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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

Please reassure me I’ve done the right thing

80 replies

lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 11:50

Hi, for context I’m now 21 and he’s 24.
So yesterday I finally left my boyfriend for good, we’ve been together for 2 years since I was 19 and he was 22, he proposed very early and we’ve had issues the whole way through due to his behaviour.
These issues include him regularly escalating tiny issues into something big, and then carrying on to the point of threatening to break up with me, saying he doesn’t love me until the point of me crying. Everytime he does this he blames it on being sexually abused when he was ten, I appreciate that this was awful for him but he uses it as an excuse for everything.
He once caused a problem from my male friend doing my shoelace for me, my friend had untied it joking around, so he retied it for me, this escalated into him accusing me of cheating on him with said friend?
When we were on holiday he causes an argument over literally nothing, and then proceeded to rip some of my money in half, said I was worse than his ex who cheated on him and physically abused him, ignored me for 10 hours and then claimed to not remember anything because “he’d had too much to drink”. I’d drank the same amount and remember everything.
He’s accused me of cheating multiple times.
He’s threatened to break up with me if I left the flat.
He used silence as a way to control the situation, has ignored me for days at a time knowing it makes my anxiety awful.
He’d break up with me and then backtrack and say that’s not what he meant and that I jumped to conclusions.
We had a chat about saving for a flat after uni and both agreed on how much we’d save from each student finance instalment and from our wages to ensure we’d have enough to move into a flat. Early on when I’d saved £1000 he only had £250 because he’d spent that much of his savings on random crap, think xbox games, an Apple Watch, a new Alexa, all stuff he didn’t need.
I’m general he made me feel crap a lot of the time, with little sly remarks he’d make, little digs, comments he knew would hurt me. He made me block certain people out of my life who he didn’t want me talking to.
He’d fly into aggressive rages, screaming, throwing stuff across the flat, he threatened to piss into my water bottle once because he thought I had locked myself in the bathroom, when in fact the door was unlocked and I wasn’t even in the flat.
He also has a phone bill under my name which he’d threaten not to pay as a way to control the situation.
Everytime he causes a problem he’ll link it back to something that happened in his past, being sexually abused, his ex hitting on him, his ex cheating on him etc.
Yesterday I returned to my flat (as I still pay rent there and I’d been at my mums for a month after the last time he kicked off, which resulted in him throwing something across the room which would have hit me if I hadn’t have moved, he also had me cornered in the bathroom screaming at me saying it’s my fault he acts this way).
After being in the flat for not even five minutes I knew I didn’t want to be there. I instantly felt sick and my stomach felt off, and I realised in that moment I couldn’t carry on anymore, it’s worn me down emotionally. I’m always waiting for the next time he kicks off. As soon as I said I was leaving because I couldn’t do it anymore he starts yelling and screaming and trying to throw my belongings out of the flat.
In the 5 minutes it took me to walk to the train station he’s rang me at least 30 times, sent nasty texts and sent me threats. I know my decision was 100% correct but I’m still having doubts, and just really need some reassurance that it will never be a healthy relationship.

OP posts:
category12 · 28/04/2020 11:54

Yes, you've done the right thing. Well done! You rock.

AllInTentsWithPorpoises · 28/04/2020 11:56

Well done for leaving. Do not look back. No one deserves to live like that and none of it is your fault. Good luck on your new chapter of life.

Laurie01 · 28/04/2020 11:58

You are right, this will never be a healthy relationship.
You are so young and do not need this.
He clearly needs counselling.
You deserve a relationship with someone who values you, loves you, this guy clearly doesn't.
Make a clean break now xx

category12 · 28/04/2020 11:59

It sounds like he was escalating. Throwing things and violence against objects can easily turn into violence against people.

If you need to collect stuff or anything later, don't go back alone. Leaving a domestic abuse situation is the most dangerous time.

Powerplant · 28/04/2020 11:59

Your decision is 100% correct you have done the right thing and doubts are normal. But you should feel like a whole weight has been lifted from your shoulders, I’m sorry about the abuse your boyfriend experienced and you have been supportive throughout your relationship but it’s not your problem. You are young and already feel worn down from his behaviour you really don’t deserve a future life with him which will only get worse. Try to ignore his messages for a few days until you feel calmer and stronger to answer them. You really have done the right thing. 💐💐

Tableclothing · 28/04/2020 12:00

You have done absolutely the right thing. He is abusive and the abuse is escalating. Abusers don't change, btw, they don't know any other way to be.

