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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

Husband left me and my teenage children on New Year. I have no idea what to do now. (Content warning: concerns sexual abuse and domestic violence)

345 replies

FrolickingFannyBoots · 06/01/2022 05:39

Hello all lovely ladies on mumset, I really really need some help in a crisis situation please. I have no one to turn to at the moment and am totally alone.

The day before New Year, my husband of almost 20 years walked out on us and went to his parent's house. He has been having an emotional and possible sexual affair for some time I believe and I was suspicious for two years. Typical middle aged man, younger woman scenario. I am 50 and she is early 30's. She has been after him for more than a a year now and has moved moved down to London from Glasgow to be near him. He helped her move here and is now involved
much more closely.

He has become cruel, unkind and heartless toward me, speaking with a different voice, sending me authoritative emails about when he is returning to collect his things and stating that he is not going to divorce yet. The house is in his name and he says he will not sell. I simply do not recognise him and my kids are absolutely devastated.

Last month, we were buying gifts for parents and friends together in a antique shop. He bought a Molton Brown Christmas bauble saying it was for his mum. I thought it was odd as he has never been interested in toiletries. Later that week, I found that and the same set of hand creams he had bought me in a bag with pants, new ladies black t shirts and socks by his desk - I knew it was a bag packed to go to this woman. She is Polish and works in IT. They met at a mutual friend's wedding in the Czech Republic in 2019.

Before he left last week, I tried to reason with him to save our marriage. I consented to sex ( it's been many months ) but he then basically rammed my legs open, shoved himself inside me, had an orgasm. He came out, turned over and went to sleep. He hurt me. he has never done that before, but because i initially consented to help keep him at home , I cannot claim rape .The next day he said he had angry sex, that he had used me and taken advantage of me. I wish I had recorded this!

He has now kept on and on texting me with accusations of my emotional abuse abuse in arguments; throwing lots and lots of text messages etc at me from the past. He has recorded all out arguments and sent them to me as evidence. But they actually show even in 2018 that I was asking him about our relationship and how unhappy I was. He never replied to the issues I raised properly. I admit I have behaved badly in arguments and shouted but never threatened him in any way.

Last year, he hit me with a bottle after a row which was thrown across the room and caused me extensive bruising all across on my arm, a large hematoma and significant pain. I did not press charges. He says that I am the abusive partner due to my verbal bullying. I do have photos.

He now states he is leaving me but not my children. He tells me he does not love me, never has and wishes he never married me. He is demanding to return to the house after leaving last week to see my 3 teenage kids aged 14,16 and 17. They do not want to see him.

He says he will come back, see them, collect his things and go back home to his mum and dad for good. He is insisting on a trial separation and will not divorce me until he is ready. That he will keep
me in in our family home ( an area I really don't like or want to stay in) until my youngest is 18. He is dominating every conversation and interaction we have now. He refuses to respond via text most days and calls me instead when convenient for him. He has suggested that the come home at weekends only and stay at his mums during the week. \he says he will not come home again to stay as I am forcing him into a relationship again where he will be abused by me verbally and I'm a bully. He says alternatively I could leave. Yet just last week he was out with me going for a long walk and a take out coffee.

I have nor slept or eaten at all well since he left. In November, 2019 I just started a new job full time in education after a 17 year break as a stay at home mum. About 2 weeks into this, he started telling me I was awful, how wanted to leave and goaded me every day stating he no longer wanted the relationship and that he was leaving. I ran off on the day he told me day last month and went to my local woods to walk, think and had a drink to calm myself down after he stated he was leaving. He said if I did that again he was leaving.

I believe he has been planning this exit for a long time with this woman. He says he is as his parent's house. I have begged him to come home but he says I am controlling and manipulating him.

I do not know what to do. Should I file for divorce? He is saying that he will work at his parents and come up weekends to see the kids and help with the house but has left me. I do not think that this is helpful as he will be with this woman while I am alone. He is very evasive about the relationship and tells me nothing about it. He has been very secretive for months and months. I was so suspicious- I tried every thing to get evidence.

