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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

Friend sending my husband post after I have had miscariage and ectopic pregnancy

97 replies

Monday2018 · 05/02/2018 14:08

I have had 5 miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy. I told my husband I couldn't do it anymore and that I didn't want to live anymore because it just made me feel inadequate and low, a part of my dignity as a woman was lost as I consider myself a failure. But I couldn't go thru with ending it - I didn't have the guts and I know I must keep going for our 7 year old daughter - she's truly amazing and deserves to have her mum there.

This pain hurts so much and I though that my husband wouldn't want to cause me anymore pain. I found out a couple of months after the ectopic that our so called friend was sending my husband porn. It was joke stuff in the beginning but I told my husband that I didn't want him viewing that stuff, be it joke porn or not. I still had my suspicions as he stopped sitting on the sofa by me in the nights and would always be on his phone, taking it where ever he went. I asked him outright at least twice if he had been sent more or had viewed any more naked women or porn. He would tell me to shut up or say no.

I had enough one night and I asked to borrow his phone to order our daughters xmas present. He had an awkward face and responded with where's your phone. It's flat I replied and so he past his phone to me. I went to screen snap the order and save it in his photo gallery. I found porn there and as I explored further there was another 12 more images of naked women which our so called friend had sent him and then another which his other mate had sent him again consisting of naked women. I was disgusted, hurt again and past the phone back to him calling him a pervert and telling him to get out of the house. The only person I looked to for support and comfort has now stuck the knife in further and I felt completely broken.

He texted our so called friend and asked him to stop sending him porn as I didn't like it. I then asked if he had viewed the videos that he was sent. Yes he replied. I asked him why when I had already told him that I didn't want him to view that stuff. I don't know, all men do it he said. So I asked why and what did he get out of it? Nothing he replied. I asked him if he would be ok with me viewing other naked men, No he replied and so I asked him why it was ok for him to do so. He was angry and shouting. I said that I need to know because if he isn't ' getting want he needs from this relationship then we obviously have problems that we need to deal with. He told me to shut up and that out marriage was over months ago. I told him to leave, as I now felt like I was possibly being used. Why stay if you think the marriage is over? FYI, He's had two failed relationships previous to ours. He said I was over-reacting and that he wouldn't view it anymore and had told his friend to stop sending it.

The following day I told him it was best to pack his bags and pointless staying in a relationship he says was over months ago. He said he had only said that in the heat of the moment because we were arguing. Don't know what to believe, my head is in bits.

After this he has been leaving his phone lying around a lot and isn't on it so much now, so our relationship started to improve a lot. But I found myself checking his phone. There was no more porn for over a month, but then that same so called friend of our sent him another image of a women's genitals. I wanted to know if my husband would tell me the truth about this and I asked him if he had heard anything from the friend. He replied no only happy new year. Again I was upset that he blatantly was lying to me. I told him that I had seen the pic and called him a lying, throwing my wedding rings away and telling him I wanted him to leave. I sobbed and have never felt so down in my entire life. He told me I had problems in my head and that I was blowing it all out of proportion. Later on my husband showed me that he replied and asked this friend again to stop it because he know he was getting him into trouble. As this was the second time this friend had been asked to stop sending it, I then messaged his wife to ask if she could speak with him and ask him to stop because it was causing so many arguments between us. She replied and told me that she totally agreed and wanted their chat site stopped herself, that I was a good person who had been thro far too much already and that she would speak to him. This friend then messaged my husband and said his wife had been told and had gone nuts. He then blocked me on messenger.

I have tried hard to improve our relationship as I understand that because I was feeling so down after the miscarriages and ectopic that maybe I wasn't so switched onto his needs. Our relationship has started to improve and we do have some happy times now, but I still find myself overcome with feeling up-set, hurt and sometimes questioning the trust between us.

Is it normal for married men to act in this way and view porn? Am I over-reacting? Any advice would be great - thanks.

OP posts:
Valerrie · 05/02/2018 14:17

Yes, it's normal for married men to watch porn. Yes, it's normal for married women to watch porn. I don't understand what's upsetting you about his friend sending him some pictures of women. It's the same as my friends sending back and fore to please pictures of Kit Harrington etc.