I take it you're going back to your mum's? Will you be safe there? (Abusers usually escalate when they can feel the other person pulling away). If you need to go back to get your stuff it might be worth calling the police and asking if someone could go with you when you collect it, if you don't have a dad/brother/large male friend who could join you.

Check out

www.womensaid.org.uk/

They have a lot of information which will help you stay safe now, identify the abusive behaviours your ex displayed. It's well worth a few hours of your time.

Well done for leaving.

lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:02

I’m not sure how to reply to people’s comments off my phone but thank you all so much. I arranged counselling for him before but he told me they’d gave him the wrong date and it was the following month. This turned out to be a lie and he’d actually just cancelled the appointment. I’ve got him blocked on everything right now. My only concern is the phone which is in my name, if he decides to stop paying it that will affect my credit score.

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AllInTentsWithPorpoises · 28/04/2020 12:05

Can you call the phone company and explain the situation?

lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:06

@Laurie01 Didn’t tag you in the first reply I posted, but he doesn’t accept any help he gets, he’ll lie about appointments being changed when he’s cancelled them. So I eventually gave up with that.

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:08

@AllInTentsWithPorpoises I’m definitely going to at some point. The bill isn’t due for another week and it’s currently in his best interest to pay it as it’s only means of contacting his family etc. But I’m going to call, my friend who works in a technology based job has told me that as the phone is in my name I can report it stolen to 111 and they can collect it? But I’m not sure whether to escalate that just yet.

OP posts:
Ulver · 28/04/2020 12:10

Why the hell do you need to know if you are doing the right thing?
Isn’t it glaringly obvious?

I’ve think I can’t stand is people using past abuse to justify their victim mentality where they can “do no wrong” or never be criticised.
It’s infuriating. He sounds like he has a personality disorder and really, it’s not your problem.
Run like the wind.

WifOfBif · 28/04/2020 12:10

Call the phone company and explain that you have left an abusive relationship and you are concerned he will stop paying the bill.

Well done for leaving, it would have only gotten worse had you stayed. Flowers

MrsMoastyToasty · 28/04/2020 12:10

Get help from CAB with the phone bill. Tell them that you were financially abused and he forced you to take out the contract by him.

dudsville · 28/04/2020 12:15

You're doing well OP, you're managing a very difficult situation. I'd be eager to get your name off this phone contract just to be done, and asap in case he's vengeful.

CoronaIsComing · 28/04/2020 12:16

Yes you’ve done the right thing. You have probably saved yourself from many years of abuse.

lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:16

@WifOfBif thank you! I definitely will ring and see what they can do.

@MrsMoastyToasty thank you for this advice!

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:16

@Ulver He’d use it as an excuse for everything!

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:17

@dudsville From what I’ve seen on the o2 website I won’t be able to take my name off the contract Confused

@CoronaIsComing thank you for the reassurance!

OP posts:
neverknewsomany · 28/04/2020 12:20

How much is it a month and how long is left of the contract?

lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:21

@neverknewsomany It’s around £36 a month, I think the actual phone part of the contract is £20 and the airtime is £16. He only renewed his contract in around January and it’s 30 months long Angry. He had another contract under my name before and he renewed it in January.

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 28/04/2020 12:23

@Ulver I also forgot to mention he has bpd. This is according to him though and I learnt a long time ago not to trust everything he says.

OP posts:
strawberry2017 · 28/04/2020 12:29

Well done for getting out, this was the very best thing you could have done. You are safe now.
Don't ever go back. X

Ulver · 28/04/2020 12:31

There seems to be an epidemic of mental health issues in men atm.
I don’t know if it’s just becoming more obvious through Social Media but It’s scary.
His behaviour is so far from acceptable and It’s not your responsibility to treat his mental illness. Nor would you be able to.
He has to want help himself, it looks like he will have to hit rock bottom before he will do that. Don’t let him drag you down with him.

LittleViolets · 28/04/2020 12:32

I felt sick for you just reading that! You have a billion trillion percent done the right thing.

Don't worry about him getting help, not your problem. I had an abusive childhood and I can tell you that it does not give a person license to be an abusive, disgusting prick to someone else.

Please stay far, far away from him. It's not your job to save him and it sure as shit isn't your job to be his punching bag.

Tell your family and friends exactly what's been going on and please don't hesitate to seek police help if you need it!

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