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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

Finally told my physically/emotionally abusive H I am divorcing him...

999 replies

Namechanger2015 · 17/05/2015 21:01

I have been posting about my H since Jan. He assaulted me in Dec in front of my DC. I left in late Jan with my DC and we moved in with my parents 1.5h away, close to my family.

Since then he has offered to sell the family home so we can live together close to my parents, and enrol in an abusers course, and has generally seen the error of his ways. Except of course, he hasn't.

He has decided that he likes the house too much to sell it, and is currently enjoying living alone in the 4-bed detached house that I paid towards with my salary, which he would not allow me access to.

He has decided that the abusers course is 'a load of bollocks' and so refuses to do it. I pinned all of my hopes on this course fixing him, and he won't even try. He knows the alternative is divorce and living away from me and his 3 beautiful DC but it seems that is not enough for him. He will not do the course and he will not sell the family house to buy another.

My immediate family know what he has been like over the years and don't ever want to see him again. Some of my extended family know and are 100% behind me as well.

Last week I told him the solicitor will be in touch to start proceedings and end our marriage. It went like this:

(bland conversation about him wanting to attend a family event with me Hmm)
Me: I have spoken to solicitor and they will be in touch
Him: To do what?
Me: To end the marriage
Him: There is no end with children involved
Me: Yes. You can see the children anytime you want to.
Him: And you will hide away? We will always see each other. For the rest of our lives. There is no end.

(2 hours later)
Him: Can you let me know the kids half term dates, I'd like to have them stay for a few days if that's ok.
Me: Yes, thats fine.
etc.

So that was it. I told him I want a divorce, and he mustered up 4 sentences in a text. Nothing else. No promising to do the course, even if he did think it was crap, and no promising to sell the house to buy a place together, simply because he loves that house too much to give up.

So my marriage is over, once the exceedingly slow SHL finally serves the papers. And he didn't even fight, get angry, nothing. Just took it in his stride.

It's further proof that he never loved me, but I can't help feeling angry, sad, robbed. I could have had a life with someone else. As it stands, I have 3 young DC and no partner, and just me.

Trying not to feel to sad or worthless. I have had an amazing weekend with family at a wedding, the DC and I loved it, and my extended family are simply amazing. I could have lived in the wedding hotel with them all for ever, we have so much love between us all.

But I don't have a spouse. After 9 years of marriage. I did it all alone, nobody to chitter about what the food was like, or that I liked the brides dress, or whether the DC enjoyed it. I know the whole experience would have been different with him there, and probably not in a good way. But it was lonely, and a bit of a wake-up call.

I'm not even worth selling a house or attending a crappy course for. He would rather let me go than do that for me, after 9 years and 3 children.

I am actually shocked, surprised and hurt at how little I meant to him by the end of our marriage.

OP posts:
Lweji · 19/06/2015 14:52

It might be worth saying you have no plans for Saturday just to see if he does go that weekend.

Regarding your DD's birthday, I wouldn't celebrate it before, only after (and DS's party is always the weekend after his birthday), so it sounds good to me that he will be seeing them the following weekend.

Lweji · 19/06/2015 14:54

BTW, namechanger2015, you may have not noticed, but your original post was under Namechanger2015.

It just messes with our highlights and pps won't notice easily which are your posts.

RandomMess · 19/06/2015 17:02

He was probably asking if you have plans so if not YOU could run the dds to him for the weekend because like you said he can't be arsed to do it himself.

Namechanger2015 · 19/06/2015 17:25

Regarding your DD's birthday, I wouldn't celebrate it before, only after (and DS's party is always the weekend after his birthday), so it sounds good to me that he will be seeing them the following weekend.

Hopefully it is a good thing, I do sometimes wonder if I am being too harsh on him and always assuming the worst.

He was probably asking if you have plans so if not YOU could run the dds to him for the weekend because like you said he can't be arsed to do it himself.

I don't think he expected me to go there again this weekend, but I really don't like his implicit assumption that the DDs and I come together. He doesn't make the effort to see them unless I am also going to be free, as I can then join them or he can talk me round somehow.

Either way, he doesn't plan ahead and never has done. It's always last minute decisions which leave me able to commit to other things, or constantly cancelling on people. I have discussed this with him, he knows he is at fault here, but can't seem to stop being so short-sighted about things.

