My father in law is a terrible bully. My husband is too frightened of him to stand up to him. Once when he was visiting, sitting at the table, eating a meal I had cooked he said to me, "so you're going to dump her in a nursery" referring to a joint decision my husband and I had made to send our child to a childminder two days a week while I was at work. He had bullied my husband for years as a child to the point where he can't stand up for me because he thinks his dad has a right to bully people.
After some heart searching I imposed strict boundaries. I stopped visiting my in laws, get out of the house if they visit, don't talk on the phone or Skype. My only contact is writing by old fashioned mail to my mother in law, an enabler when it comes to bullying but not a bully herself. In fact I suspect another victim.
It worked. But since it happened lots of other people have told me their bullying in law stories. It's a bit depressing really how many women put up with it for years and years. Dies anyone else have stories of how they put a stop to bullying from in laws? It would cheer me up no end to know I wasn't the only one who had to take in a family bully. And maybe give some hope to people having to put up with it.