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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

Would you class this as emotional abuse or am I just sensitive?

84 replies

pepperpot82 · 05/05/2021 15:09

Reflecting on my relationship, some things just don't sit right with me. I know it's my own autonomous decision on whether I am 'happy' with these things or not, but I am not sure if they are hallmarks of abuse or if I am just too sensitive...

  • Name calling, sometimes in a 'joking' way. For example, DP will say things like 'you're a pain in the arse', 'you're annoying', in a joking fashion. Other times, during arguments, he will say things like 'you're behaving like a bitch/cunt'. I hate swearing and seldom would ever talk like that to him, and would never use language like the c word. He never calls me it directly, but says I am acting like a 'x'.
  • He doesn't really take accountability for things. He will apologise and admit he did something wrong, but then follow it with 'but you did x to make my behaviour worse' or 'I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't of done x'. And he constantly uses the phrase, 'you had your part to play in it all too, it's not all me'.
  • He will touch me in public, in a sexual way, even though I have told him not to and that I don't like it. Nothing too OTT, but things like quickly putting his hand down my trousers and grabbing my bum. He will also do this at night time - if I have said no to sex, and even sometimes if we have had sex, he will constantly pester me all night by trying to touch me, even if I repeatedly tell him no and to stop it and get pissed off. I end up having a terrible nights sleep.
  • Recently, he has started to 'forget' that he has agreed to doing certain things or pretends he doesn't understand. For instance, he kept deleting WhatsApp conversations and lying about a certain friend of his, so when I found out he said he would be completely transparent and stop deleting his conversations with her. I then found out he'd deleted it and he said he 'regularly deletes conversations from his phone' (he doesn't as others remain, apart from hers) and then he said that he 'didn't realise he'd agreed not to delete the conversations at all, only that he wouldn't delete it if something that could upset me came up'.

Now that I've written it down, it's terrible isn't it...

OP posts:
merrygoround88 · 05/05/2021 16:36

I’m as hard as nails but that is shocking behaviour. I would suggest you are not being sensitive enough

nancywhitehead · 05/05/2021 16:37

that I will never find anyone that will love me as much as he does

Just wanted to pick up on this too. My fiance's ex said this to him before they broke up. A few months later he was with me. 3 years later we are engaged and he is happier than he's ever been.

He doesn't know what life has in store for you anymore than you do! I think this is an appalling thing to say to someone - he is trying to tie you to him so that you can never leave. Don't let him.

user113424742258631134 · 05/05/2021 16:39

His reaction to your attempts to end the relationship is a predictable part of the abuse. It's coercive control.

Have you ever done the Freedom Programme?

user113424742258631134 · 05/05/2021 16:41

People who love you do not abuse you. The two things are incompatible.

He doesn't love you, he loves having power over you. That's what abuse is about.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/05/2021 16:44

"I know that this is wrong, my gut is screaming at me, I wasn't sure if I was just overly sensitive because of my past. The vast majority of men I get into relationships with turn out to be not so nice."

How can you be helped into getting rid of your abuser?.

And this man is the latest of not so nice men either; he is abusing you sexually as well as emotionally and physically. As if all this was not enough for him he has now moved on to try and pyschologically abuse you as well by gaslighting you and making you question your own reality. He is an extremely dangerous individual who likely also targeted you because of your own previous poor boundaries in relationships. Your boundaries, already mashed by previous abuse and or poor treatment are being further mashed by this individual.

You absolutely need to get him gone from your life permanently today. Thankfully he does not live with you; this will make that a lot easier. Tell him by text that its over and for him to not contact you again. Do not be afraid to contact the police if he starts harassing you in any manner.

I would also suggest you read this article:-
drjoecarver.com/clients/49355/File/IdentifyingLosers.html

Love your own self for a change and get some therapy asap. The Freedom Programme would also be a part of your overall recovery from abuse of you both past and present.

What did you learn about relationships when you were growing up?.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 05/05/2021 16:44

Get rid of this abusive cunt!

AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/05/2021 16:45

Abuse is about power and control; he wants absolute over you here and he will destroy your life further as long as he at all remains in it.

Rainbowshine · 05/05/2021 16:46

Hi @pepperpot82 please look into the Freedom Programme and also have a read of this

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/698029-Right-listen-up-everybody

Drinkingallthewine · 05/05/2021 16:50

All of it is awful, but I don't think I could get past all the groping and name calling. Oh and the lying about his friend and deleting her texts.

Also, have a think about when he says "you'll never find anyone to take you on with kids"- like seriously consider what the fuck he is saying here. He's telling you that he considers your beautiful children some sort of either burden for himself, OR that your beautiful children made you some sort of person who deserves shitty treatment because it's all they deserve. He knows that he's wrong about those things but by doing that it works in his favour towards making you too scared and insecure to dump him. This is emotional abuse.

He's disgusting and you can do far far better than him.

rossogingerale · 05/05/2021 17:16

Sounds exactly like an ex of mine and I didn't really see any of that emotional abuse until he headbutted me. My parents called the police and that was the end of that awful relationship.

You will have the strength to leave this relationship and move on with your life, I have and married a wonderful man who does not gaslight me, call me names and treat me like shit.

Wishing you all the best OP, take care xx

EarringsandLipstick · 05/05/2021 17:18

I've just realised he doesn't live with you, and you have DC who are not his.

Nothing he did was right regardless of whether you lived together, were living together or had children together but knowing the above, you must get rid immediately.

