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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

Not sure who is the twat, but I think it's over.

62 replies

MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 18:44

I've read this board, a lot.

So I know you will all either be able to give me the kick up the arse I need or tell me I'm in the wrong. I don't even know where to start on this. Sorry if it's a ramble.

I think DH and I are about to split. We haven't spoken in two days.

This latest argument is over our daughter who is 2. She is also under the portage team and speech and language for suspected autism. She has croup, and has been quite unwell for a few days. I haven't been too well myself, I have caught some kind of bug and am having a rough pregnancy.

We were all upstairs in the bedroom, dd had gone suddenly very hyper (I found out later that actually the medicine I had just given her has a tendency to make some children hyper). She started hitting me in the face. I told her firmly no, but she carried on. She then hit my arm (I'd had the flu jab earlier, it killed like a bitch) I lost my temper, ended up tapping her hand very gently and saying no again (she found it funny) and asked DH to help me out, I knew I wasn't in the right frame of mind to calmly handle her and i was feeling terrible for tapping her hand, though it didn't hurt her, she just laughed.

DH then started ranting about how I'd made a rod for my own back, it was my fault for spoiling her, now he'd try it his way.

He picked her up and slammed her down on the bed. Twice. She just thought he was playing but I could see her was actually trying to hurt/scare her.

I was fucking furious. Grabbed dd and said what the hell did he think he was doing! The doctor at the hospital (she'd had to have steroids the day before) said to try not to let her get upset or cry, it could make her breathing worse.

He laughed. In my face.

I called him a cunt ( yes terrible I know) and took dd downstairs. That was the last time we spoke. We have just been passing by in the house ignoring one another.

The problem I have is this, there have been many problems in our relationship before. But he always says I cause them, I think we both cause them. He says I gaslight him, that I always twist his words. If you were to ask him what happened that night it would sound completely different. It always does.

A really big problem for us has been drink. A few months ago I got so desperate I gave him an ultimatum (I know, I know you shouldn't do it. I just didn't know what else to do!). That it was the drink or us.

He stopped drinking, but I've felt the resentment just building up so much. There are literally waves of it coming off him. I knew the ultimatum was a mistake but I just couldn't go back to living how I did before.

Some of you may remember me from a few months back. Mine was the DH that got drunk and verbally very abusive pretty much every weekend. He accused me of giving his sisters bf a bj in a toilet Christmas Day when I was six months pregnant. He got completely wasted and ranted at me, refusing to help carry dd upstairs two days after my csection. He called me a slut and a slag after finding beer cans (his) in the bedroom.

But again I don't know who is in the right. He says I'm lazy, which is kind of true. He does the washing. I do the cooking and pretty much all the looking after of dd. but I'm not overly stressed or in a rush to pick up toys etc. He isn't exactly tidy at all.

He is always sick when I am. I had postnatal depression, he said he had it too. But if I say anything he says it's the opposite, that it's me who pretends.

I just don't know my arse from my elbow anymore. Either I'm the biggest bitch on the planet and if only I'd stop everything would be ok or we are both twats who just shouldn't be together.

I'm sorry. This isn't very articulate is it. I'm just feeling quite emotional.

I really thought everything would be ok after he stopped drinking.

I've been trying, I swear to God I have. To be extra nice, to try to spend time talking to him. I might get a brief conversation if I'm lucky before he disappears on a computer/play station.

But every time I do try to talk to him he gets a dig in or will say something horrible. When I tell him he's upset he tells me it was just a joke tole he was being sarcastic and I just don't 'get' his humour.

And then we just end up back at the beginning because I think why the hell should I keep trying this?! There is no intimacy left, by that I mean we don't hold hands, cuddle on the sofa, kiss etc. except very rarely when I try to instigate it. I stopped doing that because he would want to move the second I tried to cuddle him.

It's fucked isn't it? We used to be best friends before we got together. I just don't understand what happened.

So am I a just a stupid arse or a stupid arse who's in the wrong?

OP posts:
DixieNormas · 22/10/2015 19:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 19:35

No Kits.

I want my dd to be able to have friends, and fun and be her bubbly self.

If she ended up with someone who stomped that out of her I'd be chasing him with a rolling pin.

OP posts:
LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 22/10/2015 19:35

I think you need to get out of there. Maybe take a little time to work out a plan, but definitely get out.

You definitely don't sound like a simpering idiot.

ThisOldFool · 22/10/2015 19:36

No you're not a simpering idiot and might even be in a quite dangerous situation. Your partner has lost his anger control function - no-one should treat a babe or a pregnant pertner like he does. You say you have a supportive family, take some time out and go and stay with them for a few days. Then find a reliable and experienced counsellor because you BOTH need to talk about the underlying issues of your relationship. RELATE are usually reliable. Then ask him to join you in counselling. The alternative, I'm afraid, is to separate.

petalsandstars · 22/10/2015 19:37

I started reading your OP and thought this is bad, then with every sentence it just gets worse and worse. He is an abusive alcoholic who has escalated from emotional including gas-lighting and projecting himself and his actions and thoughts onto you to physical abuse of your daughter.

You need to leave. Get yourself and your child(ren) away from him and you will be so much better. You have a supportive family that he has tried to isolate you from - tell them and get them behind you Flowers

WhoseBadgerIsThis · 22/10/2015 19:38

Time to get your mental rolling pin and chase this arse out of your life - you can do it, you're seeing him for what he is now, and know that it's not you with the issue, it's him. Good on you!!

MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 19:38

Dixie despite me trying to explain autism many times he just thinks dd's problems are because she's spoilt.

She's very sensory and can lash out when she is overloaded. She just needs reassurance and space but apparently I'm too soft.