He wants to wait for the no fault divorce but I do not. He has been so so awful to me and rude every day since I started work. I have a large abdominal hernia and separated abdominal muscles. I need
significant surgery plus have diagnosed mental health conditions and am in in NHS therapy. I am quite weak. He is younger, no health problems. l I live in a small town with no support. I cannot drive and he has taken the car. I have nothing now. I am on compassionate leave from my work as I am trying to help support my children and am too distressed to work in school with the stress. he says I should just go to work as get on as normal.

If anyone could provide me with some advice I would be very grateful. I am at a total loss. I can barely write and it's been a few days now. This man has blind sided me, although I was very suspicious,. He has abandoned me and the children taking no responsibility.

He is just blaming and accusing me saying its all my fault. He will not return and says if he comes back he comes to see the kids and then will go back to his parents. I have no family to help or friends, I am alone here. I had no notion that he would leave like this, he has clearly been encouraged and prompted by this woman to leave me and built up to it He says he wants divorce later but no decision has been made. My two elder kids are in their final year of exams- my son Year 11, daughter Yr 13. This is so so stressful for them but they don't see the long term consequences. He says he will never be reconciled to me ever again.

I have £600 in my account and that's it. Should I apply for a divorce? What should I do ? I can't have him here just waling back in and dominating me. He has said that if he stays, he will have sex with her and then come back regularly after 3 days. He then asks me if I am in love with him and talks about our cats. He is expecting me to just carry on as normal while he leaves me with no support or help with my physical problems. The house is in need of real repair and renovation, it's in quite a state and he's just left me with it here in a poor condition,. I cannot run it alone with no notice. I have stated all this to him in texts but he ignores me.

Sorry this is long. I am desperate. I have no money, no car, friends of support, My job is minimum wage due to my physical problem of my hernia stopping me working in my old career as a teacher. My DH has literally upped and gone and turned into this awful awful man who now thinks I'm scum. He is so rude to me now and just exopect me to continue as normal without him. He told me he said in his mind- "just one more row over something small and that's it" Yet he is now making me go over and over all out rows from 4-5 years ago. I gave up my career, my health and life to move to Kent from London to facilitate his life. What should I do? Should I cut contact? I am just devastated by this.

Thank you for any advice. I really appreciate it.

OP posts:
FrolickingFannyBoots · 06/01/2022 06:24

Sadly I am not close to my mum or sister. I have no family I can call on. My mother would not be supportive. I am just glad for the support here- so so kind.

OP posts:
StopStartStop · 06/01/2022 06:25

Oh, my ex - he 'went back to his parents' when we split. Except he went to his girlfriend and his parents covered for him. Don't believe a word he says, about anything.

Itsnotdeep · 06/01/2022 06:26

I'm so sorry this has happened to you.

It's time for you to seize the power from him. Stop sending him emails. Stop texting or messaging him. Block him so he can't send you anything. He's just being abusive and re-writing history. It's a script and he's following it.

CAB will help you, but you need to see a solicitor. Then all correspondence can go through them. He doesn't get to decide whether you stay in the house. You do. Your solicitor will be able to advise you. And yes, if you tell them about the sex incident, it might be that you can get an occupation order to keep him out of the house. I didn't have to do mediation with my x because he was abusive (no point doing mediation with an abusive man).

Stop talking to him. Block him and tell him that all correspondence is through emails from now on. At some stage anger will hit you and that will help you immensely. Feel angry that this man is treating you this way, and use that anger. And yes, move back to London. Although you can't see it now, your life will be much better!

Lucky44 · 06/01/2022 06:31

Nothing more to add to the advice you have been given. Well done for reaching out and taking the first steps. It will be hard but no harder than what you are going through and every little step you take is towards a more positive future for you and your DCs.

Geriatric1234 · 06/01/2022 06:35

Commenting mainly to keep bumped. Stop contacting him or responding until you’ve spoken to CAB. Most solicitors also offer a free 30 minute consultation.

