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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

Husband & porn - please only comment if you can be helpful or supportive as I genuinely can’t cope

374 replies

Ifeeldreadful · 05/03/2018 07:05

I’ve name changed for this, as I feel truly dreadful, and don’t want this situation associated with the ‘regular’ me.

This is very long, and please, if you can’t say anything helpful or supportive, then please don’t comment - I just can’t take it.

My child seemed quite unwell. I wanted to check the symptoms online, but realised I’d left my phone in the bathroom from when my DD had a bath earlier & I’d caught up on emails. I couldn’t find the laptop, and in my panic I just went and opened the bathroom door and caught my Husband sat on the toilet ‘enjoying’ porn on the laptop.

He very quickly tried to close the window down, but I’d seen about 1 second of it. It looked like ‘regular’ porn, but I’m just utterly disgraced, incensed in fact that he was ‘enjoying’ any porn. I looked at him with disgust, and just said ‘seriously,’ before walking out with my phone and slamming the door.

I didn’t know what to do, but ever since then, I’ve wished I’d taken the laptop off of him and watched what he was watching - I just can’t cope with the betrayal of him using porn full stop, but then also not being able to see what he was watching is absolutely destroying me.

I also hate the fact that I don’t know if he continued to use the video after I’d fled the room in a clearly angered state.

I was physically shaking and thought I was going to be sick. I went and cuddled my child and tried to continue normally, in the hope that I could speak with him whenever he next showed his face, but I couldn’t cope. I went to our child’s bedroom and cried uncontrollably and hyperventilated, and couldn’t stop shaking. I wanted to stop crying and quickly get my child and I ready to get out of the house, but I failed miserably. I didn’t want her to see me like that, nor the neighbours, so I only managed to put my coat on and wipe my mascara from my cheeks before he came into the room.

He told me how sorry he was, and put his arm around me. I shuddered and told him not to touch me. I couldn’t look at him, or even in his general direction. My shaking was terrible by that point, and I burst into uncontrollable tears again. Our child came running in and hugged me and asked what was wrong & went and got tissues for me. I tried my best to stop crying and get my shit together, as I don’t want her seeing her Mummy like that, and for the sake of my unborn child. Obviously I couldn’t discuss/address anything with our child there, and all I ended up saying to him is ‘how does he think I feel for watching it in the first place, but when I’m 39 weeks pregnant too, and when I’ve hardly had a spare moment to myself like usual and he has done as he pleases all morning.’

He kept apologising and saying he’d been stupid. He said he’d gone on YouTube to watch something and clicked on another video, and then he saw that one and started watching it. He started blaming the internet saying how easy it is to access porn.

I don’t believe him however, and I’m convinced that he uses it regularly. A few years ago before we had our child, I came home early and caught him then. I went ballistic and was distraught. He promised he’d never watch it again. I have never got over catching him that time, and now it’s happened again.

It may sound strange, but a huge problem for me is that I don’t know exactly what he was watching. From the seconds I saw, it all looked ‘normal,’ and with female adults, and I don’t doubt the content for a second. I just simply feel I have to see properly what these women look like, and what exactly they were doing. It’s the unknown that I can’t deal with. I’ve dwelled on it over and over since the first incident, and always wished I’d demanded that he show me the video.

I went and searched the laptop history earlier, and tried to access his YouTube account, but funnily enough the bastard doesn’t use a password for that that I know. We know each other’s passwords for everything else. I tried a few different passwords and gave up in severe frustration and a sea of tears. I wanted to cut all of his clothes up!

I was ‘forced’ into trying to act normally as our child was there, so I think he thinks I’m handling this better than I am, but I can’t get over it. I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in the same bed as him, and I’ve been crying for hours.

I can’t handle not seeing what he watched, and the feeling of being lied to, and the betrayal of it all (including using an unknown password). I was really hoping I could just sit and watch it without him knowing, but now I feel that the only chance of trying to move on is if I demand that he sends me a link to the video and I can watch it in private (no way could I watch it with him there). I just don’t feel I can continue with the relationship until I can watch the content and try to come to terms with it all. The thought of him being present at our child’s birth and seeing me so vulnerable is repulsing me.

