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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

what should i do? stop me please.

69 replies

undertheredhill · 29/08/2020 16:53

After several days of rows and some threats and mild violence my husband has left. I told him to leave, he packed a bag and left without it, just wallet and phone. He's gone to the local town. I've had a number of messages blaming me for the fact he has nowhere to go & no apology or kindness to me. Hotels are all booked, he has few friends, and there isn't any money in the bank account anyway because we don't have an income at the moment. He will have to sleep on the street. His phone is dying and he doesnt have a charger. I'm weakening. I dont want him back but he's using my natural womanly kindness to weaken me. If he was kind and decent to me I would try and sort it out. Can someone tell me what I should do? I'm lonely and scared and about to get the car out and find him.

OP posts:
dublingirl66 · 30/08/2020 00:00

He is a fcking abuser
Not ill
Or depressed

An abuser

Been in your shoes and was the kind person for too long

You know what my kindness did - almost lead to my death

End this
Seriously

Sounds like you are a genuine good person
Why should you live with abuse

Btw WA are so so good and v keen to respect your privacy too so they won't call x , y and get you in any trouble (re police etc )

Sorry you have had to go through this

undertheredhill · 30/08/2020 00:13

I can't leave him in a park, he has no mobile or torch or anything. It isnt safe. FFS. No he really doesnt have any relatives. When we spoke earlier he was just rude to me and blamed me but couldnt explain why he hadnt booked a hotel. It's like hes just intent on being a victim and blaming me at all costs. But I can't leave him in a park overnight, it's dangerous here.

I'm sorry DublinGirl, your story sounds awful.

My experience of womens aid wasnt very good and lead to all sorts of problems I didnt want, I lost control of all decisions and had to try really hard to get control of my life back. I dont want to deal with them again.

OP posts:
SoulofanAggron · 30/08/2020 00:34

He can go to a hostel. If he calls the council they will give him a list of them or some other help. I think the council homelessness team will be open to calls 24/7.

Just tell him this when he messages.

The hostels are geared up to put people up while any benefits claims necessary for people to pay for the hostels are processed. They have to do it all the time.

I have a bit of a grasp of these things because I've been homeless twice.

Don't let him back- he could kill you. xxx

can't leave him in a park, he has no mobile or torch or anything. It isnt safe. FFS

That is what he chose to do, as a method of trying to manipulate you. He was in control of what items he took, and knew choosing not to take his phone etc was a way of making you feel (falsely) that you must have him back.

These men pull stunts- this is a stunt he's choosing to play to manipulate you.

Call the police- report his violence and tell them where he is- they will arrest him and arrange him somewhere to stay that's not with you, his victim.

blamed me but couldnt explain why he hadnt booked a hotel.

He's not going to say 'because this is a manipulative stunt I'm pulling so you feel you have to let me back' is he? But that's what it is.

notapizzaeater · 30/08/2020 00:40

He's chosen to sleep on a bench, by telling you this he is expect8ng you to rescue him and he's won, the abuse won't go away, it will escalate as he's got you exactly where he wants you

undertheredhill · 30/08/2020 00:41

I know.

OP posts:
SoulofanAggron · 30/08/2020 00:42

Sorry I was a bit confused on the phone front. You're still best to view all this as tactics- because it is. It's The Persuader

And The Liar (2 mins 25 onwards- 'excuses after violence.')

HappyDays10101 · 30/08/2020 01:18

He didn’t book a hotel because he wants you to feel bad. Please don’t collect him.

Kindness isn’t ‘womanly’, it’s human - and it’s not a quality he’s prepared to show you.

bevm72yellow · 30/08/2020 01:27

It is very telling that he is breaking only your belongings and not his own or random objects. It is a way of controlling your feelings. He is capable of controlling his anger, only he choses not to.

bevm72yellow · 30/08/2020 01:38

I am sure you are on edge or know what to expect when he contacts you. You have changed your way to suit his needs all or most of the time. He is making you aware of "his needs"...he needs you and he works on that premise...he has isolated himself so that you will meet "his needs". Your needs have been put into second place. He may "love you" but does not respect you therefore he breaks your belongings and you made to feel "blame" for everything. And yes he can be left in a park overnight as he is an adult who made a choice.

NotaCoolMum · 30/08/2020 02:06

He CHOSE not to book a hotel. He CHOSE to abuse you. He CHOSE to blame you for HIS actions. If you go and collect him/rescue him, you are only giving him more control. He can act like an abusive asshole and he knows you’ll still save him- he CHOSE the behaviour, therefore he CHOSE the consequences. If you want to be kind- be kind to YOURSELF. You say you want to be a “happy couple”. This will NEVER happen with him.

