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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

Let's talk red flags- what were/are yours?

41 replies

Perfectlyimperfectineveryway · 14/03/2019 00:14

I'm restapling in my mind the red flags I stupidly chose to ignore in my previous relationship

  • elaborate made up life (house owner, car owner, good job etc) which were unbelievable but ignored it.
  • jealous to massive extent
  • controlling
  • disliking all my friends
  • commenting on my weight (9stone )
  • making a comment when I wore nice stuff or wearing make up
  • wasn't allowed to look out the window
  • very pushy sexually
  • manipulation
  • moving himself in very quick
  • declaring love

Just want to make them clear in my head

OP posts:
TinselAndKnickers · 14/03/2019 00:20

Making a lot of hurtful "jokes" and sulking when you are upset.

Just "slipping it in" and laughing - this is rape.

Thinking material possessions make everything okay again. I pushed you into the road? Have a bunch of flowers. That kind of thing Grin

Questioning why I like things - why shouldn't I be allowed to like Yorkshire Tea more than Tetley?! A bickering light hearted thing is fine, but getting genuinely angry and storming out of the house is not.

Glad you are out of that relationship OP! Thanks

Fay4321 · 14/03/2019 00:23

Sounds like you are describing my relationship right now. Glad you were able to get out whilst you could!

OpiesOldLady · 14/03/2019 00:23

For me a huge red flag is how they speak about their exes. Are they all psychos, stupid bitches, cunts etc? What about how they speak about people who can't do anything for them - waiters/waitresses, cashiers etc?

TinselAndKnickers · 14/03/2019 00:26

Opies I completely agree with that.

Also their favourite films/shows and any patterns in them. One guy I was seeing, all his favourites included a woman being treated like shit with no big happy ending. He obviously looked down on women and thought he was superior.

AnneLovesGilbert · 14/03/2019 00:29

Being rude to waiters or taxi drivers.
Prioritising work at the expense of everything else.
Road rage.
Other types of rage.
Shouting, name calling, hitting or destroying inanimate objects. You're usually next.

TinselAndKnickers · 14/03/2019 00:30

Double standards.

coffeeismyspinach · 14/03/2019 00:32
  • tightwads. Going Dutch is fine, but people who try to sit back and let you pay for everything. Ditto people who go for broke at a meal and if you haven't say, 'Let's just go halves'. Nope, not subsidising your wine and cocktail and special coffee, starter plus expensive main whilst I had 1 sparkling water and a main. Usually coupled with boasts about how well they earn, people who rent are losers, people who aren't mortgage free are 'mortgage monkeys' blah blah blah.

-no real job. Not talking about low earners but people with no job.

  • messy. If your house or room or car is a total tip, fuck that. It means you don't give a shit about yourself or your stuff and think it's someone else's job to keep life in order. Nope. Grow the fuck up and learn how to use a bin.
  • doesn't see his kids or pay for them, usually coincides with 'crazy' ex and tales of how he doesn't pay for them because she doesn't let him see them or spends the money on herself. Bullshit.
  • food police/neggers. Go to a cinema and order popcorn and a drink and get a 'joke' about being 'greedy' or 'you just ate'. Sly comments about how you 'eat well' or stories about 'salad dodgers' or how some women 'let themselves go' or any of the like. Comments about how other women look whilst you're out or their ex and her body. Bodyshamers/neggers. Straight to the bin.
Fay4321 · 14/03/2019 00:39

-happy to put down your close family and friends

-brings up your past or previous relationships to belittle you

-constantly referring to themselves as always working out and going to the gym and say that you do nothing

-house is chaos when they are around, messy and organised.

-feel like you are walking on eggshells

-feel you can't be your true self when their initial "act" has faded away. You dumb yourself down or don't reminisce for fear of them picking holes in your past

VittysCardigan · 14/03/2019 00:46

The 'my ex was psycho' speech
Everyone else having mental health issues but not them
All their problems being due to others & not themselves
Negative comments about appearance - my ex pulled a face when i jokingly jiggled my belly - i'm late 40's with kids & size 12! - told him to fuck off!
I am very lucky not to ever have experienced an abusive relationship but pleased that i am no longer willing to put up with the crap spouted by some men.

OnlineAlienator · 14/03/2019 00:47

Agree with annelovesgilbert - any sort of rage, as it means you are probably next in my book. Especially over petty mere differences in opinion Hmm

Any kind of controlling behaviour has me jumping through the nearest window.

Also one guy (who exhibited both of the above) seemed absolutely addicted to lying too - lies about everything, not covering up cheating which you can understand the logic behind, but just every day things Hmm

coffeeismyspinach · 14/03/2019 00:48

-gropers. 'I just can't help it because you're so beautiful/sexy/attractive'. Kerb! Like a dog picking up its leg to mark its territory. Gross! Holding hands and arm in arm or arm round shoulders, okay, but any sexual touching in public and they're gone.

And yy to people who ask about the past. 'How many people have you slept with?' None of your business. Bin!

-people who try to dictate what you talk about. I had one boyfriend who'd never been to uni. No problem, he had a great business. But he tried to shut me down when I talked about anything about uni or even friends from uni. 'Did you just meet all your friends at uni?' No, but some of us were also friends at uni and still are. Get over it.

-boasting about how 'romantic' they are. This goes with negging usually. 'I'm so romantic, me.'

-anyone who describes himself as 'old-fashioned'. This is a red flag for a sexist misogynist. Oddly enough, this usually doesn't extend to work and earnings when you're expected to pay your half but not in the home or lifework. The same type usually spends a lot of time talking about how he's always 'earned his keep' and talks about what he's done to 'earn his crust' and puts down anyone who's fallen on hard times or is on benefits or spends time ranting about immigrants and spongers.

