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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:
Stopwiththedamnrain · 07/03/2024 12:34

Because of your upbringing you are setting your relationship bar far far too low. He attempted to strangle you? Get out now before he does worse to you, or your future DC. Guys like these DO NOT CHANGE as they've never been taught how to manage or regulate their emotions in a nonphysical way.
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 07/03/2024 12:39

Watch this.

[[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047zl98

I was with my boyfriend who I then got engaged to (many years ago now). He was violent but never towards me, but would scream in my face. He had PTSD (this wasn't a thing then). By the time I'd moved to Victoria (Canada) to be with him, once we were out and he shoved me, hard and then gripped me really hard, enough to leave bruises on my arms. After that, I decided to leave him and broke off my engagement. It always ramps up and escalates.

This man won't change. He's also possibly an emotional abuser too, which is just as bad as physical.

BBC Three - Murdered by My Boyfriend

Drama about a teenage girl who falls in love with the wrong man.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047zl98

TheShellBeach · 07/03/2024 12:41

In a few days we're going out for a friend's birthday.

I've been quietly dreading it

And this is the outing you're intent on attending, to see what happens?
Why do you need to see more violence?
Hasn't he shown you enough?

Ladyj84 · 07/03/2024 12:46

I wouldn't even go out with such a horrid person

WhatWhereWho · 07/03/2024 13:50

Opinion - he's a violent aggressive thug in a friendship group of violent aggressive thugs. Leave him today. You are dreading a night out -is that not telling you what you should do?

Your view of what's acceptable is so far skewed as to be dangerous to yourself.

StaunchMomma · 07/03/2024 14:21

Be thankful that he's shown himself to be an abusive shit now and not saved it until you're married with kids and RUN, OP!

There is zero chance he won't hit out at you again and next time he may well kill you.

StaunchMomma · 07/03/2024 14:23

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 07/03/2024 12:39

Watch this.

[[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047zl98

I was with my boyfriend who I then got engaged to (many years ago now). He was violent but never towards me, but would scream in my face. He had PTSD (this wasn't a thing then). By the time I'd moved to Victoria (Canada) to be with him, once we were out and he shoved me, hard and then gripped me really hard, enough to leave bruises on my arms. After that, I decided to leave him and broke off my engagement. It always ramps up and escalates.

This man won't change. He's also possibly an emotional abuser too, which is just as bad as physical.

Edited

This has stayed with me for years.

Should be added to the National Curriculum, IMO.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 07/03/2024 14:25

StaunchMomma · 07/03/2024 14:23

This has stayed with me for years.

Should be added to the National Curriculum, IMO.

It should be added to the National Curriculum and the Murdered by My Father one and indeed other film/documentary which makes the subjects easier for people to relate to.

LifeExperience · 07/03/2024 14:41

Get therapy to figure out why you think this horrible behavior is what you deserve. I imagine your mum's excessive drinking has something to do with it.

In the meantime, LTB. He will eventually kill you if you don't.

LadyEloise1 · 07/03/2024 14:42

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SavetheNHS · 07/03/2024 15:11

Remember that the violent, dangerous and aggressive man you see is the REAL him.

When he is sober and trying to make sure you stay, he turns on the charm, says he's sorry, says all the right things. But that is an act.

Even though he is sometimes nice or fun or supportive or whatever he is NOT A NICE man.

He is incredibly aggressive and has admitted that that's the way he is.

Choking is extremely serious, the fact he did that so early in in your relationship is scary. Violence usually starts small, gets worse and the step after choking is death.

Get out ASAP, he is very likely to kill a romantic partner at some point: don't let it be you.

I am so sorry about the loss of your sister, that will have been hugely traumatic for you, but isn't a reason to stay with him.

I hope you can get some therapy and do the freedom programme to more easily identify abuse in future.

As others have said, make sure you are safe if you break up with him, there is a big risk he will hurt you.

He will also try to emotionally manipulate you and may threaten suicide and say he can't live without you. Call the police if this happens.

Good luck 🤞

Tiddlywinks63 · 07/03/2024 15:41

TheShellBeach · 07/03/2024 01:44

I need to witness it again knowing now that there is absolutely no excuse for his behaviour

That's a very foolish and dangerous thing to do. You already know what he's like. Please don't play with fire.

