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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

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He's locked us in

305 replies

Bubsworth · 20/09/2019 08:51

Need to leave physically aggressive husband. He has been physical before occasionally but the last two nights he has left marks on me. We have a small baby. Husband currently asleep upstairs but appears to have hidden the. Keys so I'm locked in the house. Too scared to casually ask him where keys are. No one knows the real him his best friend thinks I'm crazy and irrational because of what husband tells him. So scared he will try to take the baby and use my extreme post natal anxiety I had against me. What do I do right now?

OP posts:
honeyloops · 20/09/2019 21:59

You are doing the right thing, for your child and for yourself. Even if it doesn't feel like it. Keep going, this stranger is proud of you (and as someone whose own mum didn't feel able to for much, much longer - although I don't blame her because like you, he made her feel guilty by being lovely sometimes - please get out before worse things happen to you, because people like him don't just stop, and get out before your child is old enough to suffe the emotional damage of seeing their mother beaten and scared). You can do this 💛

ScrimshawTheSecond · 20/09/2019 22:02

Flowers chickenyhead. Well done for getting out.

ScrimshawTheSecond · 20/09/2019 22:04

The 'being lovely' part is part of the abuse. All the promises, all the declarations, mad proposals, the 'nobody will ever love you like I love you'. Just one part of the cycle, designed to keep you trapped, all straight out of the abusers handbook.

All utter bullshit. Sorry.

Siablue · 20/09/2019 22:04

Well done for contacting the police. You have taken a massive step.

Tomorrow try to get some medical attention for your injuries. This will give you more evidence to protect your baby and also hopefully some support.

Read up about trauma bonding. He is making you feel sorry for him. It understandable that you love him. If he loved you he would never treat you this way. I know it is hard to process this because I am still struggling with this myself.

I see you have family support. Surround yourself with people who really love you.

Keep posting. I have got some amazing advice on this site. There is a way out but you can’t really believe it til you leave. Flowers

ThatCurlyGirl · 20/09/2019 22:06

@chickenyhead

I'm so sorry you went through that ThanksThanksThanks

FluffyCloudsInTheSky · 20/09/2019 22:10

Well done got contacting the police. Remember you are strong.

You and your baby deserve safety. Please don't leave it until next week to follow up with the police Thanks

chickenyhead · 20/09/2019 22:11

Thanks for the flowers

Owning other people's guilt sucks!

bombomboobah · 20/09/2019 22:11

Chicken, I'm so sorry 😔
much love and strength to you for the future💗

Mummyto2munchkins · 20/09/2019 22:13

Stay safe OP, I hope you've got a exit plan for if there's a next time (there will be, I've been through the apologies and crying and the next day it happened again)
Make your family aware incase you need to call them late night / early morning to get out.
Try and have a bag packed and hidden somewhere for when you need to flee, atleast you'll have essentials for the night/day. Try and save some money too. Also be careful of your search history (if he has your Google password he maybe able to log in to see what you're doing and also track your phone) I don't say this to scare you, I'm just giving some advice.
My ex when I was 16 was violent ALOT, I managed to flee at 3am he tracked my phone and turned up to where I was banging on the door asking for forgiveness.
Stay safe OP, if you need any advice / help send me a PM. (I've been through wanting to work things out and thinking you can help somebody)
It's hard, but you're stronger than you think. Flowers stay safe, and look after your precious bundle. Xx

MrsNotNice · 20/09/2019 22:18

I feel so fucking guilty. When I think of the nice normal him and how wonderful and supportive he has always been I feel sick with guilt. m
OP everyone should be nice and decent and normal. You don’t owe him to reward him by denying yourself physical security just because he knows how to be normal half the time. He was meant to be normal ALL the time.

And you aren’t a trophy. You are a human needing his support and partnership. Him losing you won’t deny him his basic human rights. But you losing your sense of security WILL destroy you and your child’s world. He should be able to see that if he isn’t selfish.. at some point. When he isn’t too emotional.

You are feeling guilting because he is used to making you take responsibility for his bad behaviour. “If only you didn’t do this.. it will help me not do that”. Which suggests he isn’t ready to change.. because most abusers don’t realise that there is never a reason to abuse.. its a full stop answer not allowed. There are other ways to resolve dispute and misunderstanding.. but they can’t control themselves.

He had an abusive parent and so he didn’t learn how to cope with relationship stress. But that’s not for you to solve.

You being there will actually make you an easy target for him to deflect the blame and never deal with his issues.. he is finding it difficult to address his own behaviour. It’s subconscious and he needs therapy.. but you being there won’t helo him in any way..

You need some tough love. Realise by you enabling his behaviour you are making him a worse person. What you need is do the natural human thing, protect yourself by leaving. Because that’s the natural consequence to his behaviour...

And that would be the only chance he might get in life at reflecting on his own behaviour.. because he had a consequence and his behaviour wasn’t minimised by the lack of consequence.

It doesn’t matter what’s the reason or source of his behaviour. Fine we can empathise.. does not make you deserving of the outcome does it???

And does not make it cruel for you to not be able to “fix him” or cope with it.

You can’t be the person that helps him because your position in the relationship doesn’t allow for that. And also, you can never help someone fix themselves, it has to come from them. Andbyou can only support them if it doesn’t impact on you.. but this impacts on you and your kids.

So wish him luck in your heart and leave..

Allow yourself to feel sad for the peeeon you thought he is and would be. Grieve for the hope you had for the relationship. Cry.. but know that this is positive for both you and him.. you leaving is the best favour you can do for both of you..

