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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

Sexually frustrated Husband

988 replies

Brightling · 23/03/2016 20:29

It seems I'm married to one of those men who gets very moody when their intimacy needs aren't being met as often as they would like.

We've been married a significant amount of time. When we first met my sex drive was average and a few years and very young children later it's pretty much dwindled. I'm all touched out by the children. I am very unhappy with my post multiple pregnancies body. I'm tired. All I want is to be able to go to bed and sleep without being propositioned. It's not every night but it happens frequently enough for it to be considered badgering. Actually what I would like also is for the "no I'm not up for it tonight" to be received with "ok let's sleep" rather than him raise his voice tell my I've got a problem, I need to see a therapist, I should stay off those websites (such as MN) and what's he supposed to do about HIS sexual needs as it sounds like he's supposed to have an affair if I'm not interested. He says he can't even cuddle me if I've said no as he finds it too difficult. Whenever I say none turns his back on me and I feel like I'm being punished for saying No.

I get that he is frustrated but I am not prepared to lay back and think of England. Sex is a privilege not a right. It's my body and if I don't want to I don't have to. Even though he says that he doesn't want me to do it for the sake of it I think he's BS'ing me. He tells me he's a nice person, a good partner, a good dad and that other couples are all having sex though he always refers to sex as making love.

When we are having an active sex life he is ridiculously happy and helpful and affectionate.

I can't stand the sulking behaviour when he's frustrated. He is a hands on father and he does pull his weight round the home. It's just the sex pressure pushing me away. It's getting to the point where I don't want to be intimate with him at all as any contact he sees as a green light to progress a cuddle or whatever is then met with a sulk when I say I don't want to continue.

He does make lots of effort making meals but I'm so cynical that All I can think about is that there is an expectancy at the end of the night which puts me on the defensive and then I end up causing an argument simply to avoid the strop that he will pull when I say I don't want to be intimate because it's only when I get cross about it that he will let it drop and quit going on and on and on about it.

I'm know my sex drive isn't what it was but the sulks and date nights are not helping one bit. I dread any meal or date night. I'm not even sure why I'm even posting.

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 30/03/2016 18:10

Ok i will bite. My marriage has been sexless for 20 years. And i do mean no sex at all. DH has never had a high sex drive. I did have an affair 7 years into these 20 years. That was after losing 10 stone which made me feel so much better and confident. Im not proud of it DH found out about it Wasnt happy but understood why it happened and we moved on.

DH had a massive heart attack 10 years ago and has ischemic heart disease and was diagnosed with COPD 2 years ago.

When we met i was 19 and he was 42. Sometimes i do get a bit wistful but most of the time im ok. In the last 2 and a half years ive lost 4 stone which i regained after DH got ill and also due to not having much money to eat healthily. (this is why i get so pissed off on the obesity threads when some posters wont address or acknowledge the link with poverty)

There are some upsides though. My weight loss wasnt hampered by having to take contraception.

Im 43 this year and he is now 66.

HapShawl · 30/03/2016 18:14

Keyboard mum appeared to have thought I said that itllallbefine, not you

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 18:32

What AF and naice said.

You are all reacting as if the op had said no to sex for ever and ever. She hasn't. She says she doesn't want sex NOW.

This is coercion and bullying to get what he wants and then you wonder why she is always taking anything he does nice as a ploy? Maybe experience and what he does and what he says has told her that!!

I really love this idea of putting him up the agenda. And then what? What is she supposed to do?
Have sex, even though she doesn't want to?
Spend time preparing herself and giving herself a little talk to?
What is she supposed to do to be 'in the mood'?

So far I haven't seen any answers to that. Maybe because actually there isn't. It's her body and she doesn't feel like it.
The only I have read so far is that sometimes when you get on about it you actually enjoy it anyway and that she needs to make an effort (to have sex I suppose).

THIS is coercion.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 18:34

Besides I would like to remind you an earlier post of mine when I said what happens when you put your DH up the agenda, make an effort so he isnt grumpy and 'starved off sex'

Do you REALLY wish that to another woman? REALLY?

TotalTerf · 30/03/2016 18:34

Yes of course he's behaved badly but so has she by for example sabotaging their date nights. We can all see their marriage is falling apart and they need help, fast. What's shocking is that PPs upthread were advising her not to go to therapy, which let's face it is the only way they're going to avoid divorce or more misery.

AnyFucker · 30/03/2016 18:45

I will do a little side bite with Helena.

Just for the interests of clarity we have talked about her situation. My advice was for her to leave her relationship with integrity. I don't think anyone should stay in a relationship that isn't working for them for any reason.

She didn't take my advice but it's not compulsory Smile

At no point though would I have supported her using emotional blackmail, bullying tactics and to use her feminine wiles to get her H to do something he clearly didn't want to.

If this op's husband is not happy the most ethical option is to end the relationship clearly and with dignity. At the moment, his behaviour is going to bring the marriage to a sticky end anyway.

The only "compromise" here should not involve the op giving unwanted access to her body. Any man that is happy with that should fuck right off.

dizzytomato · 30/03/2016 18:50

I agree Naicehamshop and I am actually sure that his verbal abuse might be one of the contributing factors to her not wanting to have sex with him.

