness for a second or two. My head got thrown straight back and my neck got hurt. He taunted me and wouldn't let me get to the phone to call the police. Then I stood between him and the bedroom to protect Ds, though given the strength of him, and me weedy at the best of times but me getting ever more ill and disabled, I couldn't have done anything. I had bruises and used fuxking cover up on them. He said he hadn't hit me that hard, and I was exaggerating to make him feel bad and it was my fault for 'shouting at him in his face'. One if the main things I struggle with now is my neck and head. Can't sit up too long as neck too weak or travel in a car/ train/ bus unless I'm lying down. It was only writing that damn summary that I realised why my neck was ok before then, then strangely not ok ever again. I didn't relate it to the hit until now. The strangling won't have exactly helped before that either.

Or the time before I was pregnant when I persuaded him to see a psychologist. I went with him cos he was scared, though I had work deadlines I worked through the night before to ensure I could go with him to the sodding appointment across town. Walking back to the train station my leg gave way in the middle of a road, and I fell down like I was pole axed. He refused to help me. Lying in the road bleeding and hurt, he dragged me to the gutter then just watched me as I cried and pleaded for help. He sent away a taxi that a guy in the shop had called for to get me to hospital. He sent it away. I couldn't get to it on my own, I couldn't move and I was shaking so much. I called an ambulance but they said I should get myself to a&e as 'just falling over' and hurting my leg wasn't an emergency. So I lay there for an hour. In the street. With passerbys staring and h swearing at anyone who tried to approach me. I guess they thought I was drunk.

Or when he went to sleep leaving Ds poorly and alone - I came in 15 mins later as I could sense something was wrong and Ds was very ill. I tried to wake h and was panicking, h swore and shouted and passed out again. I phoned nhs direct, then gp who said to come straight away, and by the time I got there Ds was floppy and unresponsive, and gp debated whether ambulance necessary but thought taxi would be quicker (?) so receptionist lent me the money and put us in a cab. Spent all day w Ds in bed in the Hosp until thank god they got his temp down and diagnosed an ear nose and throat and chest infection, and not meningitis as had been the gps fear. H didn't even call when we didn't come back from the gp, and didn't give a shit when I said he was in hospital.

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 18/02/2015 11:59

You could even print out this thread and give it to the solicitor if it would help

wallypops · 18/02/2015 14:35

Listen darling, not even the most crap judge in the world is going to give anything to this man.

Talk to whoever you need to GP, shrink, police, solicitor, whatever.

Take it one step at a time. Each time you get the facts out of you onto paper, the fear looses some of its strength and power. When you write it down, you can give it to someone else to read, then you dont have to repeat it.

You could take it to the police station and explain that you don't know what to do with this information, and you don't know if you want to take it any further but you think they should maybe know about it. You can explain you are traumatised and find it difficult to talk about and that you definitely don't want to testify against him. They have people really skilled in this kind of thing.

I'm guessing the police already have quite a lot on file about him, so it might be helpful to all.

MiscellaneousAssortment · 18/02/2015 15:38

Thank you. That was so hard to write. Can't describe how bloody hard actually!

I'm glad I got some down on here last night, kind of tricked my brain into doing it .... ' La la la just posting on mumsnet not really writing an account of it no no nothing going on here'!

Have put it into word and will send that if I can't work on the other tangled mess of summary.

Btw when you meet him he doesn't seem like he could have done any of this stuff and that's why am so worried. And I spent 9 yrs covering it up rather than documenting evidence...

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MiscellaneousAssortment · 18/02/2015 21:42

I filled it out a bit more and think the end is in sight on it, thank God!

I am most triggered with the way he behaved when Ds was born, and every bit of awfulness and risk to DS is awful and I am still so incredibly guilty and to blame.

I didn't know I still felt like that and it's awful to see all the stuff written down and see how much happened.

Why didn't I just make it stop long before??? It was supposed to be the reasons why H was bad but it reads like a litany of missed chances for me to stop the abuse. It's awful :(

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Lemonylemon · 19/02/2015 09:54

"Why didn't I just make it stop long before??? "

You were very vulnerable, that's why.... Try being a bit kinder to yourself and cut yourself some slack {hug}

MiscellaneousAssortment · 19/02/2015 11:51

I wasn't expecting to feel like that. I thought I'd made my peace with it.

Turns out I'm struggling to send it to the solicitor as it feels to damning about me. I'm worried she'll judge me before even meeting me. Maybe even not want to represent me - like in the criminal justice system, where they can refuse if you've told them you are guilty...

I think Rationally I'm being stupid, but I'm not entirely sure.

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