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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

He laid his hands on me in an argument

86 replies

jojobar · 08/04/2020 14:57

We've been stuck in a living together situation since the recent travel restrictions started - he lives 4 hours away so although he could go back, we knew once he went he probably couldn't come back here again.

Was ok at first, over the last 7-10 days we've been sniping at each other a bit. I sat him down last night because he was really quite dismissive and argumentative a few times in the day, and asked if we could talk about why he was upset/ unhappy.

At first he refused, 'what's the point'. This is a common tactic he's done in the past. Then said he'd been trying to raise issues with me for the last 10 days and I just trample all over him all the time. I have no idea of any occasions where he's tried to speak to me, but I apologised if he felt I'd squashed discussion, I'd not done it deliberately but could we talk now? He says why should we talk just because I say so...

I let that go, and explain I've been concerned because he's been physically distant from me and up til 3-4am every night 'working'. He admitted he won't come to bed at the same time as me because partly work but mostly because I turned him down for sex 2 weeks ago and also because I made a comment about feeling ill at ease in a certain position, and likened it to something, and that made it 'weird'. So he decided he wouldn't come to bed as 'what's the point, nothing's going to happen' and then - allegedly - changed his mind on Monday, but because I was 'snippy' with him in the day, he decided not to bother.

I said this was petty and childish of him.

Discussion continued, and became more heated. He said calling him petty and childish was emotional abuse, that I'm an abuser. He was bellowing at this stage, and pointing his finger in my face.

I was subject to physical abuse in a previous relationship, and have told him before that behaving in this manner makes me uncomfortable. I repeated this last night - he said why should my problems concern him?

He then stood in front of me, placed his hands just below my shoulder level, and pushed me. Not hard, but enough to make me take a step back (I weigh about 9st less than him). It didn't hurt me but I feel that this has really crossed a line.

I know if I raise it with him he will say 'I didn't hit you'. As though that makes it ok. But I think as a minimum for us to have any hope of even discussing any of this shit he needs to apologise, that's not unfair is it?

OP posts:
AgentJohnson · 12/04/2020 12:14

*It's not me. I tried, I really have.•

Putting up with abuse is not trying, it’s called being being abused.

jojobar · 12/04/2020 12:19

I don't think that there was any abuse previously in our relationship. As for what happened earlier this week, I feel calling it abuse or assault maybe minimises what others go through but for me what he did even if I wouldn't term it assault, clearly crossed a line and we couldn't continue.

I've heard nothing from him. There's no reason for me to contact him as I don't have anything of his (and what he has of mine is easily replaced) so that's the end of it.

OP posts:
LookTheOtherWayPlease · 12/04/2020 12:48

He said calling him petty and childish was emotional abuse, that I'm an abuser.

Which is what abusers all say. It's designed to make you doubt yourself, make you back down, and make you afraid to ask anyone for help.

Dazedandconfusedpart2 · 12/04/2020 12:54

Having been on the receiving end of abuse, reading of another person suffering from abuse has absolutely no impact whatsoever on what I went through. You are not taking anything away from anyone else by acknowledging what you have endured. Please don't minimise what happened to you.

Everyone has an equal right to live free from any abuse and that is not what happened (I can only go by your posts of course). The ones who are abused are often the very last people to call it as such.

Dazedandconfusedpart2 · 12/04/2020 12:56

Apologies if that has a rude tone, I didn't mean it that way! I just despair of the way so many women are treated. You deserve so much better OP. Anyone who has suffered any form of abuse will be on your side.

GigiLamour · 12/04/2020 13:02

He sounds terrifying.

jojobar · 12/04/2020 16:25

Feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. Have been trying to sort my garden out all day and made no progress, or certainly nothing visible. I wish he was here to help, I'm trying to paint the fence but I can't seem to spray it consistently or get any coverage. It took me 30 mins to do one panel. I've got about 30 panels to do 😭 I can't work out what I'm doing wrong.

OP posts:
Ninkanink · 12/04/2020 16:28

One step at a time. Even if you only do one panel a day, that’s ok - at the moment we’ve literally got all the time in the world. 🌻

I find YouTube really good for easy tutorials on how to do things. Sometimes watching someone else do something is the best way to learn.

jojobar · 12/04/2020 16:38

I'm just crap at physical tasks. Watching doesn't usually help me because I can't see any difference between what someone else does and what I do, except they get the right outcome and I don't.

I'm working FT from home so I'd planned this weekend to sort the garden (I've got loads of decorating to do indoors too) but now I just feel so fucking useless. How incompetent must I be that I can't even spray something and get it to cover? It looks worse than when I started.

OP posts:
Ninkanink · 12/04/2020 17:10

Can you paint with a brush instead?

I really think you need to ease of off putting pressure on yourself to get stuff done within a certain time frame. Instead, go out and do one panel every afternoon/evening. Or one task in the garden. Yes, it’ll take longer and yes, it won’t be as apparent straightaway that you’ve ‘done the garden’ but that’s not working for you. So stop setting yourself up to fail. Especially if you’re working full time - don’t add extra stress on top of that. Be kind to yourself. 🌻

jojobar · 12/04/2020 17:55

I'm my own worst enemy sometimes. I put myself under loads of pressure, fail, and then tell myself I'm shit.

It's possible I wasn't watering it enough so am going to try again tomorrow.

OP posts:
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