I think you have some deeper issues you need to address.

hungryhenryshouldeatelsewhere · 05/02/2018 14:26

You seem to have massively overreacted about what is, essentially, a man watching porn (shock horror!). The issue I understand is that he hasn't respected your wishes, but I find it ridiculous that you'd end a relationship over a man watching porn. I don't understand what relevance your pregnancies have in all of this.

hungryhenryshouldeatelsewhere · 05/02/2018 14:28

I just read that back and it sounds meaner then I meant it to.

Valerrie · 05/02/2018 14:29

Topless, not to please.

SleepySheepy · 05/02/2018 14:32

It's not normal for people to lie. It's not normal to feel like you need to check your husband's phone. It's not normal for your husband to continue to watch porn if you are unhappy with it.

People will have many different views on the porn itself, but what is important is what you are happy with within your marriage. Only the two of you can decide and agree on that.

I'm so sorry things have been so bad for you, it does sound like your relationship needs some work. Big hugs xx

JayoftheRed · 05/02/2018 14:33

I think Valerrie has missed the point.

Yes, it's ok for me to view porn. But OP has asked him not to. She has also asked him to be honest. He has lied to her repeatedly, he is looking at porn when she has requested that he doesn't, and to be honest, I think something like porn can be a deal breaker - it wouldn't bother me, I don't think, but if it did, I would expect my husband to stop. Same as if I did something he didn't like.

He has lied. He has broken her trust. Does't matter is other people are ok with it, OP is not.

Not only that, but he has been looking at porn while she has been going through a really hard, dark time. Instead of being supportive and there for her, he's wanking off to some tart, and when OP questioned him, he got defensive and told her the relationship was over.

I'm glad you chose not to end your life OP, you are definitely worth more that you seem to think, and you are not failure in any way - you have a DD! She needs you and loves you, regardless.

You say that you are working on the marriage, so I would suggest you keep doing this and keep all lines of communication open. Keep talking. Make sure he knows how you feel. Make sure you know how he feels.

Perhaps see your GP, you maybe suffering from depression after your miscarriages (Flowers by the way, so sorry to hear what you've been through) and maybe need someone to talk to.

Good luck.

BastardGoDarkly · 05/02/2018 14:34

If it's not alright with its not alright op.

It really doesn't matter what other women find OK.

It does sound like he was just going along with it, and did message the bloke to stop, so I'd be reluctant to throw an (otherwise good?) Marriage away over it.

I'm so very sorry for your losses, have you received any counselling?

Flowers

Oh pps, not all married men watch Pirnmill (shock horror) Hmm

JayoftheRed · 05/02/2018 14:34

*for him to view porn, not me! Although, it would be ok for me to do so, if I so desired. Which I don't.

BastardGoDarkly · 05/02/2018 14:35

Excuse the typos.

Monday2018 · 05/02/2018 14:36

It created problems, with him not only respecting my wishes, but distancing himself away from any interaction with me in the night with a preference of just being on his phone.

OP posts:
Valerrie · 05/02/2018 14:39

I haven't missed the point, as at the end of the post she asked if it was normal for married men to watch porn. I answered that question without addressing the lying about it.

No, he shouldn't lie, but to be honest, if I reacted like she did about my husband receiving a picture of a woman from his mate, I wouldn't blame him for lying about it. He didn't send himself the photos and he certainly isn't a pervert for being in receipt of them!

He asked his friend to stop sending them, then she messaged his wife! And checked his phone! It's crazy behaviour.

The OP has some serious issues she needs to address.

Changedmynameo · 05/02/2018 14:40

I think you’re projecting your pain onto this subject. I really think porn is normal. Everyone has or does watch it and frankly if you say you haven’t I don’t believe you.
He’s not cheating on you, and the only reason he’s hiding it is because you make such a big deal out of it. Pick your battles i think

SandyY2K · 05/02/2018 14:41

I'm sorry for all of your losses...I can't imagine how difficult that is.

Your mutual friend is very disrespectful...he's been told to stop sending the porn and continues.

I don't personally have an issue with porn and as an adult..my DH has the right to watch what he wants. I wouldn't ask him not to...but would end things if I couldn't deal with it.