There is no reason to have him anywhere near you again. All you do want to do now is find out more about what he's done with those photos.

RantyAnty · 05/05/2021 17:20

He is horrible and abusive.

You are in a good place to end this now by deleting and blocking him.

You know his begging to get back together is just bs and he goes right back to being nasty again.

Have you told anyone how he acts towards you?

Amdone123 · 05/05/2021 17:20

@Drinkingallthewine, so true what you say about the children. As if children are a burden. Children are a bloody privilege, a precious gift. I'd lose him for talking about my child, any child, in that way. You're right, he's disgusting.

MadMadMadamMim · 05/05/2021 17:26

Now that I've written it down, it's terrible isn't it...

Yes. It's utterly unacceptable. He is abusive - both emotionally and sexually.

Please, please end the relationship. No discussions, no agreeing any attempts to change/put things right.

His behaviour is frankly horrific.

LIZS · 05/05/2021 17:32

He's gaslighting you, making his behaviour out to be your fault. Touching you up in public is just vile. Yes he is abusive.

Bananalanacake · 05/05/2021 17:36

Thank God you don't have dc together. Who owns the property you live in.

sapnupuas · 05/05/2021 17:47

Fuck that shit. Get rid.

Inxthexdarkness · 05/05/2021 17:59

Hi I know not everyone is a narc. I've seperated from one recently. He would do things like.

Make out i was confusing.
Say I didn't make sense in messages. (Nobody else has struggled with me)
Tell me I would make him laugh with how I was.
Made comments on my hair and stuff to suggest what he preferred instead.
Obsessed with sex.
Was also messaging another woman or two.
Sometimes would agree to let me ring at a certain time then not answer and fall asleep.
He lacked empathy and didn't seem to understand my feelings.
Seemed to have broken relationships around him.
Started with little lies.

Since splitting I've found out alot more about him.

He's actually awful when you scratch the surface.

Sorry to drone on about myself. But I want to explain just incase that your gut feelings are usually right. They are almost your psychic senses.

If you know something is off. Believe it. I've been in healthy relationships and they make you feel happy and relaxed and secure. When you are in a dodgy relationship you feel anxious. Irritated. Insecure and stressed.

Write a list. Good and bad points. Think about what you see and what they mean.

Ask yourself what you want from a relationship and if he is giving it.

If he is lying about other ladies he will continue that pattern. Sadly they don't change usually if they like window shopping. A normal loyal partner doesn't make their partner feel like rubbish.

Now I've got away from being emotionally abused I feel alot better in many ways. For example I sleep better. I feel lighter. The stress has lifted. I am no longer on edge. But I am still working on myself. I have upset days and still am figuring out how it happened. I often think why me?

But what I regret is not listening to my gut. I put myself through so much misery hoping it would get better because he loved me.

Hope some of this makes sense. A relationship should be balanced and equal in everyway. X

Lottapianos · 05/05/2021 18:03

Showing up at your house in the middle of the night is not a lovely thing to do. That's obsessive, controlling, harassing behaviour. Flowers and other fancy gifts are just hollow bullshit if he's treating you horribly day to day.

None of this is going to get better. He's not going to suddenly become a decent person. You don't have to live like this anymore. You deserve so much better

NameChange2PostThis · 05/05/2021 18:05

@pepperpot82 No children together and he’s abusing you?

LTB

TONIGHT

THEN BLOCK THE ABUSIVE A-HOLE

GOOD LUCK Flowers

Ohhelpmetoo · 05/05/2021 18:14

I made excuses for my ex . Almost convinced myself he couldn’t help it. Only after I had left did I realise that all the “ bad “ things happened when there was no one else about . Therefore he could help it. The first time I had that “ gut “ feeling that it wasn’t right was when I was in my teens and pregnant . I so regret all the decades I wasted . If this was your daughter , sister or friend describing this treatment I am sure you would advise them to save themselves . You are worth much more than this .

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 05/05/2021 18:28

You dont need to explain your reasons to him. You dont owe him anything.

IceLace100 · 05/05/2021 18:49

- He will touch me in public, in a sexual way, even though I have told him not to and that I don't like it. Nothing too OTT, but things like quickly putting his hand down my trousers and grabbing my bum. He will also do this at night time - if I have said no to sex, and even sometimes if we have had sex, he will constantly pester me all night by trying to touch me, even if I repeatedly tell him no and to stop it and get pissed off. I end up having a terrible nights sleep.

Under section 3(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a person commits an offence if he:

  • intentionally touches another person; and
  • the touching is sexual; and
  • the other person does not consent to the touching; and
  • he does not believe that the other person consents.

From what you have said:

  • he is intentionally grabbing you;
  • he is touching sexual parts of you;
  • you don't like it so you don't consent; and
  • he knows you don't consent because you have told him.

So to answer your question, you are absolutely not being sensitive. Good men do not commit crimes against people in their lives.

Ruminating2020 · 05/05/2021 19:07

Your instincts are correct. He is absolutely abusing you.

Name calling, belittling you, overstepping your boundaries by touching you in a sexual way in public, gaslighting you so that you question your sanity are all abusive and controlling tactics.

Treacletoots · 05/05/2021 19:14

What a complete fucking arsehole. You know he's abusive. You know this is not OK.

Get rid of the fuckwit and then work out why you've lowered your dickhead boundaries to such a low level.