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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

If you have been in an abusive relationship how do you deal with people who enable the abuser

5 replies

Alleycatz · 06/09/2023 12:20

I realise that people have a tendency to minimise and deny abuse and victim blame and these are common and so common as to be normal behaviours. However they are confusing, harmful and hurtful behaviours too. If you come from an abusive family with very damaging dynamics at play how do you put up with the denial, gaslighting, dismissive, minimising behaviours that tend to go along with abuse from others who were not the primary abuser.

Do you speak out? do you ignore it and accept that these people have different experiences with the people involved.

There was extensive abuse in my family of origin from a sibling towards other siblings and my parents are his primary enablers but other family members also enable my parent’s delusions and quite frankly my brother was very much a product of their upbringing too.

I have largely stepped back and I am NC with most of them but I am very LC with some members of my family. They will obviously mention the other members of the family I am NC with because they are still part of their lives. I don’t generally respond but I am interested in what others might do.

OP posts:
Lowtower · 06/09/2023 13:09

I spoke out, eventually.

It caused me hassle of course, accusations about me & my mental health.
It was hard. But I would choose to do that every single time, By my reckoning, not speaking out is enabling.

mindutopia · 06/09/2023 13:53

I come from a dysfunctional family and am NC with them (well, my mum, she's my only living biological family member). Me personally, I don't have anything to do with anyone who enables her or minimises her behaviour or is anything other than 100% supportive of me.

This means I've lost a few people close to me. But life is better for it. Ultimately, if someone can't support my healing and wellbeing, they are no more meaningful to my life than the person who abused me. I've surrounded myself with the people who truly care for me and can be in my corner.

Michiru · 06/09/2023 19:03

I went NC with my abusive parent and ended up being, effectively, kicked out of the family. They believed her over me. Now they can deal with her drama; for me, it was worth the peace of mind I got otherwise.

Loubelle70 · 07/09/2023 00:39

I am also NC with my mum. Shes toxic, narcissistic and internalised misogynist. She doesn't want her girls doing any better than she did, the boys though? They are golden children. I get on with my siblings, but mum tries to play them to contact me about ignoring her. She breaks my spirit, brings me down, minimises my achievements...i shant go on...but ive not spoken to her for months, nor plan the do so. Ive made my own peace if she dies.
I feel 100x better about myself now

Loubelle70 · 07/09/2023 00:40

If members family say anything, I say this is between me and mum, no one else. I leave it at that.

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