I also know that we have OP's side of this and not his. Which is why many people have suggested they BOTH go for therapy and don't get too wrapped up in sides.

HelenaDove · 30/03/2016 18:52

YY AF Smile Not once have i ever moaned bullied pressured or tried to coerce DH or sulked , Not once in all that time. Because no one has the right to another persons body or to make someone do something they dont want to.

Totally agree.

Tatiana11235 · 30/03/2016 19:04

If I may I would like to clarify that even when you try to accomodate partner's sexual needs against your true wishes it still might not work. Like it hasn't worked in my case.
I haven't denied him sex and I offered him to have sex with other women if he wants to. It didn't quite cut the mustard.

Naicehamshop · 30/03/2016 19:05

dizzytomato - you think that her DH's verbal abuse might be one of the reasons she doesn't want to have sex??
No shit!!

Naicehamshop · 30/03/2016 19:14

total - you have completely misunderstood the situation and are showing absolutely no empathy.
She didn't "sabotage" their dates nights because she couldn't be arsed to have sex! She has had multiple pregnancies, she still has one child under 1 year old. He has tried to take this exhausted woman and bully her into having sex with him by shouting, badgering, threatening and sulking. Do I even have to say that this is appalling behaviour?
As far as her not wanting sex, this is something that is very hard to control. I had absolutely no sex drive at all for ages after having my first child; we did have sex sometimes because I felt I "ought" to. This very nearly put me off him for life. Sad

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 19:54

What naice said.

His verbal abuse and threats might be putting her off. Right. Now is a news. NOT.

dizzytomato · 30/03/2016 19:57

Naicehamshop you misunderstand. I mean it might not be a new thing. That it is a contributing factor to deeper feelings that have been running for sometime. That her being tired and previously spoken to like crap might have contributed rather than just the fact that she has a baby.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 19:58

Tatiana I agree with that too.

When I did give in to DH hand has sex with him even though I didn't really want to, it was crap for me.
But it was crap for him too.
I remember vividly counting the number of times we had sex each month so that we did it at least once or twice. What DH remembers is that there had been quite few montrhs when we didn't have sex. And he didn't remember because it was crap for him too (And I'm pretty sure it didn't do him any favour either which lead to other issue such as total lack of confidence ion his side re sex....)

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 19:59

I still would oike to know what the OP is suypposed to do to put him at the top oof the agenda though?

Anyone care to answer?

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 20:03

dizzy what about listening to the OP?

I think she made it quite clear that she doesn't want to have sex because
1- she feels touched out all day long ie that's because they've had children close together and still baby one uner 1yo
2- she feels unattracted by someone who is theratening her, insulting her etc... that is her DH behaviour
3- she is feeling exhausted so would prefer to sleep

So yes it might not be a new thing (ie the areshole behaviour) but at least 2 of the 3 pints she made are aboout having a baby in the house.

Which is even more crazy because it means that things will naturally improve as said baby is growing and isn't needed as much attention.

MerdeAlor · 30/03/2016 20:07

Summer you have purposely misunderstood my post.
I meant that you prescribing that another couple should have sex every Wednesday night for 30 minutes was ridiculous. It doesn't solve the problem as it is his treatment of her that is putting her off. Lying back and thinking of England when you don't want to is revolting and terrible for any relationship.

With reference to my relationship, no issues in the bedroom but thanks for your concern. If my DH acted liked OPs husband with pestering and bullying I'd have kicked him to the kerb long ago.

Sex between consenting couples waxes and wanes, that's normal. Real life happens and relationships thrive on going through things together while supporting each other. He is not supporting her, he's accusing her and by doing so is responsible for dividing them.

Too many people are projecting on this thread and too few have really listened to what the OP has said.

Naicehamshop · 30/03/2016 20:12

Good post Merde.

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 20:29

IdealWeather, I just think if she said to herself I'll go to bed a bit earlier tonight, so I'm not so knackered, she may feel up to it. She has to make time for him. Also, she may have post baby body issues, but that's the body her hubby can't keep his hands off, so that should tell her he still fancies the pants off her.

NameChange30 · 30/03/2016 20:38

Merde
"Too many people are projecting on this thread and too few have really listened to what the OP has said."
Yep

Naicehamshop · 30/03/2016 20:41

Headless - you have completely misunderstood everything that is going on here!! The OP is being bullied and pestered, criticised and threatened - it's not about "going to bed a bit earlier"!
Jesus Christ!!! Angry

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 21:02

Bullied my arse. He does more for her than my chap. He's just venting his frustration. We all say things we don't mean sometimes. He's just trying always to get her to have sex with him. It is clearly a big deal to him, but not to her. Which I don't understand. This is a man she is meant to love. I wouldn't dream of treating my chap like that.

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 21:05

Also pestered is not the right term. Initiating and rejection is more like it!
It's her husband for god sake, not a PPI caller!

Naicehamshop · 30/03/2016 21:23

Headless - you obviously haven't read the original post properly so I don't think there is any point in replying to you.

DirtyHarrietOnABike · 30/03/2016 21:29

You are a fool, sorry. Getting his needs met seems to get your needs met. Win-win. It's no rocket science, is it?

If course, you have the right to continue refusing sex and have your marriage ruined. Totally your choice.

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