Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

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

How to tell partner

3 replies

Pandermonium · 26/02/2023 12:46

I've been with my partner for 15 years.
There is something I have never told him, in fact I've only told one person, my ex husband, and he told me I was being pathetic.
So I've buried it down and kept it hidden. When I was a kid my brother made me do things to him, sexual things. I don't know how old I was, around 8 and it carried on for a few years. He's older than me by 2 years.
I guess I thought it must just be normal as my ex said. But I know deep down it's not. Well I don't think it is?
I feel like I should tell my partner, it would explain a lot of my weird reactions and the fact I've cut my brother out of my life.
But how, after 15 years would I start that conversation?

OP posts:
HowRatherGolly · 26/02/2023 16:10

My heart breaks for you. What happened to you by your own brother is far from normal. You are brave, remember that. Do you feel you need to tell your husband? Do you think you will get support with what you may be struggling with from him?

This may be a silly question but have you sought help with what you have been through?

Sometimes, and I know from own experience, telling our loved ones makes them feel helpless, angry towards the person that did this to you, but they may also use this knowledge against you if you are not in a good marriage where you feel safe to disclose such abuse. Is your husband a safe person? will he have your best interest at heart? will he give you what you need in terms of support?

KettrickenSmiled · 26/02/2023 16:31

Oh OP. FlowersFlowersFlowers

The most important thing to take away from this is that your ex is a grade A cunt.

Next up: please make contact with local MH agencies, or Womens Ad, or just book a double appointment with your (preferably female) GP. Any of these contacts can signpost you to an EXPERIENCED therapist, who can support you with regard to the historic abuse.

It's very important that you get a recommended therapist, who is well-versed in the impact of CSA * & working with adult survivors. Hence going through channels to find a well-recommended one.

Once you have that therapist in place, & feel comfortable with them (btw - it is totally acceptable to meet more than 1, until you find one you 'gel' with), you can explore your desire to tell DP about what happened to you as a child.

Do you feel able to do that, or is the desire to tell him burning you up? If it is - PLEASE be wary of it. There is nothing wrong with telling him, but the desire to do so may be driven by complicated factors. These could include the irrational (but normal, & understandable!) wish to compensate for your ex's appalling reaction, or the wish (again normal, & understandable!) to be 'forgiven' for any irrational feelings of complicity in the abuse.

I want to be really clear & direct here - YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE OR IN ANY WAY AT FAULT for what your brother perpetrated on you. Please let that thought trickle down into the core of you.
It's even possible that your brother, being only a youngster himself, was also being sexually molested by somebody, hence going on to act out with you. But THAT is not your problem, do not get caught up with that, it's time to take care of yourself, & yourself only.
However - it's a huge thing for your DP to deal with, if & when you are ready to tell him. He will have his own complicated feelings about it, & it will take him time to process those feelings. So YOU need to be professionally supported, should you choose do tell him.

Please remember - this is YOUR life.
You don't owe anyone, even the most loving & supportive anyone, this part of your life story.
You do not need 'forgiveness', you are not dirty, the shame belongs 100% to your brother.
It is not up to other people to have an opinion on what happened to you, & you do not need their feedback.
They will have opinions, & possibly even feedback - it's a hard thing to hear about somebody you care about - but what YOU feel, & how YOU manage your feelings, is of paramount importance.

*CSA = Childhood Sexual Abuse, for those unfamiliar.
OP - I am a fellow survivor. I don't know where I'd be without therapy. Take it from me - the kind of professionals who counsel survivors are amazing, You WILL be believed, supported, encouraged. You WILL be dealt with with compassion. Please take those first steps via your GP, or other agency, this week.
napac.org.uk/

Pandermonium · 27/02/2023 12:05

Thank you both so much. I can't explain how relieved I feel to be believed.

@KettrickenSmiled that made me laugh, he really was 😄. I was only 17 when we got together and he was 28, it was a very toxic relationship.

I haven't sought help yet. I guess I don't really believe I deserve it, if that makes sense? I've just buried it all down, tried to keep a lid on it all.

My partner is amazing, so kind and loving. I don't know how he would take this though, he would want to protect me so he would likely want to unalive my brother.
I will look into therapy, thank you both so so much.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page