Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Boyfriend said he couldn't help himself. [Content warning: concerns sexual abuse/rape]

115 replies

Whattheactualfk · 24/06/2021 23:46

I was lying in bed with my boyfriend the other night and he began feeling me up. I was a bit tired so not hugely into it but going with the flow. He asked if I was still sore as we had rough sex the night before. I said "yes", at which point he sat up, moved so he was facing me, lifted both my legs in the air and entered me.

I was a bit surprised by this as I thought saying I was sore was an indication that I wasn't up for more sex. But I went along with it and tried to encourage it to be over as soon as possible by faking orgasm.

He then said "I'm sorry, i couldn't help myself" afterwards and went back to sleep.

I've had similar incidents with other men and I always feel I act extremely passive in these situations. Like I can't just say no.

Although the other night he wanted me to use a toy in front of him. Then he took control. I pushed it away suddenly because the setting was too high and it hurt and, so I said "stop". He said "no keep going, I want to see you come". I said stop again and tried to push him off. Then he saw my face and said "stop for real?". This feels like a miscommunication but saying "stop" clearly without an agreed BDSM type scene means.. Well.. stop.

I felt quite unsafe but then guilty because he showed instant remorse and said I should have tapped him on the arm.

I freeze up when I feel scared and that makes it hard for men to realise they've crossed a line. I dunno I guess I just wanted to get someone else's perspective and advice.

OP posts:
me4real · 25/06/2021 00:48

@Bbe333 What an arsehole. I suggest making your own thread hun, more people can see and comment on it that way. x Start your own thread on the board www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships

AmberIsACertainty · 25/06/2021 00:49

I know I go along with stuff without expressing what I really want.. I guess I feel i don't have a say and worry he won't want me if I don't do what he likes.

I mean this kindly but you're so not in a good head space to be having sex. If someone leaves you because you won't do what they want I means either a) they're a bad person and so splitting up is a good thing, or b) you're incompatible and so splitting up is a good thing.

When you do start having sex again, you need to take it slowly so you have time to decide (during the process of having sex) if what you're about to do right now is what you want, or not. Sex is something you should be an active participant in, sex is not something that's done to you and it's happening/happened before you've had time to decide if you want to do xyz or not.

You sound like you don't even really know which sex acts you enjoy. Or realise that just because you want to do something on Monday evening, it doesn't mean you have to do t on Friday morning. Or because you did something with person A you have/should do it with person B. Literally every time you have sex you get to choose what you do and don't consent to, including deciding whether or not to have sex in the first place.

It might help you to think of if it was a stranger. So if a stranger crept into you bed and started groping you, that means you have to a) say "no" or b) have sex? If your partner started groping you in the supermarket bread isle you'd have to either a) say "no" or b) have sex? That's not how consent works.

Consent is, well, consent. Its not 'failure to fight him off' or 'failure to say "no" '.

Consent isn't: freezing up, panicking, crying, wanting to say "no" but unable to vocalise it, wishing sex wasn't happening, feeling awful, behaving weird, doing what you think you should, doing what doesn't make him angry/sulky/upset, or a million other things I can't think of right now.

The thing about tapping him on the arm. A) that needs to be agreed before you have sex, every time. And B) the signal should be by mutual agreement too. He doesn't get to decide alone what the signal is. He also doesn't get to decide in his head that there's a signal and he's going to ignore anything except the signal and not even bother to mention that to you !

If we theoretically decided give your partner the benefit of the doubt, say he's confused what's acceptable, that situation would mean your partner seriously needs to educate himself in what consent is. Like, attend a 'perpetrator of domestic violence' course or something.

Because if he's genuinely "confused" then he's probably raped others too and will continue to do so in the future after you've dumped him. And one day he'll find himself in a whole heap of trouble, when one of his victims decides not to keep quiet and excuse his behaviour but to report it instead.