Christ almighty! Witness what? Him kill somebody? Try strangling you again?
He’s a Neanderthal thug ffs, have a modicum of common sense and get out before he does something really stupid with dreadful consequences.
Or do you like the drama? In which case best of luck. You’re going to need it.

HanaJane · 07/03/2024 16:24

Please leave him now while you can. He has choked you- this is all the justification you need to leave

IsawwhatIsaw · 07/03/2024 16:54

If you decide to stay, it will wreck your life, maybe end it.
he’s violent and unpredictable. Get the support you need to safely get away.

Aquamarine1029 · 07/03/2024 17:03

This man is going to kill you someday. Your name will be in a news story one night, and that will be it, yet another victim of a horrible man. I really don't understand what more it will take to make you dump him. Give ONE legitimate reason why you can't break up with him right now. You can end this with a fucking text message.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/03/2024 17:21

I've decided that if this inevitable fight actually does happen, I will go home

So, leaving aside all the other stuff other posters have already covered much better than I can, you're waiting to see if he gets into another fight and assaults an innocent bystander to justify whether or not you should leave? and what if he hospitalises and God forbid, kills this person he picks on?

I mean, I'm all for making considered decisions, but what it comes down to is you're proposing to stand aside and be complicit in your BF belting someone because BF hasn't quite demonstrated he's enough of a drunken thug for you to leave.

Idontjetwashthefucker · 07/03/2024 17:25

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/03/2024 17:21

I've decided that if this inevitable fight actually does happen, I will go home

So, leaving aside all the other stuff other posters have already covered much better than I can, you're waiting to see if he gets into another fight and assaults an innocent bystander to justify whether or not you should leave? and what if he hospitalises and God forbid, kills this person he picks on?

I mean, I'm all for making considered decisions, but what it comes down to is you're proposing to stand aside and be complicit in your BF belting someone because BF hasn't quite demonstrated he's enough of a drunken thug for you to leave.

Beggars belief doesn't it.

notacooldad · 07/03/2024 17:26

FFs Do you really need MN to tell you what to do?
Are you really that desperate for a bloke that you will stay with a violent thug?

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/03/2024 17:31

Beggars belief doesn't it

I'm hoping this isn't actually real, because apparently here we have a grown woman waiting to see if her BF inflicts enough injuries on someone for her to justify leaving him. No mention of the poor sod who's inevitably going to be on the receiving end, either.

Elephantsareace · 07/03/2024 19:02

What everyone else has said, plus

You seem to think this is a sign of his immaturity and one day he'll grow up and stop. It isn't, and he won't. He is dangerously violent and he will always be dangerously violent.

I know men in their 50s and 60s who still love a fight (and that's why he does it). If he's very very lucky he'll get to that age without killing or seriously injuring someone and going to jail, or someone killing or seriously injuring him.

Do the people who think he's a good man know he strangled you? I doubt it.

If you stay with this man at best, yes, you'll be that woman pathetically screeching 'he ain't worf it'. Or as a prison visitor. And any children you have with him will be terribly damaged, emotionally and possibly physically. You could also be strangled or beaten to death by him. Or your children.

Why the hell do you want to stay one more minute? You urgently need professional help with your terrible family background to help you break the pattern of abuse.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/03/2024 19:13

I was told by everyone around me that him sticking around was a good sign, that he was a good man for staying by my side during that horrible time

Do these people know what he's like when he's drunk or that he throttled you and shoved you? because if they don't, how would they view that behaviour? and if they do, then I suggest you find better friends who don't excuse a drunken aggressive lout.

Gowlett · 07/03/2024 20:24

My uncle was like this. He gave up booze.

WoodBurningStov · 07/03/2024 20:24

Your first mistake was to stay with him after he choked you. Bin him off, there ar e lovely, kind men out on the world, your bf isn't one of them

2chocolateoranges · 07/03/2024 20:26

I have an aunt who was with someone like this, she married him, she lived in fear and was so worn down, she had no self belief, no care for herself and no confidence. He wore her down and blamed everything that happened on her being a weak woman. She was only released from her turmoil when he died.

please leave before he either kills you or you witness him killing someone.

kiwiane · 07/03/2024 20:29

I hope you finish with him and gain some self respect. He is a thug and could really hurt you - there is no way you should stay with him.

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