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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

'D'H threatened me but was it my fault?

174 replies

Londono · 26/12/2020 19:49

Long backstory but to cut it short - DH doesn't pull his weight. I've had a very busy and stressful year (NHS frontline work) and his work has been very quiet although he hasn't been furloughed.

I did the majority of the Christmas prep and cooking yesterday. Asked him to sort the final baking trays full of grease etc and this morning I discovered he hadn't done it, he had put the main one outside the back door. I discovered this by me stepping out onto it and slipping over.

I am not proud at all but I called him 'fucking lazy' and he said 'If you say that again, I will drag you out of this house by your hair'.

He has never threatened me before and I KNOW I shouldn't have called him lazy but did it deserve that response? He has not apologised but I haven't either tbf.

OP posts:
DressingGownofDoom · 27/12/2020 10:41

I called my DH a lazy bastard a few weeks ago for leaving a cup sitting out from the night before. He protested that he picks up my cups every evening and takes them into the kitchen then grumbled to himself for a couple of minutes. You didn't say anything that bad - you didn't deserve to be threatened with violence.

Londono · 27/12/2020 10:45

I don't think I have any sense of what is normal in a relationship and I certainly didn't have good role models in childhood.

I do have my own bank account and my own savings.

OP posts:
Londono · 27/12/2020 10:46

To the PP who asked how I get on with my in-laws - they are ok people but DH and them aren't close so we only usually see them a couple of times a year. And he will never travel to them (another example of his laziness) so they always have to come to us.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 27/12/2020 10:48

@Londono

Is this enough to leave him over though? We are best friends when things are good.
Best friends are best friends. Not just when times are good.
Nanny0gg · 27/12/2020 10:50

@girlmummy25

People on here need to stop saying 'leave him' as the first thing for every single relationship issue! Talk to him, tell him thats not acceptable and what you will do if he ever does that again (i.e leave etc, if thats how you feel) Tell him he needs to pull his weight and if after all that he is still isnt helping or is still talking nasty then you need to decide if thats what you want to stay with or not
Threats of violence aren't a 'relationship issue ' fgs!
rainbowstardrops · 27/12/2020 10:51

That's one hell of a leap from you (rightly) calling him lazy, to him threatening to drag you out of the house by your hair!!! Is he a bloody caveman???

Has he ever threatened you with violence before? Now he has, are you just going to wait for him to carry out his threat - potentially in front of your children - whenever you dare to call him out in things? I couldn't live with the fear of that personally.

Separateatone · 27/12/2020 10:52

Does he have friends of his own?

billy1966 · 27/12/2020 10:52

OP,
You are at a crossroads in your life.
You have posted about a highly abusive relationship where you have been physically threatened.

How you proceed will stay with you always.
You can seek support from Women's Aid and the police.
Or you can try and forget it and limp on.

He will absolutely note how you proceed.
By staying you will be telling him clearly that he can assault you and you will take it.

He's absolute scum.

The reality is you are with a thug and have had child with a thug.

Don't think for one second they don't see clearly the environment they are living in.

Good luck.Flowers

Nanny0gg · 27/12/2020 10:53

@Londono

Would that threat be enough to get an occupation order for the house? If it came to it? I know he would never move out.

Surely if he was going to hit me, he would have done it by now? We've been together for over 10 years.

No. Not yet.

Keeping you on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop is enough for the moment. It keeps you quiet, see?

Londono · 27/12/2020 10:54

He has never threatened me before. He has punched doors but that was 10 plus years ago so doesn't seem relevant now.

OP posts:
Londono · 27/12/2020 10:55

@Separateatone He has cycling friends that he meets up with but that is pretty much it. Why?

OP posts:
Mumisnotmyonlyname · 27/12/2020 10:58

Leave him, for sure. No reasonable man would say that.

Mumisnotmyonlyname · 27/12/2020 10:58

And of course he is lazy-you are being punished for naming the obvious.

Sloth66 · 27/12/2020 11:00

He shut down the discussion by making a physical threat. What will you do another time when he fails to pull his weight? Living in fear is no way to live

letsmakethishappen · 27/12/2020 11:18

He’s selfish and not your best friend your staying yes it’s not easy to just leave unless you’re ready to yourself. But start realising that he’s isnt your best friend. Am in the same profession as you working over Xmas my h isn’t perfect but it’s common sense all I’ve done this Xmas is buy food I haven’t done any cooking or cleaning because am just too shattered. You didn’t have to ask him to help he should just do it.

chilling19 · 27/12/2020 11:19

OP, i think you are finding it difficult to believe that he meant the threat. Are you thinking that 'yes, a bit over the top, but he would never do that?' If you are, you are wrong. He did mean it. Try and occupy that space for 5 minutes - what is your head telling you now?

cushioncovers · 27/12/2020 11:22

You are full of resentment because he's a lazy sod and it probably shows in your overall attitude. He knows this which is why he reacted in the way he did. In my experience lazy people usually know they are being lazy and being carried by others. He needs to buck up or fuck off.

Londono · 27/12/2020 11:24

Yes @cushioncovers, I think it is my resentment he feels. So when I'm snappy when he has wfh and I've done a full shift on my feet and then the supermarket shop on the way home and he doesn't come to help me with the bags at the door, that kind of thing.

OP posts:
cushioncovers · 27/12/2020 11:27

Can you have a proper discussion with him about this? Or have you already tried?

Sandals19 · 27/12/2020 11:30

From your first post I would say that your h has these values;

A. Most domestic work is woman's work.

It doesn't matter if the woman works outside the home and brings in income, it's woman's work. I shouldnt be expected to do it. If I do do it, I'm doing her a big favour (because it's not really my work).

B. If the woman criticises or challenges me, I would have the right to be violent towards her. I'll be very civilised by giving her a warning about that; that should keep her in line and make he'd realised just how lucky I haven't just done it.

C. If she challenges/criticises me and we have a row; I have the right to eject her out of the home. I have the right to stay in the home while she's thrown out. Ergo I have more rights to the home than she does (regardless of what she contributes).

The punching things a while back was more of B. But a physical warning instead of a verbal one.

Lundy Bancroft and other similar authors (and the freedom program) define punching objects as abuse. It is a very clear warning of what he is capable of/will do. It's intimidation, without having to take the risks of putting his hands on you ie police being called, you leaving, people seeing it, neighbours hearing it etc.

You've mentioned something about clearing out accounts too, he sounds financially abusive and it tells you how he says finances and relationships.

He's showing you his values, very clearly.
And they do not seem to include equality, respect or sharing in a relationship.

Whatever you do, you need to see what his values are.

Sandals19 · 27/12/2020 11:31

*how he sees

PicsInRed · 27/12/2020 11:34

He never intended to clean up and meant for you to find the tray. That was his message to you. Your angry reaction told him you still aren't under his control and his threat is an escalation, in attempting to wrest control of you.

If you don't leave, eventually you'll find yourself intimidated into doing everything, just to appease him. He'll probably still escalate to violence as the more you do, the more he'll expect, and you will never sufficiently "behave" for him.

PicsInRed · 27/12/2020 11:37

Do you have children?

hocuspocus1922 · 27/12/2020 11:37

Truth hurts op . What a lazy bastard . I would of replied not only lazy are you but a women beater too . Wow how lucky am I

Sandals19 · 27/12/2020 11:37

Is this enough to leave him over though? We are best friends when things are good.

When things are good - does that mean when he's lazy, selfish .. and you do pretty much everything and don't complain.