You can still report the bottle incident, especially if you have photos.

Best of luck x

Totalwasteofpaper · 06/01/2022 06:38

FlowersFlowersFlowers
He is an abusive bastard.
Stop trying to be fair or decent because he is out to hurt you in every way possible.
He is the energy quite literally. you need to find your anger to protect your and your children. His “I love the kids not you” spiel is more of his lies. He is looking to service his needs and his mistresses. That’s it. Your children will be screwed financially so you need to act to protect them as much as yourself.

He says I must stay here until the kids are 18 and I cannot file and sell up.

This is total bullshit.
He wants you to wait because he wants to ensure you get a lower proportion of assets as his lawyer will argue the children are adults when you file. With 3 dependent children you will get more than 50% people of assets - he knows this.

Get advice hire the best lawyer you can, be completely honest about your situation (inc sexual and physical assault) and follow their advice to the letter.

Flowers this WILL get better

Ladybugzrock · 06/01/2022 06:42

@FrolickingFannyBoots your marriage has been slowly and systematically eroded by this man’s abusive behaviour for a good couple of years from your post. This is not a sudden break down. It’s time to look back and realise enough is enough.

Self care first dear lady. Eat healthily, drink water, STD tests. Focus on your children and creating a safe new normal for them.

Grey rock him first of all. No contact whatsoever. Do not give him any opportunity to emotionally and mentally abuse you anymore. No contact = no new hurts. Arrange an email address where you can answer questions about finances and the children on your terms.

No ‘pick me dancing’ no begging this abuser back, let him go, you’re worth so much more.

Get to a solicitor. CAB will help. Hey there and find out about your financial rights. You need a plan, a route forward, to do that you need clear answers to your rights.

I’d refer yourself for counselling. Most NHS trusts have a self referral system, that will help you face the difficult times ahead.

Read ‘leave a cheater gain a life’, very helpful book at understanding the mindset of a cheat and helping you unpick why he’s so vitriolic in his accusations.

Move forward with purpose.

sandgrown · 06/01/2022 06:47

Claim Universal Credit immediately. You can do it online. Start a claim for child maintenance with CMS . Take control from him . He does not get to say what you are going to do . Try and get a half an hour free session with a solicitor to check your position. Don’t speak to him unless you absolutely have to and don’t believe a word he says . He is no longer your friend. Gather all the paperwork you can and store it safely somewhere . It sounds like he waited until you got back to work to leave. Work may actually help you as you will have to get out of the house and have some routine. If you work in education I guess there will be an employee assistance programme where you could speak to someone. Your children are old enough to decide if they want to see him . Good luck OP . It’s hard but you will get there . Stay strong .

Flidina · 06/01/2022 06:48

Agree with the advice of not communicating with him, until you've spoken to a solicitor, or CAB. Use this time to take back some sort of control, find out which benefits you can claim, child maintenance, log all of the abuse, with the police, get your paperwork in order. When you go no contact he'll ramp up his game, come across as reasonable to try and get you to speak to him, do not fall for it, he will not have changed, you can do this, your stronger than you think,

A580Hojas · 06/01/2022 06:48

It sounds like a very unhappy marriage with your past history. In time you will be glad it is over. All the details in your op make it very identifying. Are you sure you want all this on the internet for the whole world to see?

theskyisbluernow · 06/01/2022 06:49

Oh @FrolickingFannyBoots, I so hope you manage to get some sleep. Then look back here to see all the support offered to you, which will be huge.

Small steps, today is very early days and you are clearly in shock and need to build yourself up to develop some resilience. If later today, you don't feel emotionally up to CAB, then that can wait until tomorrow. You are entitled to shared assets, as others have said, but if you are currently safe at home, then just stay there. You cannot be asked to leave and it doesn't sound like he will impose that in any case, so just take one day at a time and accept you are safe today.

