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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

He's been punishing me for 9 months?!

121 replies

Shoeshop · 18/09/2020 17:16

After a long period of unhappiness, I broke the news to DH that I was ready to separate. I didn't want to go into detail about why as it should have been blatantly obvious to DH due to all the arguing.
He came back to me a few days later telling me he wanted to try again, that he was going to do x, y and z to improve his own self-care and our relationship.
He then confessed that, after I upset him badly at Christmas, he hasn't been able to forgive me and has been behaving awkwardly and obstructively ever since. I basically told his friends something about him which he was not happy with me sharing (can't do into detail). It was a fact and something that has been affecting me for quite some time, it wasn't personal, it didn't involve his body parts, but his behaviour (non-abusive).
He said I'd badly ruined his pride and tarnished his reputation. He sent me the most disgusting texts calling me a "cunt" among other words and stayed at his parents for 2 nights.
We both apologised and I thought we had forgotten about the incident. He has been trying really hard for the last 4 weeks, but I am struggling.
I can't believe that he's chosen to make my life miserable for 9 months as a product of this incident. I feel like nothing he can do now will ever make up for that.
Would you be upset too?

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 21/09/2020 09:16

@BlueThistles

Yeah, how dare the man feel hurt and humiliated when the person who supposedly loves him takes the piss out of him to his mates. Stupid man should have laughed along.

to ignore someone for 9 months is equally abusive.

Totally but he’s not done that, he has withdrawn yes, focused more on himself, slept in the spare room, but he’s not ignored her for nine months by any manner of means. Nor has she suggested he has.

Whatever happened that night, it was clearly very bad, he left for two nights after, they had a terrible argument, even one of his friends objected to her prolonged mocking of him.

The relationship was already bad, that’s what caused the op to do it, it was just the final nail in the coffin. Playing the blame game,oh he’s more wrong than I am, is pointless, it’s over, that’s it.

Flittingaboutagain · 21/09/2020 10:12

It isn't that simple OP. He could have genuinely wanted to forgive but as I say, it isn't easy to then forget and open up and try to be close again.

I don't think you had any idea the hurt it caused and didn't take him staying away serious enough. You didn't do enough to repair the hurt. Perhaps he didn't manage to communicate how much he needed you to. And here you both are now. Sadly I think this was an avoidable end if you had both got professional help when you noticed he was withdrawn and he noticed he couldn't be close to the one who humiliated him.

BubblyBarbara · 21/09/2020 10:24

I'd had a few drinks and took to mocking him about his lack of cleanliness. However, I definitely exaggerated slightly for the fun of it. I then made reference to how long he spends shitting on the toilet to avoid responsibilities.

You ended this relationship already nine months ago OP by mocking him, at length, in front of his friends. Can you imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and he had been telling all your friends about what a bad mother you were or something similar while you were gone? While you are within your rights to formally separate now, you did cause all of this mess.

netsybetsy · 21/09/2020 10:53

I'd had a few drinks and took to mocking him about his lack of cleanliness. However, I definitely exaggerated slightly for the fun of it. I then made reference to how long he spends shitting on the toilet to avoid responsibilities.

I would be hurt to the core if my DH spoke like this behind my back to people I knew.

I'd find it hard to trust him and I'd be wary about sharing any vulnerabilities with the person who should have my best interests at heart.

Would you mock your children in this way to their friends if they piss you off?

Getting drunk and mouthing off about your partner's private business is not the way to resolve issues.

You both need urgent guidance in how to relate and communicate.

Hunted1000 · 21/09/2020 13:43

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dooratheexplorer · 21/09/2020 13:48

It wasn't very nice of you to mock him like that.

It also wasn't very nice of him to make you suffer for nine months.

Do you actually like each other? I think it sounds like you should be splitting up.

I have a pretty decent relationship and there is no way we would treat each other like that. Neither of us are perfect either!

MarriedtoDaveGrohl · 21/09/2020 14:06

Dear oh dear Babs you're all for the Menz aren't you? Complete with emotive analogy. Your example though could only be compared to if she had said he was crap at his job though. Because he doesn't care if he's dirty or lazy and doesn't make the effort, he doesn't want to be outed.

And if you'd spent much time around groups of men you would know that many of them say far worse to each other. Especially the kind of sexist housework dodging types he belongs to.

But let's say he was mortally offended and deeply hurt by being spoken about like that (leaving aside the fact that it's true). Surely he then makes a decision to leave and does so. Conveying his upset and horror as he goes? Instead of sitting around like some kind of malignant lodger being cooked and cleaned for? So the OP can meet someone that doesn't dodge the soap?

LilyLongJohn · 21/09/2020 15:11

Wow he's certainly made sure you never say anything in the future eh.

A grown adult would have sat down and discussed this with you. I get he's pissed off, felt belittled and bullied in front of his mates, and a few days to get his head together and then he either sits down with you and discusses it or he decides the relationship isn't worth it and leaves.

It would be a very different story if you do this in some shape or form on a regular basis. However if this was a one off then what the op did was out of line, but he equally has behaved awfully.

RepDom21 · 21/09/2020 16:37

Did you address anything OP during the 9 months? Why did you let it go on so long?

Surely you would of thrashed it out before ending things.