Anordinarymum · 25/06/2021 00:52

He said he couldn't help himself OP - but he did help himself - to your body.
Start saying 'No' and create boundaries. It seems to me there are none here

AnotherSunrise · 25/06/2021 01:01

LTB

me4real · 25/06/2021 01:12

Start saying 'No' and create boundaries. It seems to me there are none here

@Anordinarymum Someone isn't responsible for saying no during a rape/assault and isn't failing to have a boundary by not doing so, of course. That boundary has already been non-consensually crossed before they have the opportunity to say no or not say no.

I agree that OP needs to say no to particular acts if she's not in the mood. That's worth doing in your next relationship @Whattheactualfk . But this bloke just needs to be binned and blocked, and reported if you feel able.

username059471 · 25/06/2021 01:17

OP there are an awful amount of nasty skanky men who are using BDSM as an excuse in order to sexually assault women. What he's doing isn't BDSM, it's sexual assault. In a normal, non coercive sexual relationship, things like using a belt, biting, rough sex are mutually agreed beforehand and a safe word is used that means STOP.

He's making up shit as he goes along (you should have tapped me) and he's getting off on hurting you. Him thinking about you being in pain was turning him on. He's a sadistic, nasty piece of crap OP and you need to get out of the relationship.

I have no doubt he sensed your vulnerability and honed in on that as you sound very unsure of yourself and seem to lack confidence which he loves of course. He's also making you believe that he'll dump you if you don't do what he wants, which is coercive.

Please get some support and leave as soon as you can.

ThreeLocusts · 25/06/2021 01:28

I'm so so sorry you've ended up in this situation. Clearly you are regularly having sex that is rougher than you want, that is demeaning to you for his arousal, thar is painful and in fact nonconsensual.

Please don't put up with this. Maybe it's porn that has mis-set your partner's expectations or maybe he is just a shit. Either way, you have to renegotiate your sexual relationship or, since this is not very likely to work, just get rid.

It makes me feel worried for you that you seem to think his actions are acceptable. They are horrific.

Leahcar65 · 25/06/2021 01:29

I'm seeing a lot of comments saying you needed to say no. Do not listen to them. The first thing to remember is that you did absolutely nothing wrong here. When it comes to sex, everything that isn't a yes is a no. That's not difficult for men to understand, we use non verbal cues in all aspects of our life. If you'd asked a friend if she wanted to do an exercise class with you and she said 'Im a bit sore' you'd understand that was a no.
You were very clear when you said stop and he had no right to carry on.

It can be difficult to hear, but this would constitute rape. The NHS have brilliant speedy sexual assault counselling as so rape crisis UK if you need support. If you feel unsafe it might be worth arranging to stay with someone you trust. You are not to blame at all for this and this isn't as a result of anything you've done. You were very clear and he ignored that.

justsaymaybe · 25/06/2021 01:52

Do you actually want this "rough sex" at all? Because it doesn't sound like you do and that's OK.
From what you've said, he is abusing and pushing past any boundaries you have on purpose.
You should LTB, he's a piece of shit abuser/rapist and you deserve better.

Topseyt · 25/06/2021 02:02

Dump him. He's a rapist.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 25/06/2021 02:07

He'll be choking you next.

AdjustableAssholeSettings · 25/06/2021 02:25

Run as fast as you can.

Thisisus909 · 25/06/2021 02:26

This isn’t okay. BDSM has very clear boundaries for a reason. So that everyone remains safe. The way he is acting is at the most generous totally cavalier about your physical safety, emotional well-being and pleasure.
I don’t think this is the person for you: if you find it hard to express what you need and want that is all the more reason not to be in a sexual relationship with someone who is not all that bothered about your boundaries.

Stop means stop. Don’t talk yourself out of how you felt. You sound like you felt violated and for good reason.

LTB and get some support. Rape crisis would be a good place.

lolacola77 · 25/06/2021 02:39

He's a nasty abusive rapist cunt. You must get him out of your life. Please put yourself first. This is someone who is supposed to love you but he's hurting you and doesn't give a fuck. I hope you get rid.

chickenyhead · 25/06/2021 02:46

I'm so sorry OP. Flowers

Please do some research in to consent. If it is too painful or difficult to apply the compassion to yourself, imagine your child or best friend was relaying this to you.

