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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

Serious issue, new BF poss sexual harassment?

71 replies

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 13:36

This is a really tricky horrible situation... and difficult to give any more details without outing.

New BF of two months. All seemed to be going rather well. He's an academic and initially he had told me he was on sabbatical doing research for a book.

But as we've spoken about his work the details have become strangely sketchy. It's not clear when he started his 'sabbatical' and it seems an abnormally long one (18 months so far and not due back until next year). I'm not an academic so I wouldn't know if this is normal or not.

Then the other day he said he had 'left'and was talking about finding a new job next year overseas. Which was odd, as before he'd said he was going back to his previous place of employment. When I asked more about this he changed the subject. I felt he was being evasive.

So I decided to do some research. Google and Twitter have brought up some alarming details of sexual harassment cases at his former place of work over a long period of time and (worryingly) in his department.

The timing of various investigations fits with when he left / went on sabbatical. Also the articles I've found mention confidentiality agreements signed by staff and students.

I feel very worried about accusing him of being involved with something this serious, based on just this info. I generally tend to worry and overthink things.

The institution is unlikely to tell me anything and how on earth would I ask?!

His behaviour towards me is kind, but our sexual relationship did happen very quickly. It's completely consensual, and so I'm finding it hard to imagine him harassing anyone.

Unsure how to proceed.

OP posts:
chocorabbit · 10/05/2017 15:42

Of course he won't admit it if he is wrong, so what's the point? Even if he denies it or blames others you will still have niggles.

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 15:47

Choco - I'm looking for a believable and honest answer.

If it looks dodgy or he's angry / evasive then frankly I'm running for the hills. It's not worth it.

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CheersMedea · 10/05/2017 15:53

Of course he won't admit it if he is wrong, so what's the point?

Hmm

You have no basis to say that. You just don't know. Plenty of people do admit their guilt even in court you know.

but anyway the OP doesn't need to know "is he wrong"?!?!? , what she needs to know is whether he was personally involved in or accused of sexual harassment and what the outcome was.

Whether he admits or denies the underlying facts is actually neither here nor there. What she needs to know is whether HE was involved, if so WHAT he was accused of AND what the outcome was.

There are a massive range of possibilities from nothing to do with him at all to disciplinary hearing with a guilt finding to charges not pursued and a "deal" was done where he agreed to leave quietly.

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:10

Yup - there was a man exposed, his name is public and it's obvious that he was the main source of the issue, but others in the department (his staff) were also investigated afterwards.

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Clutterbugsmum · 10/05/2017 16:10

My two penny worth is whether he is guilty of these charges is irrelevant, the fact he already lying to you after only 8 weeks he is not a keeper.

He should be being open and honest with you at this stage as you a getting to know each other.

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:13

To be clear: my BF is one of the staff who was managed by a man who has been named publicly as being guilty of sexual harassment.

This could mean many things, including whistleblowing, being unhappy to be associated with this man and not guilty of actually doing anything.

It could also mean he helped in a cover up, turned a blind eye or was also directly involved.

OP posts:
FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:14

Clutter

A confidentiality agreement means just that.

OP posts:
FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:16

If he's signed one of those agreements then he can't just go telling a new GF what's happened.
If he explains that and the reasons for his departure are not serious, then that's ok. I don't see it as 'lying'.

OP posts:
CheersMedea · 10/05/2017 16:17

My two penny worth is whether he is guilty of these charges is irrelevant, the fact he already lying to you after only 8 weeks he is not a keeper.

singing innocent until proven guilty. innocent until proven guilty.

This poor guy. He may actually have done nothing other than have a sabbatical and then become unemployed and done a bit of glossing/ CV massage about the length of the sabbatical because he's trying to impress OP who he likes.

Or he could be Rolf Harris. But hey let's assume he's Rolf Harris without even speaking to him.

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:24

Yup Cheers

I'm trying to balance this up

Benefit of doubt at this stage

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FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:24

He may actually have exposed the main man who was truly evil...

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aginghippy · 10/05/2017 16:25

'Innocent until proven guilty' applies in criminal trials, not personal relationships.

If he is not being open and honest, or if OP doesn't trust him, then he is not a good choice of partner.