BlueThistles · 26/09/2020 19:46

hope you're okay OP 🌺

frozendaisy · 26/09/2020 20:13

@MsEllany

So he has spent 9 months driving you away, and the second it happens he all of a sudden apologises and wants to try again?

No thanks.

This.
shoeshop · 27/09/2020 08:30

Yes, I'm ok.
I've had some counselling again this week and discussed with her that I don't have to accept that he wants to try again if I dont.
In light of the covid-19 situation worsening again, I'm not in a rush to separate right now, but him stopping the negative behaviour is making life easier for me to manage in the short-term.

OP posts:
Sssloou · 27/09/2020 08:45

It’s good that you have had some counselling it seems to have empowered you to make decisions for now.

Couples counselling might be useful - to help communication whilst you are living together but separated during COVID, if you resume / rebuild your RS or even if you divorce - you need kind and respectful communication skills to co-parent your DCs without doing any harm to them.

Scorpiowoman80 · 28/09/2020 01:56

Classic abuse going on here OP, he’s got mad because you said something and 9 months later he’s still droning on about it 🥱 tell him if he doesn’t grow up ASAP you’ll be leaving for good this time

Scorpiowoman80 · 28/09/2020 02:00

Just read properly and saw what you said about him which I’ll admit was pretty nasty. If what you’ve said is true maybe that’s why he’s taken it so harshly because he knows he is lazy etc but he felt that you should have told him all of this instead of making him out to be a twat. I understand both sides

SandyY2K · 29/09/2020 01:44

However, I definitely exaggerated slightly for the fun of it.

Fun to you obviously. I hate it when ppl say it's a joke when mocking someone....would you find it a joke if he mocked you in front of your friends? Or are you so perfect and there can't possibly be anything to mock about you.

Despite having a few drinks you remember everything you said.

If you had an issue with his slackness around the house, you should have discussed it between the 2 of you...not bring it up semi in jest humiliating him.

Your actions showed you have no respect for him.

If my H did that, I would have been bidding my time to get away.

You worded your opening post like you're the victim ...i totally agree with the posters who say if the genders were reversed your H would be called an abusive man, humiliating and belittling you in public.

ExhaustedFlamingo · 29/09/2020 04:41

I think it very much depends on your usual behaviour around friends and the context. With my DP and friends, we all joke about stuff all of the time. Me taking the piss out of DP for hiding in the toilet to avoid doing stuff wouldn't even raise an eyebrow. But then DP and I have the kind of relationship where we joke about all kinds of things quite a lot anyway.

So for me, what you said wasn't awful or over a line. It wasn't something desperately personal that should never be shared. It's the kind of subject that I've seen many couples joke about all the time. If a man said this about a woman, it would equally be OK. He does sound a touch over-sensitive - I do wonder perhaps if it's because you touched a nerve?

Of course, it also depends on how you said it. I know you said you exaggerated for comedic effect - but were you being nasty? Or genuinely just having a joke? Only you know the answer, and it makes a big difference.

Having said all of that, in all honesty, it doesn't really matter whether you think what you said was OK or not. Your DH was upset - and that's the important bit. It's easy to accidentally upset a partner without meaning to, and if we do, a heartfelt and genuine apology is needed - which you said you gave. To me, your comments suggest that you accept you were at fault - and you apologised for that.

I really don't think what you said was so awful that it warrants nine months of intimacy withdrawal and passive aggressive behaviour. If he was hurt by your jokes about him not doing housework etc, I could understand needing a few days space but his response to a fairly trivial episode seems way overblown. And yes, I would say this if the roles were reversed and a woman was feeling upset.

We are all allowed to have feelings, of course we are. Including men. But having such an enormous reaction to a fairly trivial, one-off incident would lead to some serious questions for me. How is his underlying mental health and behaviour? Was your relationship in trouble anyway, and this was just the final straw?

During the nine months of him sleeping in the other room and disengaging, did you not sit down and have a conversation about how to move forward? The fact he's been sleeping in the other room makes it very obvious how upset he still is - did you just hope things would suddenly improve? Or had you checked out of the relationship too?

I saw your update and that things have settled down in the short term. However, I'd strongly suggest seriously thinking about what you both want, and what is healthy for your family, in the longer term. I'd say communication and reaching out needs to improve on both sides if your relationship is going to survive.

PS - and absolutely make sure he does his share of the housework! :)

fallfallfall · 29/09/2020 04:45

are you sure his wanting to do xyz doesn't including shifting assets? laying the groundwork to leave you with less than you deserve?

Chocaholic9 · 29/09/2020 05:00

No way would I stay with someone who verbally abused me. This relationship is over.

CloudyVanilla · 29/09/2020 05:16

I wouldn't stay. You both sound horrible to each other.

Hopefully you both mature a bit and find a partner who you are more compatible with and sensitive to.

PopsicleHustler · 29/09/2020 05:36

I think if my Dh called me the c word, I would probably die of shock then complete sadness. And then beat him up.

That is the most disgusting word in the world. Yes, your Dh shouldn't have been treating you badly for you to do and report to his friends or whatever the situation may be , however you apologised and thought you had moved on. But 9 months is ridiculous. I think you should just call it a day. Or at least try and work out if you can br with someone like this and he has to accept he needs to change.

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