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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 15:30

You don't "get" why men like to look at vaginas (well, vulvas), Husky? Really?

But then you don't "get" much, do you?

hellsbellsmelons · 05/02/2018 15:30

a part of my dignity as a woman was lost as I consider myself a failure
You have a beautiful 7 year old DD.
YOU did that.
Putting the naked pics to one side - I think you really need some professional help to come to terms with what you went through.
That's a lot of miscarriages to deal with.
Did you get counselling at the time?
Please ask your GP for some help to overcome this.
You won't ever get over it but you do need help to understand your feelings and try to get over everything you've been through.
It's very common for men to watch porn or look at pics.
Also pretty common for women to do the same.

yetmorecrap · 05/02/2018 15:47

It may be common but that doesnt make it ok, and if its done in secret, especially given that the OP is pretty vulnerable at the moment. Drinking 6 pints a night is common but not acceptable to many women as is betting on stuff, everyone has their tipping points in relationships and keeping it secret gives it far more 'appeal' in some cases than if it was all 'known' about. In all fairness though my issue would be with the friend who clearly in my opinion needs to grow up

Huskylover1 · 05/02/2018 16:04

You don't "get" why men like to look at vaginas (well, vulvas), Husky? Really?

Is that what I actually said Valerrie ?

What I actually said was:

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

Can you see the difference? Looking at pics of women's genitals in the privacy of your home is not the same as sending lots of images of genitals to a friend.

Do you send photo's of erect penises to your female friends? If so, then yes, I gladly don't "get it". Unless you are about 12.

hungryhenryshouldeatelsewhere · 05/02/2018 16:05

@NaturalWoman 100 more women could say that and I'd still find it ridiculous. I haven't met a woman in a secure relationship, who feels secure about herself, who objects to their other half watching porn. The women I've encountered who do have a problem with it are deeply insecure, and it's not porn that's the problem, it's their own issues.

NaturalWoman · 05/02/2018 16:14

I'm not deeply insecure. But I do have self respect. I don't make excuses for my boyfriend/partner's/husbands poor behaviour and I don't assume that they are incapable of controlling themselves.

I think that, in the main, they do it because they don't respect their partners and believe that women are their for their entertainment and titilation. And, as much as anything, sex with a man who doesn't use porn is very different to sex with one who does.

We all have our own boundaries. That is one of mine.

Huskylover1 · 05/02/2018 16:19

But you wouldn't know NaturalWoman

Unless you have under cover surveillance camera's installed in your home, you will never know what your DH does, when he is alone.

Helmetbymidnight · 05/02/2018 16:20

I don't get it either but clearly in Valerie's world men frequently send photos or films of fannies to their friends.

Op I'm so sorry to hear what a very tough time you've been going through. Stay strong for your dd. Flowers

Helmetbymidnight · 05/02/2018 16:21

It must be a homo-erotic thing, surely...

Huskylover1 · 05/02/2018 16:24

It must be a homo-erotic thing, surely...

Funnily enough, there was a similar thread recently, and lots of people said this too.

If my DH was trawling the internet for fanny pics, and then sending those to his mate, I'd have to wonder what on earth he was getting out of this Confused Just bizarre.

Helmetbymidnight · 05/02/2018 16:26

I just...teenage boys who've never seen a fanny before maybe...men with wives or gfs?! And to do it frequently?
Definitely Bizarre.

NaturalWoman · 05/02/2018 16:29

No, Husky, you're quite correct, I get that.

I'm no longer married. My exh and I had a sexless marriage so it's quite possible. He had some odd ideas about women and sex so who knows.

I've suspected/known that all the men I've dated/had sex with since did, and the sex was, quite frankly dire.

I know that my current boyfriend doesn't for reasons I don't want to get into here and it's really obvious. Really obvious. Due to having a sexless relationship/marriage, I had pretty much no sex between mid 20s and late 30s and certainly none with anyone who wasn't my husband. When I became single again, the internet, and therefore, porn wasn't as available or as accessible and sex was very different. Then I met my current boyfriend and it was like having sex 25 years ago again.

Valerrie · 05/02/2018 16:29

Nah, they don't tend to send fannies really, unless there's a cool intimate piercing or something. Generally it's boobs, which I get to see too as a great rack is something to be appreciated.

My friends only sent me penis photos when they're ugly ones that have been sent by weird men on online dating apps. Penises aren't the most attractive thing to look at IMO. We send the odd topless bloke though.

My husband watches porn alone or with me, I watch porn alone or with him. We don't feel the need to tell each other about it unless we want to do it together.

Homo-erotic? How?

DancesWithOtters · 05/02/2018 16:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Huskylover1 · 05/02/2018 16:35

Then I met my current boyfriend and it was like having sex 25 years ago again Star Grin Star Grin

WhereYouLeftIt · 05/02/2018 16:38

"Is it normal for married men to act in this way and view porn? Am I over-reacting?"
No, I don't think it is normal. You also said that he is "distancing himself away from any interaction with me in the night with a preference of just being on his phone." So, preferring to passively watch porn (and wank) rather than share a sexual relationship with a living breathing woman. Not only do I think that his behaviour is not normal, I think it is disrespectful of you, his wife, and unhealthy for both your and his mental health.

