Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

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

Am I bad for pressing charges on my abuser / child’s father

130 replies

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 15:52

Please keep this anonymous

I have been in an abusive relationship for the last 6 years.

I always believed that he was sorry and he would change. Every time I believed him as stupid as that is. I am looking for some advice and will give some context.

He has punched me and kicked me to the ground infront of our 4 / almost 5 year old. Has attacked me whilst holding them. He has also strangled me to the point I thought he might kill me but he let go. My little girl witnessed this from the doorway. He had grabbed the steering wheel whilst driving 70 miles and swerved it multiple times because I was taking him home and didn’t want to be around him anymore.
He also uploaded a video of us having sex without my permission to sex / dating site. I have proof and a phone recording of him admitting this and apologising.

He has ripped off the car sun shade visor in anger and thrown it in the car it hit our little girl by accident. She still remembers this now.

He also put our daughter in the bath when she was too young to get herself up because I told him she need a bath seat. He shut the door on purpose and left her in the bath for 10 seconds to see me scared to prove that she will be fine without a seat. It was a deep bath and I was worried if she fell back she couldn’t get herself back up. I cried snd grabbed the foot but he wouldn’t let me open it. I think he just wanted to see me panic.

I admit I stayed with him because I believed that he was really sorry but the abuse always continues I see now.

I started to take photos of my bruises and black eyes. I took a screen shot of my video and kept the recording of him admitting it as I had wanted to go to the police but was too scared to do it and didn’t feel strong enough.

His mum knew everything that he did , she told him it was wrong and she told me to leave him she said that if I wanted to press charges she would understand but I never could do it and she then thanked me for not going to the police on all the times that I could have.

I don’t want him to have any contact with our children and he doesn’t want to anyway. He isn’t on the birth certicaye if one cos he was in jail.

I am no worried about the safety of my children if something were to happen to me. I wouldn’t want them in his care. He had been in jail before for drug dealing. This has pushed me to build up the strength to go to the police. However I feel so much guilt. I feel guilty towards his mum as she believes he should still get to see our boys despite the fact he has attacked me infront of then numerous times.

I have had social services involved in the past because of all this the neighbours always called the police and I had to call them sometimes.

I just wondered if I am a bad person if I decide to press charges. Now we are not together and haven’t been for a long time I am worried that it isn’t in record just how bad the abuse was because I never told the police this or the social workers. I told them it was just an argument. I feel like I might be ready to tell the truth but I have so much guilt and worry his mum will be so upset with me.

I would really appreciate any advice.

OP posts:
trextape · 29/06/2024 15:54

op if you don’t press charges…. then you are utterly reckless with your own and your child’s welfare

and i can’t fathom why you’ve chosen to navel gaze on mumsnet rather than actually report

trextape · 29/06/2024 15:54

and stop talking to his blooming mother about it

HermioneWeasley · 29/06/2024 15:55

Of course you must report

CaptainMyCaptain · 29/06/2024 15:57

Yes. Report it.

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 15:57

trextape · 29/06/2024 15:54

op if you don’t press charges…. then you are utterly reckless with your own and your child’s welfare

and i can’t fathom why you’ve chosen to navel gaze on mumsnet rather than actually report

I have reported. I am just worried about pressing charges and his family making me feel bad about it. I know I’ve been stupid to stay I felt like I couldn’t leave and never felt strong enough to report until yesterday which I have. It’s just the pressing charges part I am still scared of

OP posts:
BMW6 · 29/06/2024 15:58

Tell the full truth of the abuse and violence so you protect your children from him - and his Mum as she is not putting your children first but her son.

If he has any contact with them it should Always be under supervision. His Mum should have sane if any contact at all.

Tell Social Services and Police. Keep them away from your children.

atticstage · 29/06/2024 15:58

If you're in the UK there's no such thing as pressing charges. If you've reported it then the decisions about what happens next are out of your hands.