OP posts:
FantasticButtocks · 22/10/2015 19:40

I'd resolve not to care what he's got to say about whether you're overreacting.

He sounds absolutely vile. After seeing what he did to dd no conversation or explanations are necessary. There is nothing to justify his behaviour and he knows that, which is why he will want to turn the attention to your behaviour. But you know what's right. Don't let him persuade you otherwise. So don't listen to what he says. Don't engage with him, just tell him your decision.

This is enough now.

petalsandstars · 22/10/2015 19:41

relate or any other joint counselling is NOT recommended for abusive relationships. He will twist whatever is said into another stick to beat you with. If you want counselling go alone.

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 22/10/2015 19:41

Oh god. Its not you. It's him.
He sounds exhausting. He is clearly a top of the class graduate of the school of abusive fuckwittery.

Leave him and enjoy your life and your children. You only get one life let him get on with fucking up his and get him out of yours.

MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 19:42

Dd and I are at my mothers right now.

I'm not sure where DH is. He wouldn't cross my mother though!

Thinking things through the only thing that scares me is access. DH was suicidal after an ex left him years ago (stupid me thought that started off why he drank a bit too much)

Would I be in my rights to request supervised access until it was sure he wasn't a) suicidal b) raving lunatic drink every night?

OP posts:
MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 19:44

I used to think that I knew him. I'm fairly sure I don't at all anymore, and I don't trust him not to be spiteful.

OP posts:
MermaidVsSailor · 22/10/2015 19:45

He sounds vile and these things do tend to escalate during pregnancy. Please do yourself and your child(ren) a favour and get out of there. If this kind of relationship wouldn't be good enough for your daughter when she's older, it's NOT good enough for you either. You deserve better than this.

WhoseBadgerIsThis · 22/10/2015 19:46

Requesting supervised access sounds very reasonable to me! I'd be adding "assaulted her" to the list of why he should be supervised when he has access to her though

petalsandstars · 22/10/2015 19:46

Tell your mum. Everything. Think about how you would protect your DD- that's how she will feel about you. If his suicidal whatever was recorded at Dr's etc then there's evidence to help back you up.

QueenPotato · 22/10/2015 19:48

You need to somehow get it registered what he did to DD, his other abusive behaviour and alcoholic tendencies, in order to reduce his chances of unsupervised access. You could start by talking to Women's Aid and they will advise, you might also want to discuss with the police on 101, as well as a lawyer when it comes to that.

I agree with others, it's not you.

lavenderhoney · 22/10/2015 19:49

You're very lucky you have a supportive family. Go and see them, and tell them what's happening.

He has been violent towards your dd. He will get worse towards her because he wants a reaction from her of fear. You might not be around to protect her. You need to document this and take her to the doctor to get it logged. Ask them what to do.

regards him, he's a nightmare. You need to extricate yourself IMO.

MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 19:51

Thank you for your advice.

I need practical things to focus on right now, your right, I need to stop worrying about how crazy he'll make me out to be to any who will listen!

OP posts:
pocketsaviour · 22/10/2015 19:51

Until it goes to court, you can set access terms as you please, however if you are seen to be unreasonable then the court won't look favourably of it, when and if he does request access. (From your description, the only reason it sounds like he'll want access is to piss you off, as he clearly doesn't love your DD - or not as a person. Maybe as a malfunctioning pet.) Document everything, your reasons for stipulating supervised access, etc. Would access at his mum's be an option?

You are definitely not coming across like an idiot. He sounds more abusive with everything you write. I strongly suggest having a read of Lundy Bancroft's Why Does He Do That - it's available on Kindle. Also have a look at the Freedom Programme, if you can't get to a local group you can do it online.

Your boundaries seem very low and your self esteem as well. This could be a hangover from your previous abusive relationship, and of course this arse clown has had years to work on eroding your confidence even further.

Your instincts are there, you DO know what you're doing, you are NOT over-reacting, you are NOT abusive or sociopathic!! Classic abuser technique is to accuse their victim of abusing them. See "The Victim" in the "Types of Abuser" chapter in the Bancroft book.

Keep posting, we will all be here to hold your hand Flowers

pocketsaviour · 22/10/2015 19:54

Sorry, I've just realised how horrible "malfunctioning pet" sounds. What I mean is, men like this can't love other people as people; they love their wives and children, if at all, only on the level of a family pet. Something that is owned by them. And if the partner/child doesn't "behave", i.e. do exactly what he wants, or dares to suggest they have needs of their own, then as far as he's concerned they are badly malfunctioning, how dare they!

My own dad was like this and I've ended up with a couple of men who were similar. Now, thankfully, all so far out of the picture you'd need a telescope to see them :)

Jellytot321 · 22/10/2015 19:57

This is definitely not you, OP. He obviously has very bad anger issues, and you sound like you are going through a lot of mental abuse. The very fact that you felt so guilty and like it was all your fault (whilst I think its really obvious to all of us that its him thats the bastard) is a huge sign that he is manipulating you. This article about emotional abuse sounds exactly like what you have described: link

And now his anger is spilling over to near physical abuse. The fact he meant to hurt your poorly child is appalling. You are in no way in the wrong here. He sounds like a complete twat.

DixieNormas · 22/10/2015 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hedgehogsdontbite · 22/10/2015 20:02

You need to protect your DD from this violent, nasty animal now. Don't wait until he actually hurts her, and he will.

DixieNormas · 22/10/2015 20:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsButtonMoon · 22/10/2015 20:22

My Dad has mellowed a lot but he was a bully when I was younger, I haven't really thought about it recently but there's I used to feel is similar.

Upset, guilty and generally just waiting for things to pass.

I will call the gp tomorrow.

The house is in my name. But I thought things were halved anyway no matter whose name it was in?

OP posts: