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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

Partner keeps touching me in my sleep

25 replies

Rosawillis3944 · 28/09/2023 12:01

My partner and I have been together 5 years, we live together and have a child together. Since I had my son my sex drive isn’t as high as it used to be and I am very self conscious about my body so admittedly we haven’t been having sex as much as he’d like and he has pointed this out on occasion. He has now started touching me when I’m asleep, I have told him to stop doing it but he claims he doesn’t realise he’s doing it and he ‘can’t help it when he’s asleep’ but on occasion when I have woke up to him touching me, removed his hand from me and told him to stop he will immediately pull away and role over so I know he is definitely awake as he is able to stop when I tell him to in the moment. It feels wrong and I feel violated somehow but I feel like it’s my fault for how dry our sex life has been on my part and I don’t know if I could consider it ‘sexual assault’ or ‘rape’ if I’m in a relationship with him and live with him if that makes sense? anyone els experience anything like this?

OP posts:
Georgie743 · 28/09/2023 12:02

It's 100% assault. You can't consent when you're not conscious.

Temporaryname158 · 28/09/2023 12:03

Yes this very clearly is sexual assault. If he penetrates you it would be rape in my eyes.

id tell him so and that if you find him doing it again you’ll report to the police, as you should

Precipice · 28/09/2023 12:13

It is sexual assault. Of course you feel violated! He is treating you as an object to fondle for his personal sexual satisfaction, not like a partner.

I feel like it’s my fault for how dry our sex life has been on my part OP, he's not /owed/ sex. Sex should be mutual and mutually wanted. You're absorbing the attitude he has: that he is entitled to sexual contact with your body, regardless of whether you want it.

It's sexual assault and it would be rape if it led to penetration.

Freezingcoldinseptember · 28/09/2023 12:17

String fastening pj's. And a fork under your pillow..... Or make plans to end your marriage.. Ime it won't get better...

Gypsybydna · 08/07/2024 21:33

I am going through the same thing and thought I was crazy. Thank you so much for your bravery in sharing! I am trying so hard not to cry while responding.

It feels so violating and I feel so dirty. He knows I am a rape survivor from my past and he still has the nerve to act like he is pretending to do it like he is doing it in his 'sleep"???? One move at a time thinking I wouldn't know. I wouldn't wake up? Really????

We are having major marriage problems and no intimacy for almost a year because I have been dealing with his narcassistic abuse. I have been going to therapy for it. A week ago I told him to get help or I leave. He said he will getting help but he has said it before and then says we also need couples therapy. I know it's to try and shift the blame onto me to gaslight me over and over and then it starts again. He then doesn't need therapt because it's me who has the issues not him. I am the wife who has been denying him sex and what was he to do. He would never do such a thing, he is a good guy....outside the house for everyone else.

I am in the slow and careful process of leaving. Leaving a narcassistic marriage safely is not easy. A location unknown, mailbox unknown, new phone number, starting fresh late in life, too late to be doing this with literally nothing, and no money. I am afraid for my safety because of his unpredicatable acting out rages, he has a knowledge about weapons. I have no family left. I am alone, he took care of that too.

And I still feel dirty and can't shake that feeling more than anything else, even the prior rapes. It disgusts me. I think it's the fact that it's the person who you felt you could trust the most in life. For me it was someone I could trust more than a father. He was my trust all intimate partner, my best frient, my confidant, my hero. He was my safe person, my person to run to and he bit me like a venemous snake.

I don't think because of that I could ever trust him again, ever.

Loloblue · 08/07/2024 21:35

this is assault. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. A partner raped me in my sleep and it's incredibly difficult to come to terms with.

Tulip2478 · 08/07/2024 22:11

Sorry to hear this OP. I experienced the same thing a year ago- my husband having sex with me including anal when I was asleep. I posted on here about it and my feelings were validated so I knew I wasn't overreacting. I also got given very good advice in case I decided to leave the relationship. You are absolutely justified in feeling violated. My husband is a wonderful man too but what he has done is very hard to shake off. It's the complete lack of disrespect and the seeing you as an object which is hard to forget. If you feel up to it you could have a chat with womens aid or rape crisis just to get your head a bit clearer.

voiceofastar · 08/07/2024 23:50

@Gypsybydna Do you have support to leave?

@Tulip2478 Wonderful men don't rape people. Rape isn't something you can just shake off. I'm really saddened by your post.

SamW98 · 09/07/2024 00:02

Tulip2478 · 08/07/2024 22:11

Sorry to hear this OP. I experienced the same thing a year ago- my husband having sex with me including anal when I was asleep. I posted on here about it and my feelings were validated so I knew I wasn't overreacting. I also got given very good advice in case I decided to leave the relationship. You are absolutely justified in feeling violated. My husband is a wonderful man too but what he has done is very hard to shake off. It's the complete lack of disrespect and the seeing you as an object which is hard to forget. If you feel up to it you could have a chat with womens aid or rape crisis just to get your head a bit clearer.

Wow - a rapist is not a wonderful man he’s a sexual abusive criminal who should be in prison. Hes a vile disgusting piece of shit.

And your wording saddens me. You don’t just ‘shake off’ being continually raped and sexually abused. You sound like you’ve been groomed and broken down to just accept that you’re nothing but a vessel for him to sexually assault.

voiceofastar · 09/07/2024 00:08

@SamW98 I've just read her thread from last year and it was a very difficult read. @Tulip2478 I hope you can find the strength to contact DV services and/or the police. It doesn't have to be like this.

2pence · 09/07/2024 00:37

m.youtube.com/watch?v=pZwvrxVavnQ&cbrd=1

LauderSyme · 09/07/2024 00:45

He is lying when he says he doesn't know he is doing it and can't help it. He is violating you in more ways than one.