MamaDoGood · 05/02/2018 14:45

I haven't any issues with my husband viewing porn as he wouldn't care if i did.
But the lying isn't great.

I think he feels like he has to lie regarding it to save the huge arguement. Obviously they doesn't work as he keeps getting caught.

What is your problem with porn in particular?

Bombardier25966 · 05/02/2018 14:48

I'd agree with you projecting. You're grieving your losses, that's normal and can go on for a long time, especially if not addressed.

You can't dictate to somebody else whether they can watch porn or not. If you don't like it then you can choose not to watch it, no one will force you to.

Winteriscoming18 · 05/02/2018 14:51

I’m sorry for want your going through I think the porn is a red herring and your more hurt with the lack of itimacy from your dh.
Sometimes men don’t know how to handle those type of situations as they aren’t physically going through it but also powerless to some degree. It affects people in different ways. Have you both recieved counselling for your loses?

Blomme · 05/02/2018 14:52

I don't think that it's normal for married men to watch a lot of porn. Actually, I think it's pretty grim. Worse is that he lied about it. Also his behaviour towards you during arguments seems pretty awful. I don't think you're over reacting.

Rachie1973 · 05/02/2018 14:57

I think a lot of people do watch it. I do, with and without my DH. I suppose because we're both happy with it then its not an issue.

If it's an issue for you, then perhaps addressing it more calmly would help? Your communication seems shot at the moment to be honest.

I also don't think you should have contacted the friends wife but that's another thread.

sirlee66 · 05/02/2018 14:57

No it's not normal for married men or men in long term relationships to watch porn!

ReanimatedSGB · 05/02/2018 15:04

I think you are trying to control your H as a way of dealing with your distress over the miscarriages, and it's not going to help you. I would suggest you try to get some counselling or therapy for yourself and decide what to do about your marriage when you are feeling stronger.

Watching porn is normal, in that the majority of people do it at least sometimes. It isn't reasonable to insist that another adult obeys you regarding entertainment material - it's up to him what he looks at.

NaturalWoman · 05/02/2018 15:06

I find it ridiculous that you'd end a relationship over a man watching porn

For balance, I would end a relationship over this.

Daisymalone · 05/02/2018 15:12

I do think you are overreacting by calling him a pervert for looking at images of naked women. That is in no way perverted, it's natural and pretty tame in terms of what is available porn wise. I understand that you feel uncomfortable about it but you don't really have the right to dictate what someone does with their own body. If this story were reversed and a woman was complaining that her husband had called her perverted, thrown her out and banned her from using a vibrator there would be uproar and a lot of ltb's! He probably wouldn't have lied at all about it if you hadn't had such an extreme reaction...

onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 05/02/2018 15:15

I'm so sorry for what you have been through OP - it's sounds as if you've had an horrendous time.

I appreciate that you don't like porn but many people do - both men and women, married and single. I am a woman married to another woman and we both watch it on our own sometimes and sometimes together.

Married partners will always do things that we don't like and marriage is constant process of compromise - he isn't a bad person for viewing porn just a normal testosterone fuelled man. No, not all men view porn but I know a lot that do and a lot of women too.

Huskylover1 · 05/02/2018 15:16

Him watching porn wouldn't bother me. But I find it very weird that a grown man, who has presumably seen many vagina's would choose to send vagina pics to his mate. Why? I just don't get this?

Flamingo84 · 05/02/2018 15:18

I think the fact that he said he wouldn’t like it if OP had pics of naked men is telling. It’s ok for him but not her?
Then to say that the marriage has been over for months, even though he’s still sat there every day, is the problem for me.

I’ve no doubt that you’re losses and general mental health at the moment are making you feel more insecure. But some extra support and encouragement from your husband isn’t too much to ask. Him looking at porn (at this moment in time and under these circumstances), lying and shouting isn’t really helping matters.

How has he dealt with everything? If this is out of character behaviour for him, has he turned to a fake world to hide from his own feelings? You mentioned that you discussed ending things with him but thoughts of your daughter pulled you back. Is there a chance he saw this as him not being enough/you rejecting him?
Only you know what goes on in your marriage, but I’d have a proper conversation with him about the root of the problem rather than the smaller issues.