Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

This is getting harder and I don't know what to do

120 replies

TrafficJunkie · 15/02/2016 07:28

I posted a while back about my partner and our relationship. Things hadn't neen going well, and I hadn't felt right for a long time. Upon posting on here, and with some red flags put up by my psychologist, I realised very quickly he is an emotional abuser.
For a bit of background, I will add some details....
He coerced me into an abortion 2 years ago
He sinks into depressive states where everyone else is blamed for it, and he spends days locked in the bedroom
He was a heavy weed user
He was unpleasant to my children, and imposed his rules on things, despite them not being his kids
He made me feel like I wouldn't be able to cope without him
He talked so badly about my family that. He almost convinced me they were scum and not to be trusted
He doesn't understand my autistic son, and calls our relationship weird
If I'm unhappy one day, or got pmt he follows me around, probing my every thought until I explode
He always seems to be able to make me look like the unreasonable one

And more. He did some things to my kids that should not have happened. He used to make them pick up lentils from the floor if they were too noisy in the morning. He used to empty one sons bedroom of all his belongings if ever his tantrum escalated. He rants at them sometimes, and can be a little rough sometimes if they aren't going where he asked them to.
A few weeks ago he proudly informed me that he had loosened the stair Gate (there for my dog, my kids are all over 5) to stop the kids from jumping over it (they lean on it with two hands and then swing through sometimes) and when I asked how that will stop them, he said "well, it will fall over when they lean on it" and three times I tightened it again, he kept loosening it, before he gave up.

I had a whole plan. I've been saving money, with a view to kicking him out.
It has not been easy.
He senses my moods well despite having no real emotion of his own, and has not left me alone.
I've actually told him 4 times its over.
First two times he just put it down to pmt.
That was over a month ago.
Third time, he took me seriously, ish, and started trying to sort out where he would go. But he's a clever man, and convinced me to let him stay. Made such great promises, of changing and admitting his faults and promising to get a job, and being nicer to the kids.
I foolishly agreed.
The fourth time, i told him, and i made some practical steps towards making him see it is real. I wrote a letter for us both to sign to our landlord. I wrote a list of any joint things needing to be sorted out. I even put a bunch of his stuff into a box for him to start packing. This time he accused me of sleeping with a man we both know.
Trouble was, his Mother was coming to stay. And, my period was late which he knew.
He tried everything. But i stood strong. I was quite proud. But then he fired back. Tried the suicide card. First, it was hints. Rifling through the medicine cupboard, and being cagey about what he was looking for. Then, directly telling me that he felt that way. I knew he had been sectioned before we met for this reason so I was wary and worried. He held me and said in my ear "dont worry, when i do it, I'll make sure you dont have to see it" which im sure was a reference to my trauma as a teenger, finding my friend hanged on my way to school. He knows I had PTSD from this which has only just been resolved.

But I caved. His Mother was coming, he made these threats.... I GAVE HIM A WEEK. I said when his mother has gone, he has to go too.
But the late period was hanging over my head. I did a test. It was positive.
Because of the abortion 2 years ago, I was scared but happy and not even considering telling him. But he found the test, and asked why I didn't tell him.
Then he worked his magic again. Again, I went from wary woman into head over heels lovesick puppy. He said all the right things. He was so happy about it.
A day later, and I've started my period. I don't even want to think whether it is miscarriage or not, it obviously is, but I'm trying not to think about that part.
And last night, he made my autistic son cry in front of his mum and the rest of us. I left the room because I was annoyed by it, he claims i was being weird. Im so confused again i dont know if i was? He has been struggling to cope with an extra person in the house these past two days. It has thrown off routines and he doesnt know how to cope. My partner is also quite insistent that he stays around everyone, when he would prefer periods of solitude. I found him in his room before dinner, which was really late (italians always eat late, something else he can't cope with) and he was a little upset. We talked and I managed to make him feel ok about coming to dinner. Nobody knew he was upset, and tbh I didn't think to tell anyone as all he had to do was eat dinner and then he could go to bed. He told off one of his brothers st the dinner table, a little bit taking out his mood on him I guess, but it was minor and I let it go: however my partner didnt. He told him to leave his brother alone and to take off his hood. This instantly brought my autistic son to tears and he left the table. I tried talking calmly to my partner about being more sensitive to my DS because he's feeling bad, and all he could say was thst he didn't do anything wrong. What he doesn't get, is that whilst he sounds polite and calm, there is something in his tone and facial expression that is upsetting. We argued about it, and I ended up practically putting my head down and he made me apologise to his mother for creating tension and leaving the table.

