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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

I don’t know what way is up anymore

59 replies

IWasADrabLittleCrabOnce · 10/10/2018 20:32

I think I’m being emotionally abused. I know that sounds pathetic that I don’t even know but it’s been such a long time with him insisting that he’s not abusive, he would never hurt me, he’s not like that, that he’s calm and nice to everyone, how could he be abusing me... Except, he is.

It’s little things, lots of tiny things and eventually I just can’t take anymore, I blow up, I shout, I slam doors, I have to go into another room to calm myself down. But he’s always so calm, completely calm, even, low voice.

He’s never used my name, never, not even once. Since our child was born he calls me Mummy, despite me asking him not to. I’m not his mother after all. He has no reason why he won’t use my name, he just says he doesn’t use names. But he does. Just not mine. Ever.

He has a child from before we were married. He pays £500/month in maintenance but doesn’t see the child at all. He also will not allow his family to talk about this child in front of him. He refuses to tell me anything about this situation. Denys the child is his, Denys he pays maintenance. It’s very weird. There has been a dna test and he is the father but he denies this, even when the letter was in front of him he said he’s never had a dna test and he only has one child (the one he has with me). Despite his family knowing all about this child and seeing them regularly, I knew nothing until I was pregnant with our child and we had been married for five years. If anyone talks about this child he repeats I only have one child or he pretends that they are talking about the child I have with him. So, fucked up, right?

He constantly tells me I am socially awkward and have no sense of humour. This is kit true, I don’t think so. Before we were together I was always known as the funny one, a good laugh, had lots of friends. He tells all his friends and family that I am socially awkward and hate people. For example we were at a wedding years ago and I was talking to a couple and he came over and said something about why was I talking to them and turned and said sorry she hates people, she’s just pretending not to. I mean wtf, thats weird isn’t it?

He thinks he is absolutely gorgeous and that his whole family are gorgeous. This is one of his favourite subjects and he’ll talk at length about his good looking self and family, thank goodness our child took after him etc. He’ll then say, totally out of the blue, that he doesn’t care about a good body, that I’ve got a pretty face and that’s all that matters. But that’s horrible isn’t it? That’s cruel, I think.

He makes me pay for half of everything and I do all the housework. He will not lift a finger. I am exhausted doing everything and working full time in a professional job. I admit I don’t always look that great, I have a number of chronic illnesses and sometimes I look tired and sore. I might shove my hair in a messy bun and wear clothes that are suited to cleaning and child and animal care, but I’m too busy! If we go anywhere he spends a huge amount of time getting ready and by then I barely have a chance to put on a clean top and brush my hair. He’d never admit it, but he likes it that way, I’m sure he thinks it makes him look even better. We go out as a family maybe a couple of times per year. He doesn’t like to spend time with me. Even in the evenings I have to go to my bedroom after I’ve done the housework and spend the evening there because he likes to sit in the living room. If I try to stay downstairs he just sits on the sofa, staring at a switches off tv and glares at me every so often until I go away. He says this is because he wants some ‘me time’ to relax and watch tv. If I say I want to watch with him he goes off on a rant saying that I don’t like what he likes, that he works so hard and he just wants to relax without me ruining his programmes. He doesn’t sleep in our bedroom he sleeps on the sofa, every night for years. If I ever ask him why he says he didn’t mean to, but he does, it’s literally every night.

He’s a firefighter and if he doesn’t turn a conversation around to how attractive he is, he turns it around to the fire service, what a hero he is, how the court ty burn to the ground were it not for him, how handsome he is in uniform, how his colleagues love him so much, how he’s the hero of the village.

That’s long. Sorry. Even if no one can face reading to the end it’s helped just typing all that out. It feels clearer. He’s actually a horrible person. The thing is no one else sees it, all I hear is how lucky I am to have him, he’s a great guy, popular, fun, kind, so handsome. But I can’t stand him. I’ve got to leave don’t I.

