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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 consider this abuse?

89 replies

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 22:48

I ask because I’ve spent the last few weeks in therapy after feeling on the brink of suicide and I needed to get help.

I am due to give birth in 11 days. For the last two months my partner (or ex?!) has refused to speak to me. We had some awful arguments during pregnancy and it came to a head one week after a particularly shit argument, we both said things we didn’t mean (at least I know I didn’t mean my part). He changed locks when I got back from work, had left my belongings outside in four boxes, and refused to speak to me or explain why he had done this though obviously I assumed it was following the argument. I never considered it an argument that ended things.

I then waited for him to return from work the next day and when he arrived he literally walked past me and I begged him to talk. He carried on walking, wouldn’t acknowledge me. He then shoved past me into his flat and locked the door. I left and spent the next 6 weeks contacting him via email and text, saying I didn’t know what had happened, asking to talk and asking if we could at least discuss the baby. He didn’t reply to any of this, I was distraught and confused and begged him to let me know what he wanted to do about our baby and whether he wanted to be at the birth etc. Right before Christmas I received an email from him saying if I messaged again he was going to report me for harassing him and he had all the emails and texts to show for it. I felt pretty tricked into this as he could have said initially that he didn’t want me to contact him or could have blocked my number with ease or just had a conversation about the end of our relationship as the only moment I knew it was over was when boxes were left outside for me. Instead I had no closure at all and felt so vulnerable as I was heavily pregnant.

I spent the last week since new year in therapy and I’ve been told this is horrendous emotional abuse and rather than beating myself up about how or why we may have broken up, I should stay well away from such an awful man. I did not expect this and expected my therapist to say I had been unhinged and crazy and ultimately quite pathetic and needy. I’ve since researched this sort of treatment and it does indicate it’s abuse, however, I’m seeking validation here I suppose. Do you agree with my therapist? I still feel I’m to blame that I’m alone and my baby presumably now won’t know her dad. Please he honest. I don’t want anything sugar coated, I just want to try and make sense of the last few awful weeks.

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 08/01/2023 22:52

I agree with your therapist. Contact Women's Aid . They will help you.

SnoozyLucy7 · 08/01/2023 22:52

This is terrible! Of course it’s abuse! What an awful man. To treat you like this, at your most vulnerable is very abusive. Your therapist is absolutely right. Please don’t go back to him.

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 22:55

@dizzydizzydizzy @SnoozyLucy7 because I don’t know specifically why he decided at that time to put boxes outside for me, I have gone over and over the row to try and identify where I went wrong. I feel like I am not blameless, I said things didn’t I? Does this make what he did not abuisve? I presume the therapist is ‘on my side’ so I don’t totally trust the view and want honest opinions here. I just need to make sense of it all, even if I caused all of this, to make sense of it would help me recover from it all. I just don’t understand how it all unfolded and why he did this.

OP posts:
daybroke · 08/01/2023 22:56

The relationship sounds dysfunctional.

Plan to be a single parent and go to CMS.

waynesworldpartytimeexcellent · 08/01/2023 22:58

I remember all your past posts, so will a lot of others.

amiold · 08/01/2023 22:59

You had an argument and he decided to end it.

He ended it badly by putting your things outside but he ended it.

He didn't give you answers when he should have but was clear it was over.

You continually tried to contact him even though it was over.

His behaviour is shit but not sure he is abusive - he removed himself from a toxic situation (which you don't need right now).

Whatever was said in that argument between you had made him think enough was enough.

MN will say ANYTHING is abuse. It's so fashionable round here.

He's an arse and if he doesn't want to see his kid then leave him to it. Go to cms and move on with your life and make new happy memories - you don't need someone like him x

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:00

@amiold its hard not knowing why, what happened, how it came to this. We were together a long time and it’s hard to move forward without answers. Finding it very hard.

OP posts:
daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:01

Did you post about this at the time?

amiold · 08/01/2023 23:01

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:00

@amiold its hard not knowing why, what happened, how it came to this. We were together a long time and it’s hard to move forward without answers. Finding it very hard.

But he won't give you answers and harassing him won't change that.