The part that is stark, is that my head was in the clouds again and I've been brought back down to earth.

What do i do?? Is it fair to change my mind again? Am i now being awful because i keep telling him to go and then changing my mind?

I just want him to go.... But he always convinces me :(

OP posts:
DoreenLethal · 15/02/2016 08:30

Right now for example, they are all downstairs having fun.

I'm sure they will have more fun NOT picking up lentils off the floor or being hurt by swinging on a gate.

ConkersDontScareSpiders · 15/02/2016 08:30

Yes but that what's abusers do isn't it? control you to the point that you Have no confidence in your own decisions, and no strength to say enough is enough.
You seem to be waking up to the fact that this his what he has done and is continuing to try and do. Don't continue to fall for it.

NickiFury · 15/02/2016 08:30

Tell him to get out and so what if he kills himself? No loss there.

I agree with AF. Your posts are making me really angry actually, he's not terrorising you that you feel too scared and helpless to do anything about the fact that he's abusing your kids, he sweet talks you round and you fall back in love with him again. After everything he's done to your children? WTF? I have autistic children if anyone treated them like you have described, they'd be leaving the house on the end of my foot. You may think oh that's easier said than done, well I have done it. He wasn't even being directly mean to my kids (he is their Dad) in fact he loved them very much but his cruelty to me was damaging and hurting them and affecting how they would grow up so off he went.

NickiFury · 15/02/2016 08:34

If you get outside agencies involved they will help you get him out. He won't have a choice in signing letters then. You can get him off the tenancy for illegal behaviour, abuse is illegal, even emotional and verbal abuse.

wannabestressfree · 15/02/2016 08:35

Sorry I agree with af and coopie. Your son is autistic and you are not stopping his abuse. In fact you are complicit as you are standing by- what if you forget to tighten up the stair gate.
He leaves and that's it.
Men like him never commit suicide. My dad was one. Still alive and kicking now after many 'attempts'.

VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon · 15/02/2016 08:37

Every single day that you keep this man in their lives, even the nice fun days, you are choosing him over them. Don't kid yourself that you are putting them before him. You really are not.

AnyFucker · 15/02/2016 08:39

No, love.

You are choosing him by keeping him in your children's life.

The nice/nasty cycles damages kids. It turns them into appeasers who will put up with any amount of bad treatment just for the odd crumb of kindness. Or it turns them into abusers themselves as they absorb the lessons they are seeing like the little sponges they are.

You are doing them wrong.

TrafficJunkie · 15/02/2016 08:41

I just told him to leave when his mother leaves.

All your posts scared me, and quite frankly you are all right.
I have been selfish.
If i cant get his cooperation with signing etc then i will use outside force...
That gives him a week to sort stuff out and me a week to organise tenancy stuff and get my backup in place.

Fwiw... Whether anyone believes me, i have fought for my childrens happiness and i have tried my best in my circumstances.

My mental health was bad for a long time, and he found me when i was broken down and a shell of a person.
Thats how he got his grip.

I am ashamed that I have let this continue.

OP posts:
CooPie10 · 15/02/2016 08:44

Well done for listening to the advice on here and taking actions. Please make sure you stick to it. Now you are doing something right by your children. Use whatever help you need to get rid off him. Your babies need you to step up and protect them. You have your mum's emotional support, use it.