Do you think I should demand that he sends me the video link?

I’m honestly thinking of taking our child and staying with my parents as I can’t cope. Obviously I don’t want to do this and uproot her, but also because I want to give birth st our local hospital and my parents live ages away.

Please advise and comfort me. Thank you in advance.

OP posts:
bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 18:15

@Thymeout - I totally agree. I think most people would be upset at the catching the partner watching porn. However I say 'upset' not totally out of control. Op has done herself no favours in this post imo. She comes across as extremely controlling, extremely irrational and all about herself. 39 weeks pregnant or not....her behaviour was ott. Especially in front of the child.

To me, she's portrayed herself as all the above things which makes me think that maybe she isn't the easiest person to be in a relationship with. Maybe their sex life is crap. Maybe she shows in no affection or attention. Maybe he is cannot open up to her. Maybe he is miserable in his relationship. I say all this as 'maybe'. Who knows.

But it strikes me that she never said they had a happy relationship beforehand. Usually in posts like these, the op will say 'we have a good relationship, really healthy sex life so I don't get why he's watching porn' or something of that effect. However, yes she's 39 weeks pregnant so I totally understand sex isn't going to be a massive thing for her right now - totally understandable. But there's nothing indicating in her post that they have a happy relationship which is what you usually see.

But, this is just my opinion and how I've read it - I feel op may be an unapproachable person in general. Maybe her oh just isn't happy. Could be totally wrong but that's how I've read it.

GnomeDePlume · 09/03/2018 18:16

Given that what her DH was watching was legal the OP didn't have the right to extract the original promise.

What the DH watches to get off to is his business. She doesn't have the right to know. What she does have is the right to not know which means he should keep the bathroom door locked and use private browsing on phone/laptop.

PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa · 09/03/2018 18:24

To me, she's portrayed herself as all the above things which makes me think that maybe she isn't the easiest person to be in a relationship with. Maybe their sex life is crap. Maybe she shows in no affection or attention. Maybe he is cannot open up to her. Maybe he is miserable in his relationship. I say all this as 'maybe'. Who knows

But if he is that unhappy in the relationship, he could end it.

Not lie to her.

bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 18:56

@PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa and leave her when she's pregnant with his child? Yes maybe trying to do the right thing and stick by her....

bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 18:56

He's* not yes

PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa · 09/03/2018 19:05

Well she wasn't pregnant with either of his children the first time it happened and he made her the promise.

Perhaps he should have sat her down and talked to her if he was unhappy with the relationship rather than have two children with her...

I'd imagine her strong reaction was, in part, also to do with the fact that now she has thise two children she feels trapped and has now had the choice to end it taken away from her.

PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa · 09/03/2018 19:07

I would much rather someone say to me "look, I know it's a dealbreaker for you but I'm not going to give up the porn" at which point I'd end it.

He didn't give her the chance to do that.

bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 19:34

But no one knows this do they? Op didn't write anything in her post and she hasn't come back to clear anything up. Therefore it's all just speculation and no one really is to blame

AriAliyah · 09/03/2018 19:48

Anyone else read this thread and think 'what on earth has the world come to?' Confused I don't think I even want to voice my thoughts on the issue!

bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 19:54

@AriAliyah totally, this thread has just turned ridiculous. Everyone with their own views, they are right and everyone else is wrong.

PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa · 09/03/2018 19:57

But no one knows this do they? Op didn't write anything in her post and she hasn't come back to clear anything up. Therefore it's all just speculation and no one really is to blame

That is very true.

The conversation has moved on to a general discussion.

The point still remains for me that I would rather someone be honest with me so that I can make a choice about whether I stay with them or not.

But then I'm not known for big emotional displays either - I'm very matter of fact so it would be a calm discussion. I would, however, be very pissed off if I was lied to!

AriAliyah · 09/03/2018 20:02

@bitzy12 I don't blame her for not coming back to clear things up. I'm pretty terrified just reading this! All the best to her.

Allmenarewankers · 09/03/2018 20:06

What a bunch of *** laying into someone online like this - and yes a woman who is 39 weeks pregnant !

bobstersmum · 09/03/2018 20:06

I'm guessing it's the hormones that done it. You did go over the top, you didn't catch him shagging his granny in the bathroom you caught him sorting himself out, probably so he didn't need to bother you since you're fit to pop.

