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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

Arsehole BIL and what to do for the best

233 replies

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 16:15

NC'd for this but am a regular. This is going to be a bit of an essay, so apologies in advance.

Long story short, DH and his DB fell out about 4 years ago. This was DH's (then DP's) fault - they lived together at the time, I'd not long escaped a violent relationship (DH and I got together soon after, we'd been friends previously though), and DH moved me into his house with my baby DS. It was a big move for me, about 5 hours from my hometown. DH told me he'd cleared it with his DB, and that he was fine with me moving in - there's no way I'd have done it had he not been okay with the idea.

It turns out that no, his DB was not okay with it. He confronted me when we were on our own one day, and said he'd had no idea I was moving in, and was seriously pissed off about it. I was shocked, told him I was under the impression that he'd known and given his approval, and suggested we talk to DH together and try to sort it out. He stormed off. DH came home from work, I asked him what the fuck was going on, he admitted that he'd only sent his DB a text to tell him I was moving in and had had no reply! Now, I KNOW DH is the one who fucked up here, and there's no denying he was absolutely in the wrong.

The atmosphere at home was awful. BIL ignored us both, unless I was in the kitchen washing up, in which case he'd dump all his dirty plates in the sink and storm off. Eventually, I'd had enough of it, and told DH to clear the air with him. DH has always seemed a bit scared of his (10 years younger) DB, and was reluctant too cowardly to 'upset' him, so I knocked on BIL's door and told him this needed to be sorted out once and for all, as the current situation was helping nobody.

BIL told me to fuck off. I repeated that we had to sort things out. He shoved me, hard, knocking me over. He then proceeded to slam my foot in the door several times, resulting in a trip to hospital to check nothing had been broken. DH helped me up, but said nothing to his DB. As I mentioned above, I wasn't long out of a violent relationship, and I was distraught.

BIL was forced by MIL to apologise to me, but it was completely insincere and wouldn't have happened had MIL not put him under duress. The atmosphere continued til BIL moved out a few months later. He refused to speak to DH following that.

DH's DGM died recently, and her funeral was a couple of weeks ago. I had the DC so couldn't attend, but DH went on his own. BIL was there, he shook DH's hand and they made small talk. DH seemed disproportionately delighted about this - in the past, he'd had very low self esteem, and always tried to please the wrong people. The worse he was treated, the more he'd try to do to please that person. That might have some bearing here.

On his return home, DH sent BIL a text, thanking him for shaking his hand Hmm and saying he hoped they could move on. BIL hasn't replied, and it doesn't look like he had any intention of doing so - no doubt he was keeping the peace in order to save my already distraught MIL from any further upset at the funeral, but had no real interest in smoothing things over with DH.

Now DH is very eager to build bridges, and he's upset that I'm not very supportive about it. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that falling out with close family is awful, but I know DH is very often too keen to sweep past issues under the carpet. He's grown a lot of backbone in the nearly 5 years we've been together, and doesn't take nearly as much shit, but this business with BIL is a bone of contention between us. The thanking him for the handshake just came across as desperate to me, like a dog who still rolls over even when it's been kicked. DH says I need to stop bearing a grudge, and to support him, to which I replied how can he be so happy to make up with someone who assaulted his now wife?

I really don't know what to do for the best here. I'm the first to admit that I'm a champion grudge holder - I have BPD, so I'm all too aware that my thinking is very black and white when I've been wronged - but I don't think that BIL should be forgiven so easily. I know for a fact that DH wouldn't ever bring up what happened, nor would he say that I needed a proper apology. I've made it clear that whilst DH is free to build bridges with BIL, he's not welcome in my house (and yeah, I do get the irony there!).

So what do I do? Do I let this go for DH's sake? Is there any way around this? Thanks for reading, if you got this far!

OP posts:
defineme · 24/10/2016 17:27

I don't see what relevance your dp's unreasonable behaviour at moving you in without warning has, yes that was unreasonable, but I have haf a lot of people be unreasonable to me in my life and i have never committed assault, same goes for dh. Assaulting someone is not normal, it's criminal and needed reporting to the police. I understand why you didn't, given your relationship history, but there is no excuse for violence. I would be appalled if dh was friendly with anyone who assaulted me, brother or not. He is letting you down.

