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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

Accusing me of cheating.

60 replies

Pondlife22 · 27/03/2021 20:04

My partner keeps accusing me of cheating and it’s really starting to wear me down.
First time he implied I was cheating was when I fell pregnant unexpectedly with dc3. It was a massive shock for both of us as we hadn’t had unprotected sex. I had been away from the weekend with a friend around the same time and oh put 2 + 2 together and made 5. Although he didn’t make a big deal of it at the time I knew he suspected and after our dc was born with unmistakable resemblance to oh and other Dcs he told me that he was relieved that dc was obviously his after all!

When dc3 was still a baby I had a day out with my friends Oh was angry allegedly because I left him with ebf baby, even though I had spent a week persuading dc to take a bottle oh refused to try so I had to keep going home to bf. We ended up having a falling out it turned out he didn’t want me to go out because he thought I was cheating on him because I had been for 6 nights/days out and a weekend away the last 2 years which he thought was excessive. He even told me the person he thought I was cheating with, some guy i vaguely know though the kids school, apparently I once told oh he seemed a ‘nice guy’. I ended up stopping going out at all as it wasn’t worth the hassle.

Over lockdown I’ve not been anywhere socially so oh has been happy but I have been thinking a lot about our relationship and whether I want to continue it, even though things were fine for a while. I know after lockdown I would be back to choosing whether to turn down invitations from friends or living with oh in a huff because I've gone out and he thinks I’m cheating on him.

Anyway it turned out I wasn’t safe from having imaginary affairs in lockdown because he has become suspicious that I am cheating in him when I go out for a run. I have changed the patterns of times that I run recently to fit around other things, I had noticed that oh seemed over interested in my runs when he usually doesn’t show much interest. Then a few days ago I was telling him about something that happened in my run and I said ‘we’ instead of ‘I’. I was really just including the dog in the conversation as she had been with me at the time so seemed rude not to Grin. He instantly jumped on it and questioned me about it. Later he sent me a text saying that he was sure I was cheating while I was running because I had been unhappy with him recently and changed times of my runs etc and then when I realised I said ‘we’ I blushed. I probably did blush as I panicked I knowing what he would think.

Im so sick of feeling like I have to justify my whole life to him. I lost all respect for him when he accused me of cheating with a random dad from school and as a result I’m not really emotionally attached to him any more. I’m not sure I can take my Dcs away from their dad over this though. My family also love my OH and wouldn’t be supportive of me leaving him either so I feel quite trapped.

OP posts:
MadMadMadamMim · 27/03/2021 20:08

I'd end the relationship.

It's abusive and controlling.

Your family don't have to live with the dickhead, so they don't get to have an opinion. If they aren't supportive of you leaving an abusive relationship then they are toxic and you don't need them. In the long run your DC will be happier without growing up in a household like yours.

Easterbunnygettingready · 27/03/2021 20:08

Tell him he is pushing you TO cheat!! With a man who respects you..
Imo go out and find one.....
Ltb first...

Sicario · 27/03/2021 20:10

What you are describing is abusive behaviour. Nobody should have to live under those conditions. If you are determined to stay with him, then I would firstly call out his behaviour and bring it out into the open. Maybe your family wouldn't "love" him so much if they knew he was constantly accusing you of having affairs.

Tell him he can shove his accusations up his arse and that you're not prepared to put up with it any more.

Ruminating2020 · 27/03/2021 20:13

Is he cheating perhaps?

TheLost · 27/03/2021 20:14

He is being abusive and cutting you off from your friends and family. You know you need to leave.

JSL52 · 27/03/2021 20:22

Tell him shut the fuck up or you'll leave and mean it.

Pondlife22 · 27/03/2021 20:22

I do want to leave him but but sure if this is really a valid reason as he is generally ok. I don’t love him any more, mainly because of this but I know that makes it worse because he get more worried about me cheating so it’s a vicious cycle. I feel like maybe I should try harder or we could get some counselling before I make the decision to leave for the sake of our kids. I’m not convinced he will ever stop being suspicious of me though and I know that I’m not prepared to give up the rest of my life for him.

I really don’t think that he is cheating. He spends too much time worrying about what I’m doing, he wouldn’t have time to do any cheating of his own!

OP posts:
MumUndone · 27/03/2021 20:43

If you don't love him anymore then the relationship is over, I think you owe it to yourself to end it.

Easterbunnygettingready · 27/03/2021 20:46

My exh was like this. Once and sorry for tmi tried to use his fingers to check for signs I had had sex after a night out with my friend...(female)
When I went away with my disabled relative as a carer he opened my case when the same friend dropped me back from the airport... He said he wanted to check my underwear for signs I had cheated..
That same friend probably save my life when I managed to ring her during a massive kick off.... He ripped the phone out the wall but friend sent the police... He got done for drink driving and I filed for divorce. The police mam who attended told me 'get rid of him pet he is a bloody nutter' as he tried to force his way into the room the police man had me safely shut in while the rest restrained and arrested him.
This is your life unless you change it.
Before he hurts you or worse..

zzizzer · 27/03/2021 20:50

Of course it's a valid reason!