Mummyoftwo91 · 09/03/2018 20:12

Your very heavily pregnant maybe he had an urge and thought he would sort himself out, I think you are massively over reacting

bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 20:30

@AriAliyah I don't think there's anything she could say on this thread now. It's gone way ott. I just hope she's focusing on what's most important and that's bringing her baby into the world

bitzy12 · 09/03/2018 20:41

@PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa totally and I respect where you are coming from. This is where we all differ and no one can agree. Me personally, partner watching porn wouldn't be the end of the relationship. Partner lying about watching porn....I wouldn't like being lied too at all but it depends on the situation and how the relationship was as a whole. That's why it's hard for me to take ops side here. She didn't say what state the relationship was in and my guess is not the best though I obviously could be totally wrong.

Things like physical/emotional affairs would be the end of the road for me. No matter what state the relationship was in. For me there would be no trying to work it out, no nothing...the end. Others give their OH's a another chance after affairs and that's up to them. We see it on here all the time.

Therefore what's ok for some, isn't for others and the same goes with porn. It's ok for some, not for otherrs it's a deal breaker and that's fine. No one is right or wrong. The sad thing about this post is there's so many posters not willing to open up their minds to the opposite of what they think. The view they have is right and everyone else is wrong.

Fortunatelymine · 10/03/2018 00:38

But then I'm not known for big emotional displays either - I'm very matter of fact so it would be a calm discussion. I would, however, be very pissed off if I was lied to!
And me. I have a much bigger emotional display to being lied to than the original issue! Maybe this (and other circumstances ) contributed to OP's reaction.

Rumpledfaceskin · 10/03/2018 06:43

Is doing something in secret that you assume your partner will never know about the same as lying though? As I’ve said this guys one massive failing was not locking the door.

GunnyHighway · 10/03/2018 06:56

What a bunch oflaying into someone online like this - and yes a woman who is 39 weeks pregnant !*

Being pregnant doesn't allow a woman to have an out out proportion reaction followed by the immediate support of other women.

Similarly you don't get to start a conversion with a group and then say only respond if you're on my side.

Fortunatelymine · 10/03/2018 08:03

Is there anyone out here who’s partner has changed form a great lover to a shit one through porn use if your relationship was otherwise happy?
Actually, my dh worked away for half the year, and tried on some uncomfortable new moves once back. Turns out he had been watching a lot of porn while away, and it had developed into an 'I'll just check in with what's new everyday' sized addiction. Which he didn't have previously.

Being pregnant doesn't allow a woman to have an out out proportion reaction followed by the immediate support of other women.
No, but most of us know that your hormones can make you act somewhat differently to usual when pregnant. More emotional. As well as the constant discomfort of this stage. And the fact that they've already had the porn discussion, and he's doing something he said he wouldn't!

Wheresmyfuckingcupcake · 10/03/2018 17:40

Gunny highway, I don’t know if you’ve observed this yet, but people tend to react emotionally to things regardless of the rules you make about that.
I imagine you think the op is “controlling”. To that I can only say physician, heal thyself.

GunnyHighway · 11/03/2018 00:28

I have noticed, my children certainly react emotionally. As I am sure I have at times. Doesn't mean that my emotions are right though.

And given the OP need to"know" then yes I feel, given the information, that she needs to be in control.

PJsAndBlanketOnTheSofa · 11/03/2018 09:33

Bottom line is, she asked her husband not to do something again, something that he must have understood she felt strongly about.

He promised he wouldn't.

He coontinued to do it in secret and she discovered it.

I'd imagine her strong reaction was shock; anger; disgust; betrayal, helplessness... I'd imagine she felt a fool for believing him.

His mistake was making the promise in the first place. He should have just told her and she would at least then been able to make an informed choice about whether she continued the relationship or not.

Lying to her for years and 2 children down fhe line when she probably doesn't want to split a family up has put her in an impossible situation.

Then again, I never understand on these threads were women encourage their husbands to promise never to do something again either, or accept a promise made. If you have a dealbreaker and someone breaks it, the relationship is off surely?

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