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:02

@daybroke i posted when he left boxes outside. Is there a problem posting more than once? Genuine question x

OP posts:
daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:02

No it's just I vaguely remembered that

RoseslnTheHospital · 08/01/2023 23:02

Of course it's abusive. As is the threat of reporting you for harassment. As you rightly said, he didn't state that you should stop contacting him, he didn't even state that the relationship was over from his point of view. And you have a baby together which was a valid reason to contact him. So, everything he's done after the row seems to have been done to maximise the hurt and impact on you.

Please listen to your therapist, they are talking sense.

AnneLovesGilbert · 08/01/2023 23:03

If you don’t understand it no one here has a chance but something pretty awful must have gone on for him to behave like that and being pregnant doesn’t mean you’re the only who’s a victim of a dysfunctional relationship.

You’re paying your therapist so listen to her but if you’re honest with yourself you’ve posted to have people agree with you that he’s a complete bastard and nothing you can have done will have explained any of it.

This is very similar to several other threads by a poster or posters in very similar situations with some details that differ.

Focus on the support that you have. Leave him alone. Nothing good will come of continuing to try and communicate with him.

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:03

amiold · 08/01/2023 23:01

But he won't give you answers and harassing him won't change that.

@amiold i think that’s what’s so hard. After our entire relationship he can’t give me ten minutes to explain what on earth happened. I could never do that to him, or anyone in fact.

OP posts:
daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:03

Well you do know what happened. You know what he and you said in all the arguments you had?

amiold · 08/01/2023 23:04

I don't disagree with you but he is what he is.

Block him and concentrate on your baby. A baby will not make him change his mind about you. If he wants to see the baby he'll make himself know.

daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:05

It isn't abusive to report someone to the police when they continue to contact you after getting no response when it's clear you've broken up. I have done that in the past. I got fed up ignoring him and sent a final message saying "Do not contact me again. Any further contact will be deemed harassment and the evidence taken to the police".

Who said what in the arguments?

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:06

daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:03

Well you do know what happened. You know what he and you said in all the arguments you had?

@daybroke yes I’ve gone over it many times. I definitely called him a bastard and said he was behaving like a shit partner, I remember that, maybe it was that. I’ve obviously detailed my memory of it to the therapist too but as I say she’s going to be on my side isn’t she so I can’t fully trust her opinion

OP posts:
RoseslnTheHospital · 08/01/2023 23:07

What happened was that he showed his ability to behave in such a unilateral and final way with his long term partner. So you got a very unpleasant insight into his underlying capabilities. There's no point trying to think of why he could behave like this, the answer is simply because that's his underlying personality.

ily0 · 08/01/2023 23:07

Definitely abusive!

Thisisworsethananticpated · 08/01/2023 23:08

Oh Jesus

you lost your hormonal shit in a row, we’ve all done that darling

he changes the locks ?? Not he’s a total vile human being with nothing to redeem him
and then ignores when you have his child IN YOUR BODY

please get help
listen to therapist
call womens aid , please

the sooner you realise he’s a very very bad egg the better

Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:08

daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:05

It isn't abusive to report someone to the police when they continue to contact you after getting no response when it's clear you've broken up. I have done that in the past. I got fed up ignoring him and sent a final message saying "Do not contact me again. Any further contact will be deemed harassment and the evidence taken to the police".

Who said what in the arguments?

@daybroke i agree that’s no abuse. But why not say it after a week? Why not take steps to block me if it was so awful? He read my messages, it was confusing. I even asked a few times if he wanted me to stop updating him and he never clarified that. I begged him to just explain for closure. After being with someone a while and being pregnant, I can’t understand why he couldn’t give me that at least.

OP posts:
Atterfield · 08/01/2023 23:09

RoseslnTheHospital · 08/01/2023 23:07

What happened was that he showed his ability to behave in such a unilateral and final way with his long term partner. So you got a very unpleasant insight into his underlying capabilities. There's no point trying to think of why he could behave like this, the answer is simply because that's his underlying personality.

@RoseslnTheHospital thanks, I guess it really is as simple as that actually.

OP posts:
daybroke · 08/01/2023 23:10

What were the arguments about though?

Either way, it doesn't matter now. You are no longer together. Go to CMS.

I hope you're enjoying newborn snuggles soon.

amiold · 08/01/2023 23:10

How long were you together?

If he can treat you like this it should tell you everything you need to know