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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

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:
Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:50

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ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:51

Your victim blaming is breathtaking Lennox. Reported.

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:52

If my brother brought a girlfriend and baby into the house I'd be telling them to move out.

The brother let her and her baby stay. He didn't like it but he wasn't doing anything until the op went after him.

BoneyBackJefferson · 24/10/2016 17:52

Sounds like you (once again) should have an issue with your DH.

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:52

She should have moved out when she realised that the man who was there first didn't want her there and had not even been consulted.

Yeah Lennox, because it was THAT fucking easy Hmm. I already outlined upthread why that wasn't possible.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:53

He fucking assaulted her. She ended up in hospital. What part of that do you not understand?

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:53

I'm not victim blaming. I have said that the bil should not have pushed her.

But she shouldn't have followed him around the house to have a go and when she realised he didn't even get asked if she could stay and didn't want her there she should have left.

Her DH sounds like a total wet blanket

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:54

She got it checked out. She was not put in hospital. And from what she says, nothing was broken.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:54

Yes, you are. And it's disgusting.

If you have nothing supportive and/or constructive to say then why don't you back off the thread

MagikarpetRide · 24/10/2016 17:55

Wow, I'll remember next time I ask my DH to sort a disagreement out that its fine when he punches me in the face. After all, he's never punched me before but I'd be asking for it by trying to clear a nasty atmosphere Hmm

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 17:55

Followed him around the house? I knocked on one fucking door, I was hardly trailing him like a puppy. I didn't realise you were present when all this happened Hmm

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 17:55

Oh, so nothing broken makes it all ok then! Hmm

What a bloody joke Angry

MsStricty · 24/10/2016 17:56

The victim blaming on this thread is beyond the pale.

No wonder why things are so fucking slow to change in this world.

OP, I would have nothing more to do with him. He's fucking lucky I didn't report him to the police. And your DH's passive acquiescence is just as shit.

ParaPrincess · 24/10/2016 17:57

Let your DH see him and him alone. I wouldnt have him in my house after that.

Not only did the OP get pushed to the floor he repeated tried to slam a door with her foot inside. He should have stopped instead of bashing the door, over and over. Confused

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 17:59

Absolutely he should not have pushed the op.

It just seems to me that the op was poking him by going to his room when really she shouldn't have been in the house at all.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 18:01

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR BIL BEING PHYSICAL AT ALL

Clear enough for you?

toptoe · 24/10/2016 18:02

The whole situation was fucked up, but it doesn't excuse violence. All 3 were in the wrong imo, but only in regards to the housing arrangement. Not the violent act. That is solely the bil's responsibility as a sentient adult.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 18:03

Actually Lennox, just go away. You're not being helpful and are actually distracting from the main issues.

eddielizzard · 24/10/2016 18:03

well, i think you should stay out of it.

your bil will clearly continue to be nc with your dh. i don't think there's anything you can do. i think the problem comes in if your bil actually does want to be in contact!

there's a lot of history here between your dh and his brother and some major self esteem issues too. maybe your dh needs counselling?

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 18:04

Yy to Eddie's post ^

Lennoxjones · 24/10/2016 18:04

I have said it was completely the bil at fault for the push and shove.

The op's DH sounds like a total sap.

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 18:04

toptoe, just to clarify: I moved into the house after being told - repeatedly - by DH that BIL was fine with it. If I'd known he wasn't okay with it, there's no way I'd have moved in.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 18:05

If that is your current stance Lennox then fair enough.

I take it that you retract your statements blaming op?

Bubblegum18 · 24/10/2016 18:07

I agree with Lennon to some degree you knew the situation when BIL told you, it was his home and it was invaded, you actually state you spoke to him atleast twice in your comments. He obviously didn't want to dicuss it further with you. You could of got a council house whilst you waited.

As for the assault if it happened the way it did it was wrong but I do wonder if the situation has somewhat been described OTT and the truth is somewhere inbetween it would be interesting if we could get the BIL perspective.

Oldraver · 24/10/2016 18:07

Whose house was it ?

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