-anyone who says you need 'someone to look after you'. You don't, and if you did, you don't want him around!

claraschu · 14/03/2019 00:54

Unable to apologise or accept responsibility for things he did that are wrong.

AnneLovesGilbert · 14/03/2019 01:01

Also yes to can’t/won’t apilogise. Usually goes along with “if you hadn’t made me...”

TinselAndKnickers · 14/03/2019 01:11

Oh yes. Or "I don't like hurting you" don't bloody do it then you great big twat! Hmm

coffeeismyspinach · 14/03/2019 01:12
  • tales of past abusive or coercive behaviour with the codicil that they are now a changed person. I went out with one guy who told me about how one time when he was upstairs in a crowded nightclub he bet his mate that he could throw his pint over his then girlfriend who was on the dancefloor and still shag her that night. And did. Then wondered why I refused to see him again and blocked him.

-tells you and approves of abusive and shit behaviour of mates towards their OHs, of how said person shagged a prostitute on a stag do or is having an affair with a work colleague but well, she's a 'nag' who doesn't put out enough, 'let herself go', is a 'sponger' or whatever else, how he hides money from his OH or kids or the RP. We're known by the company we keep. Bin.

-anyone who uses terms like slag, slapper, slut, 'ho or similar euphemisms to describe women.

Sally2791 · 14/03/2019 05:39

Borrowing money early on and extremely reluctant to pay it back
Never loved anyone as much as me before -apparently
Always, always right
Road rage
Nothing ever his fault
Sexually coercive
Moving everything on very quickly in the beginning
Can't apologise
Moody-and somehow got me to apologise for his moods!
Jealous
Derogatory comments about me to keep me in line
Mean with money, not disclosing wages
What's yours is mine, what's mine is my own
Unsupportive
Physical abuse
Those relate to my ex, I can see clearly now they are unacceptable, but it took me literally years to see the light
I am still petrified of falling for the same shit again

TakenForSlanted · 14/03/2019 05:48
  • Ridiculous jealousy
  • Never having money, constantly borrowing then sulking when asked about paying it back
  • Guilt tripping you for having your own aspirations and opinions
  • "Nobody will ever love you the way I do - you're awkward, you're so lucky I'm into that"
  • Demanding you drop everything and invest your time (and money) in his new business. Multiple times over.

I could go on. I'm glad I'm divorced.

paisho · 14/03/2019 06:36

Constantly alluding to how "smart" they (think they) are. From experience, this usually predates name-calling during discussions/arguments because they "can't be bothered" to come up with a counterpoint. Other associated traits include general condescension, invalidating opinions/choices which deviate from their own, and intense anger when things don't go their way.

Nothavingfunrightnow · 14/03/2019 06:51

Sulking or throwing a tantrum if you say something they don't like.

Stating that they are the best at their job and the others on the same level are incompetent.

Saying shit like "I don't give a fuck about anything except my job, my woman, my kids and my friends".

Saying they have done things that other people haven't and how much more world wise they are than others.

Absurdly early declarations of love and how you're perfect for them.

Having no male friends or very few, and all female friends being exes.

Not making contact with their kids because if the children wanted to talk to him they would make contact first.

RiversDisguise · 14/03/2019 07:04

One ex wanted to wear a blonde wig during sex once... then every time

Don't go out with a fucking Cleopatra lookalike then, twat!

Men who try to change, control, neg you

RiversDisguise · 14/03/2019 07:08

Wanted me to wear, I mean.. Grin

Perfectlyimperfectineveryway · 14/03/2019 10:08

You guys hit every nail on the head with my previous relationship. To a tee!

Wow. Thanks everyone your really helping me realise thanks all cxcxx

OP posts:
lifebegins50 · 14/03/2019 10:41

My red flags were very much more subtle and covert.

Completely charming, almost too good to be true, and certainly was! He was a chameleon and loved everything I did, real soulmate stuff. By end of relationship he didnt agree with me on anything.

Bad relationship with his Ex, lots of drama. He used words like manipulated, controlled..I had never been used to this and it was a new language to me.

He didn't say terrible things about the Ex (he knew it was a red flag) but showed no compassion or empathy. His Ex, no overlap with me, was very bitter and therefore appeared irrational. I now think, in reflection, she had been subjected to toxic abuse and wasn't fortunate to have the resources I had (counselling and family) to heal.

Perhaps a crazy Ex , even if you witness crazy is due to the level of trauma they suffered.

Poor relationship with his mother, who had been abusive to her children. My wise mum has told me that how a man treats his mum is important but of course I knew best. The mother/child relationship especially boys is very important and if that is toxic I think there will be ongoing difficulty to form healthy relationships Ex had counselling so I assumed had done the work but narcisstic personality disorder isn't curable.

His friendships were all shallow and superficial which showed he only presented surface level stuff. He couldn't talk about someone's traits, only their status.

However biggest flag was...I felt something was off, my instinct told me to take stuff slowly but I believed I was the issue. It was my fault that I was not trusting or couldn't commit. Never, ever ignore your instincts even if you can't name them.

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 14/03/2019 11:12

jealousy
self pity
sulking
tightness
dissing exes
set in their ways/rigid thinking

pissedonatrain · 14/03/2019 13:29

no job
lived with parent
sad stories how hard done they were
everything is always someone elses fault
hot and cold treatment
no friends
lived online

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