So today, after you've slept:

  1. Ask your daughter's godmother if she can come over and be with you - you need to have someone to support you personally, to give you the strength to also begin to support your daughters today. If she cannot, is there anyone who might?
  1. Ensure you eat something, even if it's just toast. Make yourself tea/coffee, with sugar.

3.Make an appointment with your GP - you may need some help sleeping for a few weeks, they can help you with that.

  1. Call Women's Aid and discuss what you have told us above.

5.All other decisions can wait til tomorrow.

(you can't legally lock him out of the house, but you can often do that practically with key/bolt, especially if daughters are there. I did. He's unlikely to break the door down I would think.Just give yourself a few days to get through the shock)

Totalwasteofpaper · 06/01/2022 06:51

@treesandweeds

Has has left you, not the children. You should let him see them, he is still their dad, they are his children too. Plan living apart for now, immediate necessities, divorce can wait until things have calmed down.
How is this helpful? It’s terrible advise as it’s the delaying divorce suggestion.

If I was his child I’d have little to no fucking interest, from what OP writes her children feel pretty similarly.

OP please do not force or encourage contact, all the “go on, he’s your dad” rhetoric can be very damaging.
My mum wanted to #bekind and listened to all my dads nonsense so spent her time telling me and my brother similar - it’s basically gaslighting and not right.
your children are old enough to know what they want.
It is fine/appropriate for you to take a neutral position, at their ages even the youngest can make up their mind and can make arrangements directly with him (you need to know about it for practical reasons etc but it’s on him to arrange)
I would indicate it’s on him do the travelling and pick up and drop offs but Facilitate it if the children request it and/or it’s needed orherwise, leave them to get on with it.

FortunesFave · 06/01/2022 06:55

He's an absolute bastard by the sound of it. Do ALL you can to protect yourself. Could you pay the mortgage since you're working now?

Shoxfordian · 06/01/2022 07:08

He doesn’t get to dictate to you how he wants this to work; he’s been abusive to you for years

Contact womens aid for some support
You can file for divorce yourself online without a lawyer; nothing stopping you doing that today
Definitely consider reporting to the police
Keep safe Flowers

SunshineOnKeith · 06/01/2022 07:08

Stop listening to what he says
He's a abusive controlling prick.

Start thinking independently. Get financial records, bank statements, property documents, passports together and lock them away safely.
Speak to a solicitor, start divorce proceedings
Report abusive/threatening behaviour and assaults to the police

BobCatBob · 06/01/2022 07:09

Good advice above. get support:-
Citizens advice
Woman’s aid
Solicitor - potentially legal aid
Universal credit
CMS

Email communication with him only. No phone calls or face to face.

Also gather any and all financial papers together, passports, birth certificates etc. you need them in a safe place away from him so that he can’t use them to control you and as much evidence of his and your own finances as possible. From the sound of it he will try any tactic to control you and will also lie about his own financial situation. You will be entitled to a share of the house and all other assets including his pension. Don’t speak to him about it, there is no need.

In separation and divorce the physical domestic abuse you have suffered is sufficient grounds to begin immediately and will should mean you can skip mediation.There is no need to go into any other details about who said what when and especially no need to rake over any of it with him. It takes some time to go through anyway so your children can do their exams in the meantime.

You might like to ask about a restraining order because of the abuse so at least he does not have access to the house and it will allow you to build a safe space for your dc.

If your children don’t want to see him at the moment protect their wishes. Courts will take their wishes into account so discuss access with solicitor. Try not to talk to your children about the details or use them as support - this will be hard for them and they will be in shock too.

Use this forum to off load, it can be very helpful.

Divorce takes

Pixxie7 · 06/01/2022 07:10

Hi I am so sorry this has happened to you, I can completely empathise with how you must be feeling, as like you my ex left me after 20 years although not for a younger women and he wasn’t abusive. However I did have 2 teenagers and an 8 year old.
Take a deep breath, see a solicitor and go from there, don’t comply with a no fault divorce and let your children decide what contact with their father. They are more astute than you give them credit for. Take each day at a time you will get there and be better for it.