He's bullying you and making your life miserable.

baileys6904 · 27/03/2021 21:36

Leave and do it as quickly as possible.
My ex used to do this, and it starts with you not going out as much, just to keep the peace, then not seeing family as much, then not being allowed male friends, etc etc
Its abusive and it won't get better. It is more than enough reason to leave

Good luck

Voice0fReason · 27/03/2021 22:04

This was my ex all over. Vile, abusive man.
This will never change. He will never change.
You deserve better.

CodMouth · 27/03/2021 22:06

People who are cheating usually accuse their partner because they feel if they can do it, so can you.

Tinyade80 · 27/03/2021 23:08

I can relate to your post 100%. Luckily for me I wasn't married to him and there were no children involved so leaving him was easy. But every time I think of how long I put up with it I get really angry. He made me believe I was really cheating on him (even though I wasn't). I resented all my male friends, or just friends in general, but no matter what I did he constantly accused me of cheating on him. He would say things like, 'I get embarrassed when my friends see me with you, as they all know your disgusting cheating behaviour'. I would cry to him begging him to believe me.

I eventually realised he was finding pleasure in all of it. Literally he was bullying me. The day I told him enough is enough, he couldn't believe it but I stood my ground THAT WAS IT. He tried so many times to apologise but I was not going back (mind you I had been in a relationship with him for over 12 years). After we broke up he was telling everyone that I had ended the relationship because I was seeing someone else, I really didn't care as I knew the truth and I guess he did too. When a woman is fed up, there's nothing you can do about it (that was my song).

Think about yourself OP, he'll never change, that paranoia will never end. Good luck in whatever decision you make x

havecourage8bekind · 27/03/2021 23:36

Oh my god my heart just sank for you. I could've written this...and I did write a post with some very similar things back in November. If you want me to private message you the name of my old thread, I will? I got out with thanks to to Mumsnet and amazing support around me...but PLEASE know this is controlling and abusive and not your fault x

Pondlife22 · 27/03/2021 23:59

Thank you everyone for your replies. Some of you have had such horrible experiences with men behaving like I’m really sorry you have had to go through this!

I know that this sounds like my OH is being abusive but in reality he is just really insecure. It’s doesn’t really excuse his behaviour but he isn’t likely to become aggressive or violent about it. He just goes in a sulk and gets upset. I could just ignore him and carry on with things but he knows he can control my going out by not being available to look after the kids. And If I do manage to go out it makes things difficult at home if he is in a sulk.

A lot of replies on here have made me see that it wouldn’t be unreasonable for me to leave him for this though and I think I probably will. I’m really sick of living like this all the time. Even now I’m sitting upstairs hoping he doesn’t hear me on my phone at night because he will assume I’m messaging one of my many extra boyfriends and be in a huff with me tomorrow! In fact if I tell him I want to leave he will just assume it’s because I’m seeing someone else anyway and I’m sure he would tell people that as well.

OP posts:
REignbow · 28/03/2021 00:45

@Pondlife22

The sulking and silent treatment is emotional abuse. He does it to control you and make it so that you don’t want to see friends or use your phone etc.

Also, he may not be violent or aggressive, but they do say that when a victim is leaving their abuser then it’s the most dangerous time.

I would give WA a call and get some advice.

Houseofvelour · 28/03/2021 00:53

You're asking if it's a valid reason to leave.
All relationship are optional. Any reason is valid. If you want to leave, you don't need to justify yourself.

He honestly sounds awful and I personally think you should walk away as soon as possible. It's not healthy to live like this xx

MarshmallowAra · 28/03/2021 00:56

I know that this sounds like my OH is being abusive but in reality he is just really insecure.

Well.if insecurity leads to abuse - which this is - it doesn't actually matter really, does it.

The accusations are abuse, the stress inflicted on you is abuse.

This type of person rarely changes.

Bizzimomma · 28/03/2021 00:59

I really could have written this post myself. I have been in the same boat for over 5yrs now and get accused on a daily basis ( even though we're not together, but still live under same roof unfortunately Confused )
I don't work atm, and he controls all the money making it difficult to get away

( he won't leave )
Just praying that eventually he gets the hint and moves on but I think the longer I stay, the more normal it is in his head, like we're actually going to go back to how it used to be 🤷

MarshmallowAra · 28/03/2021 02:00

Sounds a bit like Othello complex actually.

Also Lundy Bancroft outlined in his book how in many cases controlling men accuse women of cheating, but when put on the spot as to whether they truly believe in their heart of hearts that she's cheating, admit they don't ... It's a control, sort of bullying strategy.

RamblinRosie · 28/03/2021 02:49

No, OP he is being abusive.

My DP encourages me, even nags me, to catch up with friends. He pushes me to spend time away with my old university friends.. All innocent, and he knows that.

zzizzer · 28/03/2021 08:32

Abusers aren't monsters or fairy-tale moustache twirling villains. There's almost always a reason for their behaviour. However it becomes abusive when they use that "thing" to hurt you over and over again.

Redsquareoctopus · 28/03/2021 08:40

Insecure people can be abusive.

Sicario · 28/03/2021 08:46

By putting it down to him being "insecure" you are making excuses for his abusive behaviour. Sulking and silent treatment are also abusive. He may not realise this, but you do. He's been using these tactics to bully and intimidate you, and to stop you from making choices and doing things he doesn't want you to do.

He believes that your sole purpose is to meet his needs and those of your children. You are now allowed to be a person in your own right.

Fuck that. Get counselling if you want to, but you're on a hiding to nothing with a man like that.

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