QuiteLikely5 · 15/02/2016 08:44

Your post is very disturbing. You are very vulnerable and uncertain of your actions. Because you gut tells you one thing but he tells you another.

You can choose who comes into your children's life, they have no say, they dearly rely on us as their parents to ensure that people we surround them with will be good and healthy for them.

Your children are suffering and witnessing emotional abuse-so are you.

Can you help your children? Are you capable of protecting them?

Please call your housing officer, procedures are in place for your situation.

Risking pregnancy with this idiot? Absolutely stupid and shows where your head is at............

Flowers seek help asap

QuiteLikely5 · 15/02/2016 08:45

We all make mistakes, you are stronger now so make it right

AnyFucker · 15/02/2016 08:46

We understand how it happened, love. Many of us have been there or have experience in some way of how these broken people get a hold of us at our lowest. You were targeted, I reckon. But now you understand it you have run out of justifications for tolerating it.

ConkersDontScareSpiders · 15/02/2016 08:48

Good.and what did he say to that? Not that it really matters what he says-you need to ignore all of it really unless it's in the line of making sure he actually leaves.

AnyFucker · 15/02/2016 08:51

Indeed. The time for talking is over. Too much discussion has gone on in the past and it allowed him to mess with your mind.

Do not discuss anything further. Tell him to go and you do not have to justify a thing. Get outside agencies to help.

bb888 · 15/02/2016 09:03

You will feel stronger when he has gone - he is making you weaker by the way he treats you.

notapizzaeater · 15/02/2016 09:03

Actions speak louder than words. I'd tell his mum he's leaving at the end of the week so it's out there.

QuiteLikely5 · 15/02/2016 09:10

What you need to understand is that he can't change either. Abusers don't change because their behaviour is etched into them so deeply due to witnessing or being subjected to abuse when they were a child - developing their own characteristics.

Don't feel sorry for this man, he is cruel to your children.

Please ring your HO asap

I don't believe this man will leave on Friday. Do not worry about his suicide threats.

When someone actually does this they rarely give a warning.

You are not responsible for this mans life.

If he threatens suicide tell him you have no option to call the police so that his MH can be assessed.

And do it.

QuiteLikely5 · 15/02/2016 09:13

His threat in itself is abuse - designed to control your actions towards him, eg if I say this she won't do that

Yes it's ok they're having fun, abusers are nice some of the time but usually only when they sense you are fed up which is what's happening right now

Remember it's mr nice : mr nasty

But mr nasty will always be waiting in the wings ready to unleash his abuse

TrafficJunkie · 15/02/2016 09:17

Well he agreed. At first he said he needed more time. Then when i said if he took longer than a day after Monday then I will tell my HO about his abuse.
He tried to say im the abuser.
That no matter what he did i should have never reacted and he can make sure anyone believes he is innocent.
Scary fucking shit

He refuses to sign the letter until he "is sure" his friends can help him out.

OP posts:
Fishface77 · 15/02/2016 09:18

I agree with AF.
I feel sorry for your kids and wonder what will happen so you "back down" and let him stay.

TrafficJunkie · 15/02/2016 09:19

He wants to do normal things with the kids and his mum and me... Like going to the patk today and stuff throughout the rest of the week.

OP posts:
Fishface77 · 15/02/2016 09:19

So tell your HO anyway.
It doesn't seem like you've got anything to lose.

Fishface77 · 15/02/2016 09:19

So tell him no.

TrafficJunkie · 15/02/2016 09:21

I am still going to tell her.

Ive told him i dont want to, what can i say to the kids? They'll want to know why we can't go with them etc....

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 15/02/2016 09:21

Stop talking to him. He is going to fuck up your resolve again. What he says is white noise to you.

Follow through with your plan, do not be deviated by it.

Swipe left for the next trending thread