Him not liking it does not mean it’s not what he needs. And most importantly, it’s what YOU need for basic human rights. And if he ever changes in the future and realises abuse is wrong he will be able to see that and get over it.. and if he never wakes up then you dodged a bullet. S

Plz keep updating us on how you feel Op.

looondonn · 20/09/2019 22:19

Fab advice on here

Please run very very far away

He is scum you both deserve better

RuffleCrow · 20/09/2019 23:08

There's a brilliant book about abusive men - i think it's called Why Does He Do That by Lundy Bancroft (also a man). It addresses the exact problem of the jekyll and hyde problem. Basically they convince us that the nice guy is the 'real him' and the terrifying alter ego is just an occasional blip. Sadly, the truth is it's the other way round - the nice guy is the blip, the act (that's why it's so hard for them to 'stay' nice for more than a few days) and the terrifying guy is the real him - that's why it's his default setting.

Harsh but true.

Ogham · 21/09/2019 00:13

OP I hope to god u are planning your escape route and leaving soon. My partner has an abusive family history, but by Jesus if he lay a finger on me he’d be out that door so fast!! It’s up to your husband to deal with his issues and you to deal with yours. Violence is NEVER excusable, regardless of his history.
Do yourself a favor and set yourself clear boundaries of what is acceptable and unacceptable. - He is clearly testing your boundaries by hitting then apologizing and doing it again the next night (forgiven both times!). He now knows that this behavior is acceptable and will test you further - maybe locking you in the house while he’s at work. Locking you in while he’s in work and taking your phone with him. Get out now before you lose your self worth 🌺

MrsNotNice · 21/09/2019 00:18

To help you process the guilt, just answer this:

If you had An equally abusive parent and ended up having abuse normalised in your life and became physically abusive to your now DH in a way that endangered his life and the kids and endangered him having his kids taken away from him for enabling you and so on, doing the same control and psychological damage he is also doing to you... do you think he would’ve felt responsible to stay with you and risk everything just so he doesn’t upset you?

I honestly think that at a small problem he would turn his back on you. While you are tolerating the intolerable.

It’s ok:: when you leave and are in a stronger position and recovered mentally and emotionally you will be more likely to have the ability to influence him by speaking sense into him as the father of your child. Not now though. The priority now is to look after yourself.

Plz leave plz

cakeandchampagne · 21/09/2019 00:48

@Bubsworth You are headed the right direction.

@chickenyhead Flowers

FlamedToACrisp · 21/09/2019 01:16

@Bubsworth Please, please leave him at the very next opportunity.

Also, re the photos - email them to yourself, then you can't ever lose them or have them taken away because they're stored on the email company's computers.

WhatTiggersDoBest · 21/09/2019 02:09

I'm glad you got through to 101 in the end and hope you can get out of there. Keep trying women's aid when it's safe as they can help you with somewhere to stay and help you put your life back together after escaping this abuser (and delete those calls from your call history on your phone in case he looks).
He says he's sorry... but it won't stop him doing it again next time. He's always sorry, but somehow he'll never be sorry enough to stop hurting you. It's so scary and hard to walk away, and it seems like it's easier to stay, but it's the very best thing you can do for yourself and your baby.

Bubsworth · 21/09/2019 08:24

Thank you all x

Does anyone know what is likely to happen on Tuesday when the officers have come round? Will they arrest him when he gets home? I have made a report over the phone and she said her supervisor said to send officers round for safeguarding and I think to discuss what I reported. But I don't want them to arrest him and I told her this on the phone. But will they?

OP posts:
brokenladyxx · 21/09/2019 08:36

No I doubt they will arrest him if they're not coming out for a statement straight away however they will probably inform SS of what's happened and your choice to stay with him. He will probably have to attend some courses and counselling which is going to be better for you and baby. I've been there that's what happened to me fortunately I didn't have children at this time so no SS ever got involved but he was sent on anger management. Don't make excuses for his behaviour hun I do it everyday and it makes me feel worse x

ScrimshawTheSecond · 21/09/2019 08:37

Bubs, it might be worth calling (or emailing) the National Domestic Violence helpline, they'll be able to advise you on this:

www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk/

There's also this organisation that offers legal advice:

rightsofwomen.org.uk/get-advice/

How are you doing today?

Skyejuly · 21/09/2019 08:40

For me I went in a police station on a whim after a similar situation and I just blurted it out. I am so glad someone listened that day. They did actually arrest him that day and someone escorted me back to get my stuff.

I hope you manage to get sorted. It's amazing once you step away and you begin your life xxx

Skyejuly · 21/09/2019 08:41

The police officer said to me "he doesn't love you. Love isnt doing that to someone"

Skyejuly · 21/09/2019 08:42

Do you have a HV? Mine referred me for a mARAC xx

brokenladyxx · 21/09/2019 08:43

My partner too had an abusive start in life from his dad. Seeing his dad beat his mom and then turn it onto him, I on the other hand never saw a man hit a woman unless it was on television until I met him.

We make excuses for them because we love them but after 8 years my situation is getting worse not better, I'm sorting a plan out to get away before my daughter lets a man treat her this way and my son treats a woman in this way. Please know one day you could be unable to get away or get to your phone to alert somebody. Think carefully and just be safe, think of your baby x

ScrimshawTheSecond · 21/09/2019 08:52

brokenlady Flowers, and to all the women who are stuck in this nightmare. Sending you strength.