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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:
AnyFucker · 30/03/2016 21:42

Yep, it is Harriet. Her choice. Not sure why the name calling though.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 21:43

Dirty remind me which needs of the OP are met with having sex when she doesn't want to?

And then it will be all her responsibility for whatever happens afterwards.

Sound pretty close to the arguments used by rape apologists to me that.

ouryve · 30/03/2016 21:44

He's meant to love her, too, Headless. A bit of respect goes a long way.

OP's long gone, anyhow and I don't blame her.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 21:45

Headless if your DH/Dpartner does less than this guy, I really feel for you. You must be in a terrible relationship :(

Tatiana11235 · 30/03/2016 21:47

Harriet

You've clearly been fortunate enough to not have had sex against your will. You can only keep it up for so long and then you start dreading going to bed or feel petrified every time you're touched.

I know we all speak from our own experiences and can only see everything from our own point of view. There's room though for alternative perceptions.

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 21:51

Naicehamshop I have read and re-read (just now)the original post and the 200+ posts since. Her original post describes a bloke who is severely frustrated and is trying always to get her to have sex with him. People are making him out to be a rapist in some of the posts. The lady herself said he is a good man (a later post) and that he treats her well and helps her with the jobs in the house. After 4 weeks which it will be now, he will be hoping that each night will be the night now. You can't blame him at all. I don't see bullying, pestering etc I see a desperate man saying a few harsh words to get his wife to understand how he feels

DirtyHarrietOnABike · 30/03/2016 22:01

These needs, to quote the OP:

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

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 22:02

Idealweather I have a fantastic relationship with my chap. Have done for many years even after 4 wonderful all consuming kids. He works long days and doesn't get the sleep he should do. I know he helps as much as he can. I work half the hours he does, so I don't mind doing more jobs in the house at all. We are a partnership and I look out for him. I feel sorry for this woman to be in this predicament. I clearly don't have any idea what she and her husband are going through.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 22:05

My Dh is a good man, see I'm still married with him 15 years after said period of 'lack of sex'. He is great with the dcs, does most of the HW, looks after me, works hard etc etc

When he was pressuring me into having sex, sorry being so frustrated with sex, I felt I had to give in and have sex. (because I listen to people like you btw)
So I did.
And then quickly, I was going to bed but was sleeping on the hedge of the matress so that we wouldn't touch.
I use to sleep in the nude but started to wear pj so that having sex/being touched wouldn't be that easy.
I had sex but was sore because well... there was no lubrication because there was no arrousal.
I was weary of any word, touch look that couold potentially lead him to think we would have sex.
Shall I carry on?

So yes this guy is frutrated. So he is. Does it mean he is allowed t ask her to have sex with him even though she doesn't want to? Does it mean it's OK for her to potentially end up in the situation I was in?
What is the other alternative exactely?

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 22:05

Naicehamshop it's now up to 434 posts and I can say I've read all of them

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 22:06

Nope you have no idea what telling a woman to have sex with her DH despite the fact she doesn't want can do to her.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 22:09

Harriet so the 'only' thing she has to do is to have sex with him so he is a happy chap.

And the fact she doesn't want to do that with him doesn't matter, only his happiness does, is that right?

Or is the idea that, if he is happy, then automatically she will be happy and none, but absolutely none of the things I, and other women, have experienced, will ever happened to the OP.

I'm really wondering what the heck I have done wrong then. Confused

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 22:15

Really sorry to hear that idealweather. Why did you stay with him? The description you gave about your husband is how I would describe my dad.
My grandparents stayed together for the sake of my mother and she was used as a pawn in a game of cat and mouse all her life. My gran regretted her marriage at the end of her life and made me promise to leave if things were ever not right.

IdealWeather · 30/03/2016 22:23

Because as I said before on this thread he IS a nice guy.

But that's what happens when you force yourself to have sex with someone and you don't want to.

And that's why I'm incense to hear all these comments about him being frutsrated and it's normal and really if she was giving in, all would be rosy.

No, you have no way at all to know if it will be rozy.
Not for the Op, not any of the other women who are ready this thread, aren't posting but are in a similar situation.

TotalTerf · 30/03/2016 22:26

naice she admitted in her OP she sabotages the romantic things he does because she's already decided she doesn't want to have sex with him - that must be soul-destroying for them both. He's not bullying her, he's desperate! And although saying things like "should I have an affair" is counter-productive, he does have a point - she doesn't want him, but she doesn't want anyone else to have him either! And she won't even go to therapy, which is the only chance to fix things. Sorry but it looks like she's being selfish and just expects him to suck it up. That's not going to work.

HelenaDove · 30/03/2016 22:35

Ah yes here we go with the he "helps out" around the house. Because none of it is his mess is it? And the phrase "helps out" carries the implication that its the other persons job. So you are basically saying that it is womens work. And that the OP and women in general should be grateful that an ABLE BODIED man deems to lower himself enough to "help out"

its also fucking shameful that able bodied men behave like this and have this attitude.

My DH is disabled and cant do certain things. Not through choice or laziness like some but because he cant do them. But he does things that hes able to do.

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 22:38

Idealweather I have no idea of what it's like to have to force yourself to have sex. I love my chap dearly and sex for us is both wanted and fun.
I wish the lady good luck in sorting out her issues with her husband.

AnyFucker · 30/03/2016 23:22

If you have "no idea" about how this op could possibly feel, you have no businrss commenting on this thread

This is a support website. Put yourself in hrr shoes, and if you can't then don't say anything at all.

You go back to your wonderful chap and be thankful you have never been faced with having sex you don't want.

HeadlessChicken4 · 30/03/2016 23:40

I guess I will. This was my first time on MN and the last. I thought she wanted opinions from lots of people regarding her situation. Not just a confirmation that 'yes you are doing the right thing' from her one sided version. I'm sorry but I always try and see things from both sides. And I don't just slag men off for the hell of it.

AnyFucker · 30/03/2016 23:44

First and last time here and you tell us we are doing it all wrong ?

Off you pop then, dear.

scallopsrgreat · 30/03/2016 23:51

Why are people so invested in getting a woman who doesn't want sex with her husband to have sex with her husband, I wonder?

Why don't they want to stop him bullying, abusing and coercing her?

Very strange and particularly unempathetic.

AyeAmarok · 30/03/2016 23:56

This was my first time on MN and the last.

Pheeee-ewwwww. Thank fuck for that.

HelenaDove · 31/03/2016 00:00

Yeah we are missing you already Hmm

TotalTerf · 31/03/2016 00:01

scallops because she came here looking for advice! And it's clear that their lack of sex is a big problem in their relationship, like it would be in most relationships. No-one's telling her to "lie back and think of England", they're saying, this is a problem, there's fault on both sides, you need professional help. What's wrong with that?

HelenaDove · 31/03/2016 00:36

Its been a FEW SHORT WEEKS. Not even months.