OP posts:
MelonBuffet · 10/10/2018 20:38

Yes, you have to leave. He's 100% abusive. He's gaslighting you about the other child, crushing your confidence, taking the piss at home, selfish and narcissistic, and the part about the wedding - WTF!? Who does that?!

He is seriously messed up. Please find a way to get out and hope for your child's sake that he denies their existence too, so that they are not exposed to his abuse as they grow up. More experienced posters will be along to offer practical advice, but please keep posting for emotional support too Flowers

curlykaren · 10/10/2018 20:38

He's a fucking psychopath! Sounds WAAAAY beyond emotional abuse. R U N

category12 · 10/10/2018 20:38

Yes, leave. What you describe is awful and you should get out.

IWasADrabLittleCrabOnce · 10/10/2018 20:58

Hmm yes, it’s not me is it. It’s definitely him. I hate him. I’m glad I typed all that out.

I tried to say to him tonight I was unhappy and he just started on about how happy he is, what a great life he has, how wonderful he is, so handsome and so on. But he told me I can leave as he would never stand in the way of my happiness because he ‘likes me. I hate him.

OP posts:
MyAuntyBadger · 10/10/2018 21:07

I don't have any advice Crab, sorry, but fucking hell... that's utterly horrendous. I agree that he's a psychopath. Be careful, I wouldn't take the 'told me I can leave' at face value. Flowers

curlykaren · 10/10/2018 21:07

Your description is creeping me out! Please take care x

Sohardtochooseausername · 10/10/2018 21:12

Oh my that sounds awful. Are you set up to leave him eg have you got somewhere to go, savings etc?

If not have you spoken with women’s aid?

Kr1stina · 10/10/2018 21:18

Please do not talk to him about how badly he is treating you. I know it’s tempting to do this because you think if you can convince him he’s wrong , he will change.

He won’t.

Please don’t tel him you are leaving or try to get him to to agree that is reasonable for you to leave .

He won’t. Ever .

Please make your plans and leave. You have time to do this properly ( i mean weeks not months or years ). Speak to women’s aid, get counselling , see a solicitor .

Don’t tell him anything, act normally. Men like him can get very angry and violent when they see that their victim is escaping.

category12 · 10/10/2018 21:21

What do you need to get away from him? You work in a professional job, so can you afford your own place? Do you own a place together or rent? Do you have supportive family?

jacquejacque · 10/10/2018 21:23

Oh my love, you're right, he sounds like a proper arsehole. You, on the other hand, sound like you have your head screwed on and I think you know what you need to do. What is your next step? Can you tell a family member?

Catsatrophe · 10/10/2018 21:24

Have you met his friends? Other firefighters and their wives/partners?

Nicelunch25 · 10/10/2018 21:26

I'd advise you to read the Lundy Bancroft book. He is the only one who won't admit he is abusive. If you reach out to people and women's aid they will believe you and help you. It's pointless trying to convince him he's wrong. Although once you do leave or get him to leave he'll pretend to admit he is as a way of reeling you back in.

IWasADrabLittleCrabOnce · 10/10/2018 21:29

I’m a nurse working for a charity so yes, I have my own money and can afford to not be with him. We own our house together, I stupidly (I realise now) paid the sizeable deposit from my own savings, but that was several years ago now and the value has obviously risen since then.

I don’t know anything about Women’s Aid, I’ll look them up.

Very not supportive family, not at all.

It just seems like so much, it’s overwhelming, but I can’t live like this. I don’t want our child thinking this is normal.

OP posts:
IWasADrabLittleCrabOnce · 10/10/2018 21:30

Yes I’ve met his friends and colleagues and their partners. We’ve been together nearly 10years. Everyone thinks he’s great.

OP posts:
DeRigueurMortis · 10/10/2018 21:31

You want to spend the rest of your life like this?

Of course you kick the fucker into touch.

Go see a solicitor and find out your rights.

Get your shit together and walk the hell away.

I'll bet the mother of his other child did the same and is damn grateful he's not in her life or that of her child anymore.

StillSmallVoice · 10/10/2018 21:33

Have my first ever LT(fucking)B.