I have been here too.

Ask yourself, would I have done these things were I him? Would a reasonable person treat another human being this way?

If you had tapped his arm, no doubt at all, he would move that goalpost again. This isn't about you, he has no respect for you. This is about him using your body.

If you could have stopped time and chosen not to have sex, without consequences, then you were not ACTIVELY consenting. You were being coerced.

You unfortunately appear to resort to the same fear response I did. The problem is, they know that you aren't consenting. They want that power and control over you. It escalates.

The first few times my ex raped me after we split up (not the many times we were together) I didn't SAY no, but everything about my body language and eye contact screamed it. Deafening screams of I don't want this. It is obvious to a reasonable person when their partner is not in to it. I cannot imagine laying a finger on someone who wasn't fully in to it. Nor would you. My ex escalated the violence during subsequent rapes. Through me telling him calmly to stop, he was raping me, how would he feel if someone did this to our DD; all the way through to suffocating me in to a pillow whilst raping me anally whilst I screamed the house down. What I am saying is that you are in danger.

Please don't focus on whether you say the word no. It is irrelevant and you may be scared that saying it will lead to him carrying on anyway, it would. Your body language already told him no.

He is scum.

arithanaggerton · 25/06/2021 03:31

Stop telling the OP to be more fucking assertive.

She said she was still sore. He's a grown fucking man not a child, that was more than enough information for him to know she didn't want sex.]

Stop making excuses for these fucking rapists.

miltonj · 25/06/2021 03:38

He's deliberately making you feel Luke you haven't properly communicated stop or no to him so that he gets to what his wants to do without getting into trouble. But you have, you know you have, so internalise that knowledge aNo get out of this reLationship. He's a vile man and he does not respect you. I hope you can see this, sending strength to you! X

Onthemaintrunkline · 25/06/2021 04:11

Another poster has written ‘this is beyond awful’ how true, this really and truly is. Get out immediately, don’t allow yourself to be degraded in this way. Spend time on your own, build up some confidence and self worth.
This relationship (if you could call it that) is nasty. Good luck.

Baycitystroller · 25/06/2021 04:35

Get out. Seek help. This is not normal.

GiantToadstool · 25/06/2021 04:44

Please escape this.

I like some of the "rough" elements but only ever in a consensual relationship with a man who is respecting me and after discussion etc. Everything you've said makes me want to come and take you away from this man.

I think you need to be somewhere else to be safe.

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 25/06/2021 04:47

In a normal, non coercive sexual relationship, things like using a belt, biting, rough sex are mutually agreed er, no User with numbers, in a normal non coercive relationship you don’t hurt your partner.
Op, listen to people please, get out and dump this rapey fucker. Learn to. Love yourself. Be safe.

FTEngineerM · 25/06/2021 05:00

That's not difficult for men to understand, we use non verbal cues in all aspects of our life

The situation is obviously totally one for the OP to leave and get herself some help BUT the OP is in fact using non verbal cues to pretend to enjoy it ie. fake orgasm.

SunshineCake · 25/06/2021 05:15

@converseandjeans

That's not nice - you need to be more assertive and say no firmly and remove yourself from the situation. I don't think he's a keeper is he? It's not your fault and he needs to work on treating you better.
This is victim blaming.

How about he is a dick who likes raping his partner and should not do it.

daisychain01 · 25/06/2021 05:29

Get this pond-life out of your life. Can you do that?

None of what you describe has any place in a healthy loving relationship.

Sitchervice · 25/06/2021 05:30

You need to learn about true concent. By saying no in any format even if you change your mind half way through you are not giving/withdrawing concent.

Think about it. If you went to a hairdressers for just a colour and you said no to a cut but they started cutting you would be so angry. Why would it be any different for sex!

Please watch the video below.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.