Anyway, just got back from DDs Father's Day event at school, was lots of fun, lots of mums/dads/grandparents there and we have had lots of fun. Smile

OP posts:
Namechanger2015 · 19/06/2015 17:26

BTW, namechanger2015, you may have not noticed, but your original post was under Namechanger2015.

Thanks - didn't realise it's case-sensitive!

OP posts:
Namechanger2015 · 19/06/2015 21:11

Regarding your DD's birthday, I wouldn't celebrate it before, only after (and DS's party is always the weekend after his birthday), so it sounds good to me that he will be seeing them the following weekend.

Lweji you have thrown me a little bit with this. Do you think I am being too harsh on him or unfair? To me he is just not trying hard enough, as he is not even attempting to see them every weekend, and DD asking and him refusing (albeit gently) is just not good enough within the first 6 months of our split, the time in which I thought he would be trying his utmost to be good and get us back together.

I know it's far, and he saw them last weekend, but it seems to me that it is nice and easy and relaxing to stay at home, no children or wife in the way, and to do as he pleases every day. I feel like he should be taking any and every avenue to fix the situation but he is not doing it.

I'm finding it harder to live with parents and brother, all of whom are lovely, in their house. We need to be housed and settled and he just does not seem bothered by this or facilitating it at all. It's been a month since he was served with divorce papers which he still has not acknowledged or discussed. Instead he is settling down nicely into the house and not budging. In the meantime we are sleeping in my old bedroom, with two single beds, a cot and not enough room to swing a cat. I am constantly rearranging cupboards and clothes in order to fit in mine and 3 DDs clothes, plus their books/toys/school stuff, everything really. My parents are back from holiday on Sunday and I am dreading it, the house will be very full again and feels quite constrained.

Now he has sent back another bag of stuff when I last went up, I have taken one bag-full to the charity shop and my brother is storing loads of stuff in his loft for me thank god.

I do worry that I am exaggerating things or twisting things in my favour, but I just expected more of him I guess.

OP posts:
Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 10:30

6-min phone call from H on Father's Day. Progress.

OP posts:
Lweji · 22/06/2015 11:17

Oh, I do think he is not trying hard enough. Just not the detail about the birthday.

I have been there and it's easy to start picking up on everything, but not everything they do is bad.

6 min phone call btw is pathetic, but expected.

Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 12:22

I have been there and it's easy to start picking up on everything, but not everything they do is bad.

Yes. I guess I need everything to be bad to justify me leaving him.

OP posts:
Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 12:27

I guess the birthday thing annoys me because they specifically asked to see him this weekend, for Father's Day, and so he could have celebrated both together.

I know he was free this weekend, but chose not to come as he had seen them last weekend. It doesn't tally with him saying he it would destroy him to be apart from them, and begging me to move back to old city because of his need to see the DC. It's not true if he cba to see them two weekends in a row.

It's a reminder of his ongoing laziness and his self-centred behaviour I guess. DDs would have loved fathers day with their dad.

OP posts:
Lweji · 22/06/2015 15:35

Of course these men are hypocrites. They like to play the victims, but they won't put the effort in.

ExH is the same.

DS didn't get a message or phonecall on his birthday from his dad. The previous year I had messaged him to ask him if he wasn't going to talk to his son.
I try not to point it out to DS, as it would probably hurt him.
He hadn't bothered to see DS in person in two years. And the recent visit was probably because the court was asking about it all following his appeal (mostly to do with what he was supposed to be paying in maintenance).

Vivacia · 22/06/2015 15:47

Yes. I guess I need everything to be bad to justify me leaving him.

You can accept the good, reasonable parts of him whilst still being absolutely vindicated in leaving the relationship because it was dangerous and harmful to you and your daughters because of his behaviour.

It doesn't tally with him saying he it would destroy him to be apart from them, and begging me to move back to old city because of his need to see the DC.

But you know those aren't the reasons he wanted you to go back. You know he was lying.

Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 15:50

He doesn't seem to get that if he doesn't put the effort in his relationship with them will fizzle out over time. He still makes them for granted as being there.