This from someone who spent more that twenty years in an abusive marriage, and haven't looked back since I LTB. ThanksThanksThanksThanks

Wellfuckmeinbothears · 10/10/2018 21:33

He’s a narcissistic twat and yes, you must leave. He’s damaging your self esteem and mental health and you deserve so much better. He thinks he’s gods gift and treats you like dirt. What’s your housing situation? Do you rent/own? Who is on the mortgage/tenancy?

TomHardyswife · 10/10/2018 21:37

My blood has ran cold reading that, crab.

Get out of that relationship NOW. You deserve so much better.Thanks

Dragongirl10 · 10/10/2018 21:45

Oh op, he is horribly abusive and controlling, you have to get out, this is not normal behavior......

Try really hard to forget EVERYTHING he has ever told you and remember who you were before you met him.

Don't waste any time trying to understand him or reason with him, nothing you say or do will have any impact on him....

Carry right on being just the same whilst you plan your escape, his behavior may escalate if he thinks he is losing control of you...

Please, please believe us and get safely far,far away from him...

zippyup · 10/10/2018 21:47

I know everyone is saying leave, but why should you leave?
He's the one destroying your relationship. Make life as hard as possible for him. Don't do the house work, sit in the lounge with him so he doesn't get his me time. Make his life miserable.
He's obviously very insecure and has to bully you to make himself feel better.
Alternatively try and work things out, see a councillor together and raise all the points you have in a controlled space...then if it doesn't change you know you have tried your best.
It's worth thinking about before you pack your bags, I've been in this situation and I wished I had done more to fix our relationship at the time. Years later we got back together after he'd had counselling and was diagnosed with PTSD.
I'm not suggesting he's not doing wrong by you at the moment but there might be underlying issues?
The person you fell in love with must be in there somewhere, you just don't like him right now...maybe he doesn't like himself?
Hope it works out for you xx

category12 · 10/10/2018 21:51

He sounds like he absolutely loves himself, zippyup?

Joint counselling isn't advisable when there's abuse.

Sally2791 · 10/10/2018 21:56

That is chilling reading. He is seriously mentally ill. I don't think any amount of counselling would sort that out- he would just turn it all around against you.Make cast iron plans in private then get out and have a life.

DeRigueurMortis · 10/10/2018 22:03

Zippy - he's abusive.

Turing the tables doesn't work in that scenario - the abuser just doubles down on the abuse and the situation escalates further to the detriment of the person they are abusing.

The only option is to leave him.

That doesn't have to mean leaving everything behind (house/assets etc).

It means knowing your rights and having a plan.

IWasADrabLittleCrabOnce · 10/10/2018 22:03

I’ve tried sitting down with him of an evening, he will genuinely sit staring at a switches off tv all night if I don’t go away, it’s not worth it. I’ve tried not doing the housework, for weeks, but he won’t do it either and I can’t have our child living in filth.

As for counselling, maybe I’m not working hard enough on my marriage, I probably am at fault sometimes, but he manages to charm everyone he meets and makes me out to be awful and isn’t he great for staying with me when I’ve got such a temper, ie when I’ve had my fill of his drip, drip, drip nastiness and I blow up and tell him he’s hurting me. I can’t think of anything worse than counselling with him, he refuses to admit he has any faults at all. Like none. Whatsoever. He is apparently perfection.

I don’t know why I got with him, looking back he’s always been like this. I just thought it was me, I thought I was lucky to have him given how he made me think I was.

OP posts:
zippyup · 10/10/2018 22:06

I don't want to go against the grain too much because I'm not on here to get slated!
Just to offer an alternative opinion...I think he sounds totally insecure, he sounds embarrassed things didn't work out with the mother of his first baby. And that he doesn't have a relationship with that child. Do you know what happened?
He's sounds ashamed, insecure, needs his ego boosting and gets this by telling you he's good looking and by putting you down.
If he's not sleeping in bed, he's having trouble sleeping so there's an issue there.
It's just a thought.

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