I awoke to being penetrated by someone who wasn't my partner years ago. He was whispering my name. When I pushed him away and confronted him, he said he thought I was his girlfriend and didn't know what he was doing. He was a liar and a rapist.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you.

Gypsybydna · 09/07/2024 03:53

@voiceofastar I am working on it with professional support and trying to avoid going to a shelter due to prior traumas triggers.

Velicirapitor · 09/07/2024 04:37

My ex DH used to do this. I divorced him. Please don’t feel that your partner has any right to do this because you are in a relationship with him. Get your ducks in a row and leave the relationship. 💐

sashh · 09/07/2024 07:23

Sexual assault is illegal for a reason.

Tell him to leave. He is abusing you.

PurpleReindeer2 · 09/07/2024 07:50

He's abusive and doesn't respect you. Tell him if he ever does it again you will report him to the police as it is a sexual assault. Better still dump him.

Tulip2478 · 09/07/2024 09:17

voiceofastar · 09/07/2024 00:08

@SamW98 I've just read her thread from last year and it was a very difficult read. @Tulip2478 I hope you can find the strength to contact DV services and/or the police. It doesn't have to be like this.

Are you referring to my thread sorry? I haven't been on mumsnet in about a year and was looking for my old thread and couldn't find it in my account.

Tulip2478 · 09/07/2024 09:24

SamW98 · 09/07/2024 00:02

Wow - a rapist is not a wonderful man he’s a sexual abusive criminal who should be in prison. Hes a vile disgusting piece of shit.

And your wording saddens me. You don’t just ‘shake off’ being continually raped and sexually abused. You sound like you’ve been groomed and broken down to just accept that you’re nothing but a vessel for him to sexually assault.

Thanks for your message. It luckily hasn't happened for a while, well since I was pregnant, because I co-sleep with my baby. I have kept an open mind about all the helpful advice I received though, and will see what happens in the future. I say he's a wonderful man because he is in many ways and a good father, that's why I struggle accepting what happened. Anyway, I don't want to hijack OPs post.

SwordToFlamethrower · 09/07/2024 10:16

Wear a onesie and pants in bed for one thing. The next step would be to leave him and report him for rape.

Women are not sex holes for the gratification of men. It is the worst crime a man can commit against a woman. I'm so sorry, absolutely vile

OrlandointheWilderness · 09/07/2024 10:52

I'm going to stick my head above the parapet here - if we have a dry spell (I have a really hign sex drive) then sometimes either me of DP do touch each other, genuinely in our sleep. We either wake up and have sex, or one of us will say no and the other will stop. Again, this has happened in our sleep.

I'm not saying he isn't a bastard, but I'm saying it is not outside the realms of possibility that he is telling the truth.

voiceofastar · 09/07/2024 11:51

OrlandointheWilderness · 09/07/2024 10:52

I'm going to stick my head above the parapet here - if we have a dry spell (I have a really hign sex drive) then sometimes either me of DP do touch each other, genuinely in our sleep. We either wake up and have sex, or one of us will say no and the other will stop. Again, this has happened in our sleep.

I'm not saying he isn't a bastard, but I'm saying it is not outside the realms of possibility that he is telling the truth.

Even if that were the case for the women on this thread, which it clearly isn't from their accounts, then the partner needs to sleep separately. If you think you're at risk of raping the person next to you in your sleep, the logical thing to do is sleep elsewhere. It's not difficult.

Ohyoudodoyou · 09/07/2024 11:56

This happened to me and that relationship ended after I caught him doing it one time too many. I could never be sure but I had a lock lit on my bedroom door when we split but stayed in the same house for the children. It utterly repulsed me, killed everything I felt for him. I can also never be sure that he didn't take photographs, sorry to alarm you.
I would ask that you really check your rooms and his phone if possible.
And leave him. He won't stop.

Gypsybydna · 09/07/2024 15:27

I have moved into the other room with a lock on the door until my final safe place, moving out arrangements are complete. I don't think I will ever feel the same for him again.

Around the same time this all started I also caught him watching me during the day in the house on our home security system.

I confronted him multiple times and he tried to gaslight me denying it. Eventually he gave up the fight, stopped watching for a while, and said nothing behaving silently in his respinse in person with guilty facial reactions like the child caught going into the cookie jar.

I kept challenging him. One day when he came onto the camera again he said hello. I responded coldly. He seems to have stopped completely after a few cold responses.

Now, thank goodness the camera no longer works which I have checked for myself. However when I am home alone, I still cover the camera or unplug it just to make sure. The camera too feels very violatong. It no linger provides the feeling of safety it should be.

This whole situation has created major distrust of people in my personal space. I am scared of people knowing me personally, being friends with me on a personal level. I am so scared to let my guard down with anyone right now. He has created a fear of trusting people tgat I can't explain I never thought I would have.

The thought is so appealing of moving off grid, away from everyone and and their crap, so I don't have to depend on anyone but myself. I won't be setting myself up for disappointment or having to defend myself or having to be someone else's therapist.

Gape · 09/07/2024 15:40

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

duende · 09/07/2024 16:58

Tulip2478 · 08/07/2024 22:11

Sorry to hear this OP. I experienced the same thing a year ago- my husband having sex with me including anal when I was asleep. I posted on here about it and my feelings were validated so I knew I wasn't overreacting. I also got given very good advice in case I decided to leave the relationship. You are absolutely justified in feeling violated. My husband is a wonderful man too but what he has done is very hard to shake off. It's the complete lack of disrespect and the seeing you as an object which is hard to forget. If you feel up to it you could have a chat with womens aid or rape crisis just to get your head a bit clearer.

I am really sorry this happened to you.

Your husband raped you, and anally. He really is not a wonderful person. He is a sexual predator.

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