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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:
MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 19:29

That post was aimed at the posters who seem to think moving and finding a new place, as a technically single mother to a young baby, is a piece of piss.

OP posts:
MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 19:32

Boney, if there IS a back story, I'm not aware of it. I know very little about their lives growing up, only that BIL's father (not DH's father) was violent - not to his own DC, but to DH and his DM.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:34

Oh, don't you know Musical? If you're a lone parent you get an obscene income from benefits and have your pick of a dozen or so detached houses, all paid for by the tax payer! Oh, and a job with a huge salary with child care included Hmm

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 19:36

ohfour, I must've missed the memo on that one!

OP posts:
Mrsemcgregor · 24/10/2016 19:36

And a statutory goat.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:36
Grin
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:37

Arf @MrsE Grin

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 19:37

I might NC to StatutoryGoat Grin

OP posts:
Mrsemcgregor · 24/10/2016 19:42
Grin
TempusEedjit · 24/10/2016 19:42

OP I wouldn't suggest for a minute it would have been easy to be rehoused but as you'd escaped your previous relationship before getting together with your DH I guess you must have made some plans when you left?

There is more than one way to act like an arsehole and up until BIL crossed the line with the assault I don't think your DH had covered himself in glory either. He must have seen how distressed those around him were as a result of his deceit and I don't understand why he couldn't have helped you put whatever plans in place that you would have done had you been aware regarding BIL's objections. I think it's relevant to the situation because understanding how your DH thinks/acts is key to how we might advise you to move forward. To me it sounds like he will upset whoever is "easiest" to deal with at the time i.e. his brother when he was keen to impress you during the start of your relationship, and you now that you're his DW and presumably going nowhere.

WillIamHerschel · 24/10/2016 19:43

I can't believe people are blaming the op. I'd be seriously pissed off if dp moved someone into our house without asking me, but my anger would be directed towards him. And I certainly would not be physically shoving and slamming doors into the foot of the my new housemate. I'd talk to them (or more likely to dp) and say that I wanted them to move out in a reasonable amount of time.

Op had just left an abusive relationship and moved into a house under the belief that it had been settled with the brother. Trying to have a discussion with him once she found out he was unhappy about it was hardly unreasonable behaviour. It isn't as easy as saying she should have moved out straight away. Not at all.

FlabulousChic · 24/10/2016 19:44

I'm not surprised his brother doesn't speak to him. Why would any one think it acceptable to move someone and a child into s house without taking it over with the other person first! Why did you out your foot in the door or even interfere? I don't agree the BIL owes you or anyone an apology.

TempusEedjit · 24/10/2016 19:44

Btw I'm not saying for a second you were/are responsible for anything OP, it's your DH who is the problem.

FlabulousChic · 24/10/2016 19:49

I don't condone violence but I can understand he was really angry soemine his brother barely knew and their kid had just moved into a house he was paying half for. Did your dh pay more than his brother after you moved in like 2 thirds instead of half? You did have options you could have gone to the council as homeless

Liiinoo · 24/10/2016 19:50

To get back to the original question - what should the OP do?

I think let it go. He is not your brother. For whatever reason your DH wants to reconnect with him and you should respect that.

Of course BIL should not have assaulted the OP but it was a while ago and the BIL was much younger, he may have improved with age. His behaviour at the funeral suggests he knows how to react in a more mature way now.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:51

Seriously Flab? Are you really seriously and truly fucking serious?

SangtheSun · 24/10/2016 19:52

Hi OP, I'm shocked at the victim blaming on this thread and what looks like deliberate misunderstanding of the circumstances.
A surprising number of posters appear determined to find fault with you. I'm not surprised MN has so many women who post after being assaulted by their partners yet can't bring themselves to report it. They're probably partly afraid of getting a similiar reception to yours on here.
There's a good number of posters on this thread who should be ashamed of themselves.

FWIW I understand how your head was all over the place, as you put it. Of course it was, you'd just fled a violent man. Who, no doubt, had also blamed you for his violence.
Your BIL could have sat down with you and discussed the situation like an adult - which he was. You're in no way to blame for trying to discuss it with him. He sounds like a real cunt. There is no good reason for him to assault you.
No wonder you are so upset with your husband. I can't understand why he would want anything to do with his brother, but it sounds like he has serious problems dealing with confrontation of any kind.
OP I hope you haven't taken on board abny of this victim blaming nor the second guessers telling you how you should have just got yourself a council house. Well done for escaping the original DV and for rebuilding your life.

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 19:53

It's okay Tempus, I understand what you're getting at.

I didn't have a Plan B. When my XP was removed from our shared house by court order (he was arrested after his final assault on me, and only returned with a police escort to collect some things), I was made the sole tenant. After my HB claim had been processed, I was just about able to afford the rent, but mentally I was in a terrible state and didn't want to continue living somewhere that served as a constant reminder of the abuse.

DH suggested that DS and I moved to be with him. I needed a fresh start, and he was offering one that SEEMED to be kosher. I wasn't led to believe that a Plan B would be necessary.

OP posts:
FlabulousChic · 24/10/2016 19:53

Id leave it you've both taken the piss out of him financially to if he still had to cough up half the rent. If someone I rented a pace with moved some random in and their id who would be using utilities during the day st my expense id not forgive either. Totally changed the dynamics of where you live it's also restricting. I do feel real sorry for the brother to be honest horrible situation to find yourself in coming home one night to some bird and her kid having moved in

Oswin · 24/10/2016 19:53

Flab you are fucking sickening.
He pushed her to the floor. Then while she was on the floor repeatedly slammed the door on her foot.

Fucks sake.

You bunch of victim blaming scumbags.

Honest to god you make me feel nauseous.

How the fuck can anyone think that's OK???!!!

Fuckin idiots.

Angry
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:53

Sang I think I love you Grin

FlabulousChic · 24/10/2016 19:55

You've called the brother an arsehole if he was that bad he would have insisted you fucked off.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:56

Flab. You should be ashamed of yourself dear. Seriously.

I don't have the energy to convey just how disgusting your attitude (and the attitude of others on this thread) is.

MusicalFuckYouParty · 24/10/2016 19:57

SangtheSun, thank you - the understanding and compassion in your post means a lot to me. It was an awful time.

Liiinooo, thank you for bringing the thread back to my original question! Smile

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2016 19:57

Yeah, he just assaulted her instead. What an angel he is - truly a prince amongst men not to "just" insist that she fucks off Hmm

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