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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

DP tracking his ExW and reading her emails.

609 replies

NameChangeAsThisIsBloodyAwful · 26/06/2018 08:29

Urgh. This is really messing with my head.

So, DP has been separated for 2 years. Divorce in progress. He left. There are 2 older teenage DCs. We have been together 1.5 years, it's serious and we will be moving in together.

Basically, without writing a novel, there are a few issues at play here. He tracks his ex wife on Find My IPhone - he has the password. He says he does it to see where his children are (on same cloud), and so that he doesn't ever have to bump into exw. I've been unhappy with this as it smacks of not letting go, and of control - not to mention legal implications of invasion of privacy.
Thing is, it's not just for the kids. The exw had a night out on Saturday and he kept checking to see where she was and was frustrated that her phone seemed to be offline.
We rowed about it. I told him he needs to let go. He told me that he has let go, but because of the nature of the split - she took it very badly and it's impacted massively on his relationship with his children who took their mum's side and don't really want to see him, that he does it to feel part of the children's lives still...or something,

It's not only that. He regularly checks her email. He also has that password - she isn't technogically minded, and he set up all these things when they were still together. He says he does it see if there are any emails regarding a sport his eldest dc takes part in, as the exw is telling him nothing anymore. I think that is also completely unacceptable.

Further, he's been very reticent about telling her that he has a new relationship. I accepted that due to the precarious nature of his relationship with his kids and didn't want to rock the boat. However, at this stage we are serious about a future together. The other week we were spotted by a relative of the exw who reported back to her that we had been seen together. She text him to ask if he was with someone else, and expressed that he had promised to tell her if he was seeing someone new, and that it hurt to hear second hand (totally reasonable of her in my opinion) and that she (and the kids, she always involves them) would like the truth from him.

He text her back minimising everything, saying it was someone he had very recently started seeing and that it was far too soon to tell the children.
Lies. Total lies. We've been together since 2016. He has met my entire family and child many times. We have had family holidays together and we are going to be buying a house together.

He is just so scared she will use anything against him to create an even worse relationship with his children.

To say I'm fed up of all of this is a huge understatement. We also rowed about his reply to her text. I understand he would have preferred to tell her that he was in a relationship and not for her to hear it second hand, but he should have told her before, in my opinion. And now that she knows something, he should have been more honest. Not to rub her nose in it, but not to minimise me and make me feel like a nothing in his life.

The rest of our relationship is excellent, otherwise I'd not be able to cope with his.

I don't know what to do about this though. I don't know if I'm being unreasonable or he is. I am looking for some advice on how to handle it.

OP posts:
Speakeasy22 · 27/06/2018 10:49

Strange the the DP shares the stalking and shared the texts to the ex Wife about the ‘new’ relationship with the OP... Why would he do that? He could have kept it all private.

Juells · 27/06/2018 10:54

accessory after the fact

She's not just an accessory after the fact though, is she? She knows it's happening right now.

FinallyHere · 27/06/2018 10:54

He could have kept it all private.

I agree that it is one of the more worrying aspects of the storyline, as it indicates that he does not see that he is doing anything wrong and/or is so confident that the OP is suckered into his lies that there is no chance of her waking up to what is going on.

She knowingly gave him her passwords and access to find my iPhone. She will know that he still has these details even though they are not together any more.

Another reason for her to know, and be able to formally withdraw her consent, maybe by writing to him with a signed for cease and desist letter, so that if he then continues, the position is a little more clear.

lunar1 · 27/06/2018 10:57

Given that the op has left the thread I don't think there is any need for kid gloves in replying now.

The partners behaviour is criminal, and it's desperately sad that the op would rather save her relationship than protect an innocent woman and her children from a potentially very dangerous man.

Teen children would have to be incredibly hurt to cut off a parent, it won't be minor.

I desperately hope someone finds out about the pair of you being creepy stalkers-that's what you are now too op. It's also a shame this country's legal system is so lenient.

eggncress · 27/06/2018 11:29

Has he told you why he left his wife? It does sound a bit weird as it’s almost as if he’s obsessed with her and wants to go back.
Very odd.

midnightmisssuki · 27/06/2018 11:53

I have never wanted a thread to be picked up by a newspaper more than this one. I hope it does and the ex wife recognised herself and calls the police on this awful man.

Prawnofthepatriarchy · 27/06/2018 13:00

The mother of my DSD used to stop her seeing her DF whenever she wanted to hurt either of them. But when my DSD hit her teens she took a stand; told her DM that mum could no longer dictate access. After that we saw more of her and it was predictable.

OP, if you're still reading, teenagers generally make their own decisions about access. If your DP has been cut off by his nearly adult children it's almost certainly because they don't want to see him.