LizzieSiddal · 06/01/2022 07:11

Flowers I’m so sorry you’re going through this, you must be in shock at the moment.

You’ve had lots of advice here but I second phoning Women's Aid, they are trained in helping women in abusive relationships, and will help you get your head around what has happened and is happening now.

Rangoon · 06/01/2022 07:11

Good on you for getting a job after such a long break. Hopefully when the house is sold you can get the surgery you need privately. It is very important to prioritise your needs right now. If you could go back teaching you would be earning a better salary.

I do think you need legal advice urgently. There is no way that he can force you to stay in that house till the youngest is 18 and decide when the house should be sold. There is no requirement for all solicitors to give a free half hour despite it being a mantra of Mumsnet. I suggest you telephone round and find a solicitor who practises in family law and who may do the free 30 minutes.

Remember he is no longer on your team. He's just another middle aged man having a midlife crisis and flattered by some stupid young woman. You have done nothing wrong. He wants to denigrate you so he can justify leaving. Your children obviously see through him. That young woman he has taken up with must be desperate to have a relationship with a married man with three children. Just keep that in mind because she obviously didn't have a lot of options and she's as pathetic as your husband.

Things are going to get better. Just keep hold of that thought.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 06/01/2022 07:16

I doubt very much that a young woman has been after him for years , it would have been the other way round .
He is still unsure she will have him which is why he doesn't want a divorce.
You need to take the control back out of his hands .

Mummyoflittledragon · 06/01/2022 07:19

I agree with everyone else about reporting the rape and divorcing him asap. You’re getting a lot of advice on getting your ducks in a row.

I am sorry you’re going through this with the hernia on top. Do you have a belt to keep your abdominals in place? This is not designed to help with the tearing but will help with the pain levels and has been recommended to be worn for a minimum of 3 months after your surgery. Are you taking pain killers?

I can also give you some information and advice re the surgery. You can PM me or ask on the thread for more details both (if you are ok to discuss the location and size etc) on this or the belt as there are very good ones out there from specialist shops.

Dizzylizzy22 · 06/01/2022 07:21

He is sending you things via WhatsApp on everything he is accusing you of doing wrong to gather as evidence if he needs it. He knows he is the abuser, but is changing the narrative and keeping it all in case he needs it in court. Do NOT respond to his messages. Do not let him make it look to anyone who reads those messages that you are the abuser.

Communicate via email in a calm, rational way if you need to. Do not react to his baiting as he will use it as further 'evidence'. What a complete and utter vile man he is. I am so sorry OP. I had a similar thing happen to me. He is a bully and an abuser. Do not show fear.

Thatsplentyjack · 06/01/2022 07:24

@treesandweeds

Has has left you, not the children. You should let him see them, he is still their dad, they are his children too. Plan living apart for now, immediate necessities, divorce can wait until things have calmed down.
If you actually read what the OP said, the children don't want to see their father, she's not stopping them HTH.
Billybagpuss · 06/01/2022 07:24

Have you been to see the dr about your hernia?

Well done on getting a job but it is worth working on your own physical health so you can progress in the future when you’re feeling better you have options.

There’s been great advice here, the only thing I’d add is take screenshots of everything, block him on the phone and only check the email once a week when you are feeling strong.

Toocoldtocamp · 06/01/2022 07:26

Here is what I did

  • called women's aid
  • filled oit a Universal credit application online
  • opened a bank account in my name.
  • if you can move funds then do.
  • spoke to a solicitor
-applied for legal aid
  • stop communication
  • file for divorce online. Can also apply for fees.
My DH wasn't abusive although perhaps emotionally. It was a very tough few weeks but is settling down now. The law is on your side. He is a nasty controlling a hole Just because you shouted at him means nothing. Clearly he seriously provoked you on numerous occasions. He also emotional ly abused you by shutting you down. You are well rid of him. Today is the beginning of the rest of your life. (Bet the 'new' woman loved getting some hand cream and socks for Christmas. What a total dick he is. She'll soon realise that.)
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