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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 when drunk gets aggressive, especially when out with our friends

209 replies

Mary0109 · 07/03/2024 00:31

My partner and I have been together just over a year now. We're having serious future talks, one of which involves us finding a place together next year once I graduate University.

Very suddenly however, I'm having serious doubts due to his aggressive approach to conflict.

Over our relationship, he's gotten into a serious fist fight with his friend due to him criticizing (relentlessly, in my opinion) his friend's girlfriend, he's landed in hospital after a bar fight (he was punched up, didn't have the chance to swing at all), has choked me in response to me teasing him while we were at a friend's 21st (I checked for bruising the day after, luckily it wasn't that severe), and during the last outing a couple months ago the following occurred:

We were leaving the bar as it was closing with his mate. The same mate he had a fist fight with, and this time they were arguing over the same bloody subject. My boyfriend not liking his girlfriend. They were getting quite heated, so I tapped my boyfriend on the shoulder and asked him to calm down, but he shoved me aside, ignoring me. Frustrated, and drunk, I approached again and sternly began to tell him to calm down, but he again shoved me and told me to go away.

Note; he's a big man. He regularly lifts weights, and his shoves had me stumble. I was fearful when he choked me, because his arm was large enough to painfully squeeze my entire throat.

I stood by the bar's wall waiting for them to finish their conversation. We weren't in a particularly nice part of town, so two drunk men approached me and began chatting me up. I made eye contact with my boyfriend, but he left it be. I was trying to politely turn down their asking that I join them to a party down the block, when a drunk man approached my boyfriend and his mate, and asked if he could use the bathroom inside the bar.

Instead of telling him he can't, that the bar is closed, my boyfriend told him to "fuck off". The man stepped up to him, and again my boyfriend stepped up to him, shoved him, and told him to fuck off. This lead to a fist fight, my large boyfriend, his tall mate, and this young, lanky man.

I yelled at them to cut it out, and when they flat out ignored me, I felt disgusted and walked off to find a quite space to book an uber home.

Boyfriend and his friend lay the man onto the ground, then ran after me. My boyfriend had a panic attack from seeing me walk off. I'm used to helping people during panic attacks, as I lost my sister a year ago in a car accident and our little sister frequently has panic attacks when traumatic memories from the hospital come back to her. Once my boyfriend was calmed, I got us home, and had a serious conversation with him. I don't want to be with a violent man, and our relationship will be damned if I'm that foolish girlfriend yelling for her boyfriend to stop punching someone up. He said his sorries, and said that to solve the issue, we wouldn't go out together again. I wasn't happy with the solution, but it's what we both agreed on.

Cut to now. In a few days we're going out for a friend's birthday. We'll play pub golf, which will involve downing nine drinks. I've been quietly dreading it.

Every time he brings it up, he talks about how he's most definitely going to end up in a fist fight with one of the blokes going with our group. Why? He stated that when drunk, his friend teases him relentlessly, and in response, my boyfriend will absolutely throw his fists. He claims this is unavoidable, and simply how he is.

It was him confirming that that made the alarm bells from his previous altercations flare up for me. When we have our first fight, drunk and pissed off, when I'm pushing his buttons and he's pushing mine, what will he do?

I need to hear some opinions. I've decided that if this inevitable fight actually does happen, I will go home. He claims I'm being unreasonable for this, and that I have to understand why it's fine. I'm torn up and dejected, but I will not be with a man immature enough, dangerous enough, to hurt his friends, myself, and strangers over things such as teasing and a f*cking bathroom.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
cerisepanther73 · 07/03/2024 05:57

@Mary0109

I call alchol the truth drink why because it exposes reveals what individuals are really like
not the social invisibility mask,
Wife or girlfriend batterer's wear as attempts to 🥸 disguise their seriously fucked up damaged brocken selves,

Get out as safety and quickly as possible
Immediately,

This person who is your boyfriend is real proud of his tendency to fight anyone he percieves as a threat to himself in whatever way or exposes his insecurities ect

It's deeply entrenched in his screwed up psyche that this is what a real man is like and he will definitely learnt this from his family dynamics growing up,

He probably is wondering 🤔 why you were not impressed even a bit about him standing up for himself,
especially whenever a guy talks to you, no matter how innocent it could be,
for example it could just be a random guy on the street,
whilst you are both out together,
asks you for directions where some particular shop or some place is,

Your abusive partner could interpret this as some kind of code for being,
that you must know this guy and start questioning you why did he specifically ask you,
not anybody else,
Is it cause you knew him from girls night out,
implying youvwere you flirting with him,

Totally unreasonable attitude on his part,

Just to provoke instigate a situation,

he will allways see it as a threat a target
I would also report him to the police about his attempt to strangle you,
so he is put on Claires Law so any future partners know of his tendency towards domestic abuse violence in relantships..

MiltonNorthern · 07/03/2024 06:00

You're at university? So you're around 21? Please please please end this. He's aggressive with a drink problem. He's not a man to be with. He's dangerous.

PennyPugwash · 07/03/2024 06:06

OP... you KNOW in your heart of heart what to do.

When I was in my very early 20's I met a man, exactly as you are describing. I was head over heels and didn't listen to my gut.
I bought a property with him and inevitably the relationship fell apart due to his aggression when drinking (best man in the world when sober!!).
By the time he reached his mid 20's none of his old friends would go out with him anymore.
20 years later and I heard before Christmas that he assaulted someone pretty seriously on a night out.

This is your life OP, run!!!!

Northernsouloldies · 07/03/2024 06:13

Pity the poor woman and kids of the future being with this cunt.... don't let that be you op.