"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."
Oh, Monday2018 Sad. You've been through all that, and still you feel you should be prioritising what he 'needs' over your own needs? Does he do the same for you? I think not. Instead, he engages in behaviour that chips away at your self-esteem and tells you to shut up Sad.

"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."
However hard you try to push down how you feel about his behaviour, it will still come to the surface, hence feeling upset and hurt. The two of you are sweeping it under the carpet, and it's not going to stay there. I would have no trust in him, so it is unsurprising that you are questioning it.

He has not addressed his behaviour. He has not taken on board how it affected you. He is ignoring that even if all in the past, it is still afffecting you.

You are not the bad guy here. If anything, you have been far too understanding.

How did his last two relationships end? Is there a pattern of him disregarding his partner's needs?

Helmetbymidnight · 05/02/2018 16:40

Homo-erotic because it looks as though he wants to arouse his friend-

in my day, straight men who got off on say a picture of a fanny didn't usually need to get their male friends excited about the same thing too.
That was a kind of boundary/private thing.

ConfusedButInLove · 05/02/2018 16:40

It's not really about the porn to be honest.
I am not too fused about my partner and poem but you and he had an agreement he would not watch it and that should be respected.
This other guy is not a friend. He has continued to send stuff he was told was not welcome and only cares that now it's affecting him. You husband in the month didn't search for any porn and had no control what his "friend"sent to him.
Your husband should be looking at his friend choice.
And I think you may both benefit from councillor of some type to get on the same page again.
Good luck Flowers

Helmetbymidnight · 05/02/2018 16:41

Yes sorry,

I agree the friend is weird.

Valerrie · 05/02/2018 16:52

Ah OK - I've never assumed that pictures are sent friend to friend for them to get off on. I've always seen them as a "look at this nice fanny" appreciation message.

When my friends send me a hot picture of...let's say Ed Sheeran (an acquired taste I know), I don't think they expect me to run upstairs with my phone and shove a dildo up my fanjo. I think they just tend to think I'll say, "hot as" or something similar, then get on with my day.

Monday2018 · 05/02/2018 17:02

Thank you all for your comments. Some have been very helpful and helped me to put all into perspective.

No i haven't seeked counselling. I'm the only one working and so taking the time off would be quite difficult, as I must keep the income coming in to pay the bills. Time is a good healer, I just needed the time to heal without being hurt again and especially by somebody whom I expected to support me and respect my feelings.

I've come to the conclusion that:

  1. porn is definitely not ok to watch if it would hurt your partners feelings. I was disappointed that my parter did not respect my feelings at such a dark time for me. But I must now respect that he has ask his friend to stop sending it to him.

  2. I may have dealt with it differently in hindsight and had he not continued to repeatedly lie to me. Lieing to your partner is not healthy and hence created the trust issue which I will need to work on and rebuild with him again now.

  3. I was most disappointed that my daughter may have been exposed to this on his phone. I hope not, this thought turned my stomach and i will discuss this with him as she regularly uses our phones and i-pads.

  4. Our so called friend is extremely childish and does need to grow up - not my issue any longer.

  5. I will keep working on our relationship. I didn't think the miscarriages hurt him as much as me because I had to deliver the dead baby's featus over and over. But he was there during the scans when they holds us the heart had stopped etc . I also need to keep working on our relationship for our beautiful daughter that we do have. She deserves both parents in her life each day of her life as long as possible.

Thanks again and best wishes to you all.

OP posts:
Mitzimaybe · 05/02/2018 17:13

To the PP who said it's normal and the OP should accept that her DH looks at porn, did you miss this sentence?

"I asked him if he would be ok with me viewing other naked men, No he replied "

So her DH thinks it's normal and OK for him to view porn but wouldn't be happy if the OP was doing it. Double standards.

OP this is not ok, irrespective of what other people have replied on this thread. Don't let him mess with your head like this. If he wouldn't like you viewing naked men then he has to respect that you don't like him viewing naked women.

Changedmynameo · 05/02/2018 17:13

I really do sympathise with you.

But if he’s secretive/ sits on the other side of the room to you and his things hidden in his phone so you don’t see the pictures/videos I doubt he’d be stupid enough to use yours or your daughters devices to view such material. If him looking at this stuff hurts you then that’s your right..but I don’t think your concern was your daughter seeing the material nor does it sound like he’d leave it for her to find

Mitzimaybe · 05/02/2018 17:15

OP your latest post is all about how you need to work on and rebuild the relationship and the trust. What is he doing to work on it and rebuild it? He is the one who lost your trust so he is the one who should be working hardest on it. You are not to blame. He should be doing everything he can to make it up to you.

Valerrie · 05/02/2018 17:19

I agree wholeheartedly that lying about it is wrong and that if it hurts either party's feelings then it needs discussing and a compromise should be made.

Unfortunately with porn its hard to compromise as the party watching the porn might resent the OP for stopping him from doing something that most men do, leading to more deceit and lies. I think something like this is usually discussed early in a relationship, certainly before marriage. Surely people know their partner's thoughts on sexual experiences before committing?