DD2 is 6 tomorrow, she was counting who is coming to her birthday party and already discounted dad. She said she will add him back in if he comes. Little things like that will soon begin to create a difference.

If it was me I would be taking the day off or sorting out a home nearer the DDs. The claim of being destroyed only works when he wants it to. As soon as its inconvenient the effort is over.

OP posts:
Lweji · 22/06/2015 16:02

But he is not your responsibility.
And, yes, you (we) would do things very differently, but that is why they lost their families.

Vivacia · 22/06/2015 16:07

As soon as its inconvenient the effort is over.

He was just saying all of those things to manipulate you. To control you. He knew just what to say to get you back in line. Only you saw through it then, as you're seeing through his nonsense now.

His relationship with them is his responsibility. Just continue to show them how your love for them is unconditional.

Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 16:16

It's ridiculous. He even asked me what the plans were for DDs birthday, he was intending to come along if I had organised a party. But since I hadn't, he didn't. It's like dragging a 4th child along to things.

That he is not contributing financially is beginning to grate as well, although it is a clear sign to me of the man he is. I will let it be for now, but I am hoping the law will take a dim view of this.

I cried at my counsellors appointment today because I still feel like this is all my fault and feel very guilty for the way I am disrupting my DDs lives. I did instigate the split, so I can't deny my responsibility in this all but I just want this interim phase to be over.

I want us all be to fully settled, to be able to look ahead to our futures now, but even now it's not happening, because of his inertia.

OP posts:
Lweji · 22/06/2015 16:24

You are protecting the children.

By your actions they can see what a good parent is vs a parent in name alone.
You are protecting them from witnessing abuse.

Jux · 22/06/2015 17:32

NC, you can't continue to live your life according to what he might want. Organise things for yourself. Tell him the children are available for him every other weekend starting whichever w/e suits you, and then organise your life. Do not cancel thing because he wants you around, do not rearrange things with no notice because he's suddenly decided so ething, but most important of all do not go out with them.

Drop them off half way for him, and then go and do other things until it's time to pick them up. Half way.

Vivacia · 22/06/2015 17:45

His assaulting you disrupted their lives. Your actions have been ones of protection and nurturing. You do see the difference? Flowers

Do you need to wait for the divorce to sort out maintenance?

Is your SHL shit hot enough?

Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 19:06

Am hoping shl is hot enough. I'm not inspired at the moment as I have had to do a lot of chasing. But he has experience and good testimonials and works for some high-up places in the city. I'm hoping once the finances come into play he will do better.

OP posts:
Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 19:09

Jux I have started organising things for this reason - I can't rely on him at all. But equally I don't want the girls to miss out when he is actually free to see them. We have a fairly regular pattern of once every three weekends at the moment, I don't know how long he will sustain this but it seems to work for now.

Every time I speak to him or hear from him I just want to get back together which is ridiculous. I'm craving my old life back more than I am craving him. I'm trying and sometimes succeeding in being strong. Just not today. I'm tired and I want out.

OP posts:
Namechanger2015 · 22/06/2015 19:12

I know on paper I do the right things by DDs. But nothing replaces having a dad around. They seem to be adjusting well without him, I'm the one who is worrying excessively and feel totally out of control in this situation.

He anchored me down, in a good way or bad my marriage and my partner defined my life. I'm floating about a bit lost at the moment.

OP posts:
Sadit · 22/06/2015 19:51

Hi NC just de lurking to say your doing so so well. Your DCs are lucky to have you. X

wannabestressfree · 22/06/2015 20:18

I think you are doing really well too but in all fairness I would sort the maintenance by contacting the service and look for a rental.
It will signal uou are moving on- all the time you are wedged in a room you are sending a signal as if it's temporary. I know you said about rent but needs must. I rent and they have a nice house. It's what I had to do. When your finances are settled you can think about buying.

Vivacia · 22/06/2015 20:44

But nothing replaces having a dad around. They are far, far better off without a dad around than a dad like him.

I'm floating about a bit lost at the moment. I think that this is ok. I also think it's ok to have days when you're tired and just want a break from it all and a few hours of normality. I agree with wannabe - time to make a move from emergency living arrangements to short term living arrangements.

(Btw did you read coco's thread just started this evening?).

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