Isthisit22 · 07/03/2024 06:20

This man has choked you and you’re going to test out his aggressive he gets next time??
Please leave and get counselling for your lack of boundaries

rwalker · 07/03/2024 06:26

I’m sorry but I don’t understand after reading what you’ve written then your going to see how he behaves at the party
tbh we all know how he will behave if not at this party the next I think your being unreasonable and inviting danger and drama into your life
I can’t imagine your friends if you have any left will be impressed

your thread should be how asking how you can safely end and get out of this relationship

Northernsouloldies · 07/03/2024 06:31

I missed the bit about see how he behaves at the party....are you nuts , just add alcohol and he's instant arsehole.get him out of your life.the choking bit is as serious as it gets.

Nonewclothes2024 · 07/03/2024 06:35

@Mary0109 why are you waiting to see what happens on Saturday?
You know what's going to happen.
I just hope it doesn't involve him beating you up.
He's choked you before , he will do it again.
There are posters here (including me) who have personal and professional experience, please listen.

LoudSnoringDog · 07/03/2024 06:35

What the the fuck have I just read??

there’s a multitude of possible outcomes here and none of them are good.

Trusttheprocess1 · 07/03/2024 06:37

You have to leave him. I think you are clinging on because of your association with him and the most traumatic time in your life. He has part of those important memories and maybe you feel that leaving him will diminish what happened and make you feel you’ve lost a connection to your sister. That’s certainly how I felt about my ex once upon a time and he was a nasty drunk too. My advice would be to leave asap- no talking, no questions- just block. Then get yourself some really good therapy to unravel the significant trauma you have around your sister’s death. It’s time to be kind to yourself- you need peace, not chaos. 💐

Tangelablue · 07/03/2024 06:43

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 07/03/2024 05:49

has choked me
Has strangled you, choking is what you do if food gets stuck, Im not trying to pick on your words. its just choking doesn't sound as bad and this is really really bad. Strangulation is a very dangerous red flag.
Dangers of Strangulation

Edited

I can never understand why non fatal strangulation is so down played when it can have such a devastating outcome.
The boyfriend enjoys violence and drinks to justify it. Attacking a man for asking to use the toilet is horrific, surely at some point he will seriously injure or kill someone and end up in prison.

BringMeSunshineAllDayLong · 07/03/2024 06:44

I spent 10 years working helping people flee domestic violence.
He will get worse and will seriously harm or kill you sooner or later.
I sadly can believe you didn't leave him immediately (as seen this many times) after he shoved you first time. But to choke you so early on on a relationship is horrific.
You also need to do the Freedom Programme to learn to watch for red flags.
If a man shows aggression verbally or physically them leave them. My DH once squared up to me. I told him of he ever used is size as a threat again I would go. I would. 25 years together and if he shoved me (let alone choked me) I would leave.

Codlingmoths · 07/03/2024 06:54

When we have our first fight, drunk and pissed off, when I'm pushing his buttons and he's pushing mine, what will he do?
um, it’s pretty obvious? He will put you in hospital or kill you. It sounds like if you survive you will wake up and think oh no my poor snookums might be having a panic attack, is he ok??

if you go on this ‘test’ night (bloody stupid idea) can you arrange to go home with a friend and stay with them? You don’t need to clear it with him, you just need a plan that means you won’t be alone with him. Because he’s dangerous.

SallyWD · 07/03/2024 06:56

He sounds like a thug. I'm sorry but I can't understand why you're considering a future with a man who's choked you, shoved you and is frequently aggressive.

Needapadlockonmyfridge · 07/03/2024 07:02

I am guessing you are about the same age as my daughter. I am absolutely horrified at what this man is putting you through.

Please, please end this now. As everyone has pointed out, he could kill you.

And please do the Freedom Programme.

Xx

User19798 · 07/03/2024 07:04

He's going to kill you or very seriously harm you and blame drink. Leave now. Men like this kill women all the time. Leave.

CurlewKate · 07/03/2024 07:05

The Freedom Programme is here. www.freedomprogramme.co.uk/

SaturdayGiraffe · 07/03/2024 07:07

Bluntly, your parents will lose another daughter if you don’t carefully and permanently remove yourself from this man.

hopscotcher · 07/03/2024 07:11

Please don't stay with him OP. He sounds awful.

Venturini · 07/03/2024 07:11

You need him to attack you again before you leave??

Madness. You need to end it now.

Nap1983 · 07/03/2024 07:13

This is so awful I'm struggling to believe it can be real… If it is you honestly need to get the hell away from this guy..

TheaBrandt · 07/03/2024 07:14

Urgh I had a boyfriend that would get verbally aggressive when drunk and punched walls. Remember the dreading the night out feeling. Not as bad as this. He was so great in other ways but thank the goddess I had the sense to end it. Married to the kindest best man who in 20 years has never once made me feel unsafe.

Munchyseeds2 · 07/03/2024 07:18

I fail to understand why you need to see what happens this weekend??
What is it going to prove?
He choked you....that's enough

You should leave today

TroysMammy · 07/03/2024 07:18

Do you want your little sister lose another sister in a traumatic way?

andweallsingalong · 07/03/2024 07:22

Agree with everyone else - RUN!!!!

Three things stand out to me

1 He strangled you - the only response to this is call the police and leave for good. It will happen again.

  1. He laid someone out and you comforted him. WTF. Your initial response was spot on, but the guy on the floor needed an ambulance and police. Your partners panic attack was on him.
  1. You know there will be violence when you go out with him. So why are you with him and why is any part of you okay with that.

Please do the freedom programme to protect yourself from the next abusive man.

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