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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

Husbands friends and family hate me - I can't move forward

13 replies

Vasilisa19 · 29/12/2018 14:31

I'll try and make it brief

H's best friend took against me from the get-go. Before we married he was really vile to me every time we were in the same room (eye rolling, sarcastic comments, put-downs - including derogatory comments about me looks and breasts). He apologised for his behaviour just before we married and excused it as 'feeling you was taking my friend away from me'. Forgiven, lets move on. But things were never right between us and he would slip back into being mean and unpleasant in moments of insecurity.

Here's the problem. The friend and his wife (who was cold with me from the beginning), became friends with my SIL. This slowly turned into one big nightmare where they seem to be sat around winding each other up over every petty thing until they all decided I was the worst person in the world. Basically I have ruined my husband's life, terrible mother and wife...

My MIL has a very close relationship with her daughter and takes her side over everything. SIL/H's friend & wife basically convinced my MIL that I was/am a horrible person. Every little thing was twisted out of context or stuff just made up. I slowly got excluded from family events, being left out of photos, not being invited to things (forgetting to put my name on cards and invitations). I know there are two sides to a story but I essentially bent over backwards to try and win them over - everything got thrown back in my face. I have always stayed polite and civil no matter how upset it made me feel. Last Christmas MIL finally demanded that H left me because we are going to spend Christmas with my parents.

H then realised that there was a plot among 3 people in his life to destroy me or our marriage one way or another and began distancing himself from the toxic people in his life. Not physical distance, but being more boundaried and careful about sharing information etc.

After being accused of something I hadn't done or even thought, I finally decided to go NC with his family for my own mental health. Unfortunately this only made things worse as they are now taking things out on my husband. They are now going for broke. H gets regular calls shouting and yelling at him, accusing me of 'pulling him away' (he sees them every family gathering, his mother once a month, his brother in between). They also accuse me of mistreating him, made up stuff like him having to do too much around the house or with the kids, me not financially contributing. They even blamed me for his hair needing cutting (apparently long hair is a sign of unhappiness). You get the picture. They will not stop.

I basically cannot stand it anymore. Although H knows exactly what is going on, he finds it difficult to stand up to them. If he contradicts them, then he has been brain-washed, if he doesn't say anything it is seen as admission they are right. He can't win. And its getting me down.

We met up with his brother in a hope he would act as a voice of reason. He essentially confirmed that there is something not right about how I had been treated and that those involved are threatened by me, but his advice is I have to basically walk on eggshells and get on with it for the sake of the family.

I just can't cope anymore with the drama. Its like being in pergatory. Help please.

OP posts:
greendale17 · 29/12/2018 14:34

Your husband needs to take some of the blame for allowing this situation to develop and continue.

I would lodge a complaint with the police- they are harassing you and your husband.

VimFuego101 · 29/12/2018 14:53

Your husband is not doing enough, IMO. He made a good start by limiting contact but he needs to clearly state that they need to treat you respectfully or he will stop contact with them.

Do you have kids/ want to have kids eventually? Imagine subjecting them to this. He needs to have your back.

Vasilisa19 · 29/12/2018 15:02

Yes. We have kids. They are not allowed unsupervised contact because of things MIL and SIL have said to my daughter in the past. However, we told my DD when she is 18 she can choose and has since decided NC unless cousins are there (she has seen her GM shouting at her dad in the past).

The problem is, whenever he tries to stand up to them, or put boundaries in place or simply say 'no', MIL goes insane, shouting and accusing, then gets other FMs involved with half a story. Its easier just to smile and wave.

On a plus side, he has started gathering information and sharing it with his brother, who has also had a rough time of it, so he gets it. His wife seems to appreciate the validation.

Thanks for your advice, it does help.

OP posts:
Florries · 29/12/2018 15:04

Yes call the police because some people don't like you. Log it with 101.

Florries · 29/12/2018 15:06

Epic tag fail for "greendale* there.

They sound awful, Op. I'd stay NC if I were you. Atleast DH knows what they are like but agree he should do more and take a stand.

AlwaysSomethingThere · 29/12/2018 15:10

Tell them all to fuck off. Change all phone numbers. Job done 👍

VI0LET · 29/12/2018 15:12

Your husband has to choose. Either he goes on living like this or he goes NC with them. Or you get divorced .

He’s tried sitting on the fence and that’s not worked.

SandAndSea · 29/12/2018 15:19

I think you have to decide how you want to live and take it from there.

LonginesPrime · 29/12/2018 15:19

OP, this happened with me and my ex-H. I went NC with them as I didn't want to be subjected to abuse from his family, then he would go round there and would be the object of their abuse instead. So he stopped going round there too after a while.

I think it has to be his decision to go NC, but if he doesn't, I would be asking myself what I'd do if the situation were reversed.

He needs to grow up and stand up to his family, one way or another. Why would he continue to want to spend time with people who've been so utterly shitty to you?

Sisterlove · 29/12/2018 15:20

Try and form an alliance with his brother and brother's wife.

mountainlakes · 29/12/2018 15:51

I can't believe your husband is letting them treat you like that. He should tell them to stop it and refuse to take part in their abusive behaviour. By not saying anything he is condoning their behaviour. I find his behaviour weak and abusive to you by not doing anything about it. You are limited to what you can do as they aren't your family. I think you are right to go no contact. Your husband needs to step up and support you better.

MrsJane · 29/12/2018 16:22

I don't say this lightly but I think it's time for all of you to go NC.

They sound like spiteful and vindictive people who thrive on drama and control. And people like that very rarely change.

For your own sanity and happiness, tell your DH that you can't take anymore and you both need to have that clean break from them.

Vasilisa19 · 29/12/2018 22:16

Thank you so much

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