I remember a friend checking the surrounding streets before his wedding to make sure his horrible DF wasn't lurking in the wings. He was in his twenties then. Neither he nor his sisters ever forgave their father's treatment of their mother. Family loyalty runs deep.

WellAndTrulyCurbed · 27/06/2018 13:01

I certainly am not shirking my personal responsibility for involvement in any of this, nor condoning or seeking to justify away any of it
Like fuck you're not. You've done nothing BUT condoning and justifying.

I have decided that I won't be updating this thread further and will be dealing with things privately moving forwards
Of course you won't. How convenient and how very telling.

Walkaboutwendy · 27/06/2018 13:08

I hope that MNHQ let this thread stand as a warning to vulnerable women. It may prompt women to review their cyber security and protect themselves.

MNHQ please do not delete this thread. It can do greater good for many. Perhaps you could highlight it as a key issue?

Anyone else agree?

Ryder63 · 27/06/2018 13:16

walkaboutwendy yes, I wholeheartedly agree.

Joysmum · 27/06/2018 13:19

His tonnage kids are more savvy than the OP. They know he’s not worthy enough to be in their lives.

Walkaboutwendy · 27/06/2018 13:22

@Ryder thanks!

Let's turn this into something positive then!

If we do @MNHQ will they see it? If so and you agree please add this to your post Flowers

SoftBallSophie · 27/06/2018 13:26

It seems likely that the exW left him (and not the other way around) he seems still obsessed with her and living in hope of her ex him back (hiding his 2year relationship with OP) etc.

Mistygreyelephants · 27/06/2018 13:31

Agree with walkaboutwendy and rydar @MNHQ. And I hope this gets picked up by a newspaper to midnight

AndTheBandPlayedOn · 27/06/2018 13:45

Jesus wept.
OP if still lurking, you have been warned.

Does being a single parent make you so desperate for a relationship that you have infinite tolerance for everything?
Sitting on a night out while he obsessed over another woman (regardless of it being his ex) would be an enough is enough moment for a great majority of women to walk out and not look back. Why do you take yourself out of the picture so much? He has already established that what he feels overrides what you feel.

And then he minimized you. Well, yeah, because any self respecting woman (single parent or not) would have walked long ago.

I agree with the previous observations that you are being conditioned and groomed to be his next target. You are all “stand by your man” because poor diddums put on a good /show/ pouting pity party. That’s some powerful bait: using the children as he knows you are a parent too. He will turn on you at some point. He doesn’t have the social intelligence or self awareness to stop himself.

Is there anything that would be a dealbreaker for you?

SoupDragon · 27/06/2018 13:45

If we do @MNHQ will they see it?

I dont think so as it’s not a posting name

Walkaboutwendy · 27/06/2018 13:47

@SoupDragon

Ah okay. So is there anyway posters can show their support to MNHQ?

ThePeasantsAreAtTheGates · 27/06/2018 13:54

Here's my theory: OP and this man were at the least in an emotional relationship while he was with his wife, that he left his wife and family as he wanted to pursue a physical relationship with OP but since they've been together he's been finding it impossible to disconnect. I also think OP may be known to the woman being stalked and the man in question is keeping OP a secret because he swore (probably on his children's lives) that there was nothing between him and OP at the time he left the family.

Ryder63 · 27/06/2018 14:01

walkaboutwendy report your post

"I hope that MNHQ let this thread stand as a warning to vulnerable women. It may prompt women to review their cyber security and protect themselves"

I'm reporting too, saying I think this a very good idea.

Walkaboutwendy · 27/06/2018 14:06

@Ryder63 Thanks!

I hope that MNHQ let this thread stand as a warning to vulnerable women. It may prompt women to review their cyber security and protect themselves.

MNHQ please do not delete this thread. It can do greater good for many. Perhaps you could highlight it as a key issue?

If you agree with me please report my post to MNHQ in support! Grin

Ryder63 · 27/06/2018 14:08

Reported! Grin

Bluntness100 · 27/06/2018 14:27

To be fair to the op here, she is clearly bothered by his behavuour and thinks it's wrong.

Worryingly though I get the impression it's not bothering her because of concern for the woman being stalked, it's bothering her because she's concerned he's still emotionally invested in his ex, won't disconnect or let her go, and is denying/minimising rhe op as if she means nothing.

I really think that's her problem with it. It's about what it means about her.

Member745520 · 27/06/2018 14:34

Reported Smile

Mistygreyelephants · 27/06/2018 14:34

Reported Flowers

Ryder63 · 27/06/2018 14:37

Bluntness hopefully OP is lurking and digesting the replies here. Yes she may have been thinking only of herself in this repulsive scenario, but so many posters here outraged on the ex wife's behalf may prompt her to take steps to ensure the hacking and stalking is known to both the police and the ex wife. Especially as she now knows how little value she is to her "D"P