ShotsFired · 24/10/2016 17:28

For what it's worth, my bil has never set foot in my house and he never will. I've been here 10years or so and he (and my sister) know exactly why he will never be welcome here. What he did nearly broke my sister and I for good. We never ever speak of it now though, it's just unspoken bad blood and stays that way. I go to their house and will be civil when he is there but no more. No Xmas or bday presents , nothing.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:28

Mum11970 the Bil is an arse hold because he assaulted op.

defineme · 24/10/2016 17:28

He is an arsehole because he violently assaulted op, she needed hospital treatment.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:30

I cannot believe the fucking victim blaming on this thread Angry

It's no wonder that victims find it so difficult to report/press charges etc Angry

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:33

Who opened the bedroom door?

While I have some sympathy for you and there Is no excuse for bil assaulting you he was ignoring you and you insisted on talking to him when he was keeping out of the way.

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:35

Just want to say a big thanks to everyone who's been supportive and actually understood what it is I'm asking on this thread.

defineme, I said to DH that if a member of my family ever laid a finger on him in that sort of anger, I'd be going NC. He looked quite shamefaced at that.

OP posts:
MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:36

Lennox, it was BIL who opened the study door. I didn't try to barge in, if that's what you're getting at. I knocked.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:37

Head=>desk

Angry
PlumsGalore · 24/10/2016 17:37

How old was everyone a time the time and how old are hey now? Just wondering in BIL was really quite young and immature at the time and it all got blown out of proportion and now the BIL is just continuing to be childish.

Either way, you should stay out of it, none of it was your fault but you have received more than your fair share of grief over it. Let them sort it out between themselves.

MagikarpetRide · 24/10/2016 17:38

What Ohfour said. You appreciate why your BIL was angry, and your DH's fault in that, but neither of their behaviour was in any way, shape or form appropriate. He appears to have massive problems around boundaries though, so make sure you have yours up. Not that BIL probably wants to rekindle anyway.

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:39

Plums, I'm 32, DH is 40, and BIL is 29. BIL has form for being childish.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:40

NC fail - reported

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:41

ohfour - thank you! That's what I get for typing things fast when my back's up!

OP posts:
Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:42

So he shut the door in your face?

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:44

No, Lennox - he was standing in the doorway, shoved me over, then slammed the door on my foot.

OP posts:
toptoe · 24/10/2016 17:44

Let it go. Despite him being violent to you he is his brother. You don't have to see him but you shouldn't discourage him seeing him. Just have no opinion on it. They can't have had a great relationship before you arrived by the sounds of it. Nothing you can do about it.

Doyoufeelluckypunk · 24/10/2016 17:45

BIL sounds like a wanker. Unbelievable victim blaming upthread, shame on you all.

You have made your views clear, I would suggest closing the subject for now and moving on as best you can.

Firsttimer82 · 24/10/2016 17:45

Sounds like BIL won't be a problem if he hasn't responded. Just don't bring it up with DH again.

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:45

Why didn't you fuck off when he told you to? I think you should have left it. Insisting on moving on not moving out when it was clear you weren't wanted and not letting bil just be out of the way and insisting in "sorting" it.

Not to excuse him shutting the door. But it's hardly a violent assault.

Aderyn2016 · 24/10/2016 17:46

He shoved you and slammed a door repeatedly against your foot, resulting in hospital treatment. All this knowing you'd just escaped a violent relationship. I'd have called the police and had him prosecuted and if my dh was prepared to let this go then divorce would be our next step!

Yes, your h fucked up by not clearing you moving in with his brother first but their were extenuating circumstances. Bil is being a total prick and your h needs to stop kissing his arse!

ScrambledSmegs · 24/10/2016 17:47

From the OP -

He then proceeded to slam my foot in the door several times, resulting in a trip to hospital to check nothing had been broken..

Why on earth are some people on this thread so desperate to say that this wasn't an assault when it clearly was?

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:47

Lennox are you fucking kidding Shock

EweAreHere · 24/10/2016 17:48

Your DH wants to rekindle a friendly relationship with a man who physically assaulted you in your own home? (It was your home at the time, regardless if BIL wanted you to be living there, and it is irrelevant that the man who assaulted you is related to your DH.) And the man hasn't sincerely apologized and has been behaving badly (silent treatment) towards your husband ever since?

Wow.

YOur DH should be ashamed of himself. How pathetic he is to be chasing a relationship with someone who treated the woman he professes to love so badly. His family should be grateful you didn't press charges.

QuiteLikely5 · 24/10/2016 17:48

The man assaulted you for no good reason and showed a lack of empathy towards your situation.

In your shoes I would do nothing and say nothing as this is your Dp chance with his brother. After what you have said I highly doubt his brother will be in touch but the more you complain the more likely hood the your dp will resent you for it