MsJinks · 30/08/2020 07:03

I’m sorry your experience with women’s aid was not good. You say they caused problems and took things from your control. This surprises me, but I am thinking that perhaps it seemed so bad at the point you called them that they had a duty of care to call for assistance for you - that only happens in a risk to life situation OP - and they are very experienced in degrees of abuse, so think about it. However, if you really don’t want to engage with them there are other helplines and websites that you can review. One last thing, if you don’t want an independent, caring organisation taking any control, why do you want a solo, abusive guy doing it? Please think on all the advice here and hope you are ok.

Bluepolkadots42 · 30/08/2020 07:32

How are you doing today OP?

SoulofanAggron · 30/08/2020 12:38

What polkadots said- how are things?

Chachacha90 · 30/08/2020 12:42

OP

He hasn’t looked after you. Why are you looking out for him?

He knows you will

Dery · 30/08/2020 13:37

@undertheredhill - sorry I missed that you had replied to me yesterday evening. For ease of reference, I have reproduced your post below:

"Dery; "By the way – your feeling of responsibility towards him is something that he has most likely carefully nurtured within you. That is how abusers behave. They find a partner who is deeply kind and will habitually put the abuser’s needs before their own. They also invade their partner’s thinking."
Is this true? Am I really so weak and stupid? Why didnt I see this? I am not a weak person, even though I sound it right now. People who know me would be astonished if they knew what goes on here. I keep quiet and keep going. I live without love & care but I keep going. Womens Aid wanted to help me but I didnt think I needed it."

Firstly, OP - it's not at all about you being weak and stupid and I'm very sorry if that's how it seemed. The thing is that people with abusive tendencies instinctively exploit people. So someone who is naturally very kind and inclined to think the best of people and inclined to put other people's needs before their own (which is an attractive set of characteristics to have) is naturally more vulnerable to being exploited. Someone less inclined to put their partner's needs before their own is less vulnerable to being exploited in that way. But it's not at all about weakness and fault; it's about abusive people manipulating and exploiting those around them.

You might find it helpful to read "The Mind of the Intimate Male Abuser: How He Gets Into Her Head".

Life is not a dress rehearsal - this is your one shot. It's not okay for you to be living without love and care. There was a devastating thread on here several months ago from a woman who was in her mid-40s and had spent her entire adult life in an emotionally abusive relationship which she had previously failed to escape despite a few attempts. She wrote that she had finally managed to escape the relationship but had at the same time been diagnosed with a terminal illness and did not have long left to live. She was tormenting herself for having wasted her life in a destructive relationship and also made clear that she was posting as a warning to others not to make the same mistake.

Hopefully you have many decades left to live - assuming you live into your 80s or 90s, what do you want your memories to comprise? Do you want to look back on a life where - with support, including from some good friends - you escaped your abusive husband and went on to build a deeply fulfilling and contented life of your own? Or a life spent suffering in a relationship where you received no love and care but at least your friends and neighbours didn't know what was happening?

Please, for goodness sake, do not let fear of what other people will think stop you doing what you need to do to live your life fully and contentedly. You have no reason to be ashamed. You have done nothing wrong. Let one or two trusted people know what's going on and let them help you escape.

undertheredhill · 01/09/2020 02:10

I didn't go and pick him up, in the end I had some wine so I couldn't go out in the car even if I was tempted to and went to bed. He slept in the park. I had moved some of our (meagre) savings into the bank so he could pay for a hotel if he wanted to but he thought I would collect him and didn't bother so it must have been a bit of a shock when I didn't, then it was too late. I knew it was the right thing to do but I was weakening, a big thank you to everyone who kept me on the right track.

He's back home now and being Mr Wonderful. A friend of a friend owns some bedsits so he's moving in there later this week, bags packed, I'm staying in my home but I won't be able to stay here for long on my own. I said just for 3 months but I won't be having him back but this gives me a bit of space. The thing is, I don't respect him or trust him any more and can't forgive him. It's breaking my heart but I'm not prepared to live like this. I don't want a relationship where I have to be so harsh to get decent treatment.

It's just all really, really sad. 14 years together. I'm heartbroken.

OP posts:
Howallergic · 01/09/2020 02:50

Get an income sorted for yourself first and foremost!

MsJinks · 01/09/2020 07:24

You were really brave there OP - it’s definitely tough right now, but you’re taking the right steps for you. Use the bit of space you’ve got wisely to plan your next steps, and do be kind to yourself.

lazylinguist · 01/09/2020 07:37

Stay strong, OP, well done for sticking to your guns and don't take him back. Remind yourself - why were you worrying about his safety? Was he worried about your safety when he was being violent to you? This man doesn't deserve your kindness or concern. You don't owe him a relationship. You can't play happy couples with an abuser. Flowers

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