CheersMedea · 10/05/2017 16:29

'Innocent until proven guilty' applies in criminal trials, not personal relationships.

Hmm It's a fair minded approach to adopt for life in all contexts including personal relationships if you are a reasonable person.

Or to put in this context into short hand, it is nasty and mean minded to conclude something against a person WITHOUT ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO THEM.

If he is not being open and honest, or if OP doesn't trust him, then he is not a good choice of partner.

I agree with that BUT SHE DOESN'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHETHER HE IS BEING OPEN AND HONEST because she hasn't discussed it with him at all. It may be nothing to do with him.

God. I'm glad a lot of people on here are no friends of mine.

Hellothereitsme · 10/05/2017 16:31

If he was guilty would he be on the sex offenders register? Isn't there a law where you can ask the police about a partner? In order to protect your daughter.

StarHeartDiamond · 10/05/2017 16:32

Not rtwt but cheers - op doesn't want to say she was googling him because she doesn't believe his sabbatical story so was doing some sleuthing. If he is a dodgy sort he might take offence and be unpleasant. Why wind him up? If he is innocent/genuine sabbatical story then he could well be offended op didn't believe him.

I would go with the "saw this online" phrase though.

HildaOg · 10/05/2017 16:34

He could be one of the victims... Hardly going to admit that to a new girlfriend, especially with a confidentiality agreement in place.

Be honest and tell him you need to know the truth.

StarHeartDiamond · 10/05/2017 16:35

Cheers - op seems to think his sabbatical story doesn't seem to add up nor does his employment situation. she was Hmm about that mainly.

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:37

Ah re: sex offenders... doesn't apply to over 18s who may have consented. These are adults, but in a position of authority. The reason why this hit the papers is because the institution dealt with it themselves and it doesn't look like the police were involved.

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FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 16:38

Yes Hilda - he could indeed be a victim or a whistleblower

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C0RAL · 10/05/2017 16:38

AFAIK You have to be tenured to get a sabbatical. And it's hard to get fired or " become unemployed " if you have tenure.

What work has he been doing for the last 18 months? What is he using for money ?

KickAssAngel · 10/05/2017 16:39

I find it very unlikely that he would be on sabbatical for 3 years due to whistle blowing.

Plus, he's now saying that he's left and looking for work in another country.

It seems far more likely that he has left and is lying to you. He may have left because the atmosphere at work was terrible, and he fell out with colleagues, but why would he then pretend to be on sabbatical?

He's lying about something, and possibly telling a big lie. He could easily say that there had been problems at work and he left, but signed a confidentiality clause so can't say any more. But he hasn't said that, and his story doesn't add up, so something is wrong.

SomePig · 10/05/2017 16:46

I am an academic and a sabbatical of 18 months is highly unusual. I've never heard of someone having one. I can imagine that someone might have 18 months of research leave saved up, but I've never heard of anyone taking it. If he's won some kind of grant that has bought him out of teaching, that might be different - you could ask (or look at his CV/on his staff profile page).

The way to find out what actually happened in the department is to ask one of his colleagues. Which I appreciate may be impossible as you probably do not know any of them. Students in a department, esp. postgrads, can often have a good idea of shenanigans going on, so you could if you wanted try to track down one of them. Some people list PhD students who have graduated on their staff profile pages, and if you check the dates they graduated you might be able to track someone down who might answer questions by email (I would do that if I thought another woman was in danger from a sexual harasser). And Academia.edu would be one route through which you might find their email addresses.

C0RAL · 10/05/2017 16:47

Sabbaticals are not the same as unpaid family leave or gardening leave - you are supposed to do work related stuff on them. Most people go off to another university to write a book or abroad to do field work.

Have you read any of his publications ? I assume you will have found them when you googled him. Why not ask him to let you read some ?

FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 17:23

Yes I've read his stuff and I've seen what he's currently working on. So he is definitely working on a book, but from home obviously.

He has a lodger at the moment to help with the mortgage and he said he's living on savings, which will run out next year.

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FeatheryFish · 10/05/2017 17:25

I have no idea how I'd find out about any colleagues or students and feel uncomfortable about that.

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