What does this mean "I am nuking you into the dark ages "

[bubblysouffle]

I live in a country where English is used but children's case workers may not necessarily understand the English nuances and history of the dark ages.

Ex partner is English, and sent me message:

" Expect a nuclear response" and " I am nuking you into the dark ages " .

What does this mean to an English speaking person ? nuclear ? nuking...dark ages....

I need to show the mumsnet english speakers interpretation.

Thank you for your help.

I just need your definitions to avoid the " It's only your interpretation " that he is going to harm you. Thank you all. They can read English and understand; it is just that this is not a common saying where I am. Thank you all.

He is threatening you with your children's safety

Yes. BUT some countries do not offer interpreters or translators as a matter of course. It may also be a misogynistic society, it may be a corrupt policing system, the OP may be unable to raise the funds to get adequate legal representation. She is not willing to say, so, there's not much more we can do than to say that what he has said are actual threats.

I'm sad for you OP. I really am.

How on earth have you drawn that conclusion from OP's couple of very specific & short posts?!? Don't be so bloody nasty

The dictionary definitions by three different English dictionaries might be as powerful as anything we say. You know it's a threat. We know it's a threat. The dictionaries know it's a threat. He also knows it's a threat.

Are you scared? Are you afraid? If you are, it's a threat.

Agreed. The woman refers to ex-partner not ex-husband. She has been to the police 3 times. She is clearly afraid and desperately trying to get the authorities to listen to her but they don't believe that what he has written constitutes an actual real threat.

I know it's hard to imagine but sometimes, shit and all as England is right now, we have more rights as women than a lot of people in other countries.

I would take this as an extremely serious threat, as he is saying that he will completely destroy you, and that your life will no longer be recognisable (or recoverable)

If he has any kind of anger or violent tendencies this could be in the form of harm to you or your children, otherwise he could destroy your reputation, bankrupt you or destroy your mental health.

If the father is on the birth certificate it's not kidnapping, police will do absolutely nothing.

The first answer was as accurate as you are ever going to get.

The dark ages are a colloquial term used to mean just what they said; that everything will be stripped away and you will be left to start from scratch, basically.

The “Dark Ages” in English/ European history is pre Enlightenment so Medieval times, pre electricity, pre medicine, pre anything remotely modern. So heat and light was by candle and fire, medicine was herbs and magic and praying etc.
I would agree it’s an alarming threat to make.

Your call for help is real and has been very upsetting to hear of.
There are genuine cases in life of revenge murders. Please read this case and don't ever underestimate what could happen:
www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-61319315

I think this case says it all... this is a possible interpretation of "nuking you to the dark ages." Please see this a real threat, especially if you know that he is mentally unstable. Please do NOT take this threat lightly. Unfortunately, there are sperm donors (and the female equivalent) out there who are NOT fit to be parents nor are they humane in any way !

I hope the authorities take swift action to help you... lives are possibly at stake. No time to ummm and ahhh... and then, regret!

Here's another by an unstable mother ...
www.nytimes.com/2022/09/12/nyregion/three-children-dead-coney-island.html

Please take action before it's too late!

Expect a nuclear response = expect an attack of nuclear proportions ie that will kill you.

Nuking = destroying/killing with nuclear weapons
Dark ages = period in history around the 5th to 10th centuries

Nuking you to the Dark ages = killing you and rendering you no more than a period in history, long ago and forgotten.

I'm sorry you are having to deal with such an evil man. I hope your solicitors can get a good outcome for you.

I don't understand why you need this thread. Surely you can just show them a definition of "dark ages" (e.g. Wikipedia or similar). Why would the police take Mumsnet more seriously than a proper definition?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Ages_(historiography)

And everyone will know what "nuking" is, and how extreme it is. There is no country where people are oblivious to the fact that nuclear weapons are intended to annihilate their target.

UPDATE

I
I went to the police again and was told it was not a threat. I eventually managed to speak to a senior officer who went to a top boarding school in the UK, very posh, who didn't see it as a threat.

I said I felt threatened and not only me, but look at all the printouts of the mumsnet forum. He said mumsnet cannot be evidence. I said , no it cannot.
But it shows there is no misunderstanding in the English language as to the seriousness of the threat to harm and cause destruction.

Finally, I was able to lodge the complaint. So thank you all.

I am still heartbroken unable to see my kids. Got to go through court.

It's not a common saying in the west either.

This

Honestly if you’re in a misogynistic country where women’s rights are practically non existent then no amount of evidence will convince them. A posh boy from Eton isn’t going to help you if he’s a misogynist. The fact you’re having to resort to mumsnet as evidence in the first place tells me they’re not interested as you don’t need much education to know it’s a threat. I hope you can get your kids back using a very good lawyer.

I am so happy for you that someone has taken your complaint. If you need more help, don't hesitate to ask.

I hope you get justice, but I know that fighting for justice can feel impossible at times.

He is making it very clear that nothing else matters to him apart from destroying you. He will use any means to do this and doesn’t care about the consequences.
He is willing to destroy everything and anything you care about and particularly what is going to hurt you the most ie the children. Plenty of men have done this.
He doesn’t want the kids, he is using them to control and punish you.
if the authorities read these threats and still allow him to have the children they will have blood on their hands. These types of men have shown us time and time again what they are capable of and he’s actually telling you this. If they don’t take this seriously they will be responsible for a very bad situation.
When are the courts going to wake up and stop being manipulated by these awful men?
I wish you all the luck in the world OP, it’s clear you are doing all you can .

Are there any women’s charities where you are that can help you? Or could you scout women’s aid websites etc for advice? I’m clutching but if the kids are British Nationals is there anything that can be done from here?

Sorry I know you weren’t looking for any other advice but I feel desperate for you .

It's not a common saying in England, but a person who is going nuclear or turning nuclear( heard more often, but still not common) is a way of expressing how angry they are. He's saying what you have done has made him extremely angry, so expect a huge response - however, what that entails could be anything and dosen't necessarily mean physical harm to anyone. It could be keeping your kids from you more, it could mean financial or general difficulties for you. As it was sent to you, and the response is directed at you, it implies that his anger is directed at you, so not a threat on your DC's necessarily.
If he'd said that he's was goining ballistic about what you've done and aims to mount a devastating response, that would be very similar. But, it falls short of a death threat, while not excluding that as an option, particularly if you know him as the kind of person who might be capable of that, It's a strong but valed theat to something big in response, what that could be is deliberately vague, because he's not going to tell you his plan in advance ( and he may not have decided yet what to do himself).
He's rattled by your court proceedings, and rightly so, if he's not had them in school and there is evidence of this without alternative educational arrangements being provided, it will reflect badly on him in court.

It's not a threat as such, it means he's very angry. But as he's already taken the children this is small fry.

@keeprunningupthathill of course it’s a threat. An awful one