CaptainMyCaptain · 29/06/2024 15:59

Don't feel bad about it. Do it for the sake of your child and if his family don't support your action then stop talking to them.

trextape · 29/06/2024 16:00

stop engaging with his family on this

Umasyellowoutfit · 29/06/2024 16:00

I had an abusive husband - a lot sounded familiar but the bath example made me feel sick. You have to press charges to keep your child safe

HowDidJudithSurvive · 29/06/2024 16:02

atticstage · 29/06/2024 15:58

If you're in the UK there's no such thing as pressing charges. If you've reported it then the decisions about what happens next are out of your hands.

This is true, when I reported my abusive ExH I wanted to drop the charges but the police carried on anyway because it was in the public interest to prosecute.

Beautifulbythebay · 29/06/2024 16:04

Please remember his family aren't your friends.. Blood is thicker than water when your ds is a twat... My ils refused to acknowledge their ds was violent.. They stopped coming to our home so they didn't have to see the damage he did regularly to it.
When he tried to punch his pensioner dm in the face on her own doorstep they had to believe it..
Fight to keep your dc away from him op. Or you fail them.

CarryOnRewardless · 29/06/2024 16:04

If it makes you feel a bit less anxious 'pressing charges' is a bit of an urban myth. Its the CPS (and sometimes custody sergeants) who decide whether to charge or not, after looking at the case file with the evidence, statements etc

You have 100% done the right thing by reporting this

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 16:04

HowDidJudithSurvive · 29/06/2024 16:02

This is true, when I reported my abusive ExH I wanted to drop the charges but the police carried on anyway because it was in the public interest to prosecute.

Initially I didn’t want to press charges I just wanted there to be a record so that he could never have custody of my kids incase he got a new partner and did the same to her. I have decided to press charges as the police did say I have a choice if I want to press charges or not but certain things will be out of my hands. I have built the strength I am just still feeling all this shame and guilt for finally doing it I know his mum will be so angry with me and tell me this happened a long time ago now and I’ve left him why can’t I let it go

OP posts:
altmember · 29/06/2024 16:05

You need to report all this to the police. They decide whether to charge him (which I bloody well hope they do based on what you've posted). But at the very least it needs reporting so it goes on his record to protect other women and children from him in the future. You seem to be being reckless with your own and your children's safety, but please do all you can to prevent this pond scum from abusing other women in the future.

HarlanPepper · 29/06/2024 16:08

trextape · 29/06/2024 15:54

op if you don’t press charges…. then you are utterly reckless with your own and your child’s welfare

and i can’t fathom why you’ve chosen to navel gaze on mumsnet rather than actually report

Are you particularly hard of thinking? OP states she is no longer with her abuser and hasn't been for a long time, and that he has no contact with her children.

In my opinion she should report, but perhaps she could do with a little less haranguing, a little more support.

Hotgirlwinter · 29/06/2024 16:08

Yes you should tell the police and let the CPS decide if this is a viable prosecution.

he sounds like the sort of man who will eventually kill a woman. Whilst you might feel guilty towards his mum you will feel an awful lot worse when he eventually kills a girlfriend and you sat on this information.

really hard OP but you’re doing the right thing in trying to keep this very dangerous man away from you and your child.

SonicTheHodgeheg · 29/06/2024 16:09

As you’re not with him any more, block his family.

I think that you are very brave and 100% doing the right thing by your actions. It will hopefully serve as an insurance policy should he report you to social services or he goes to court to try and get contact.

💐 Well done for getting out and protecting yourself and the kids. 💐

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 16:11

HarlanPepper · 29/06/2024 16:08

Are you particularly hard of thinking? OP states she is no longer with her abuser and hasn't been for a long time, and that he has no contact with her children.

In my opinion she should report, but perhaps she could do with a little less haranguing, a little more support.

Thank you so much. I have kept him away from. Our kids it’s his mum that thinks he should see them. This is what pushed me to finally report as I believe if I died she would encourage him and child services he could be a father. I regret not doing this sooner I suffer with depression and anxiety over it

OP posts:
trextape · 29/06/2024 16:11

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 15:57

I have reported. I am just worried about pressing charges and his family making me feel bad about it. I know I’ve been stupid to stay I felt like I couldn’t leave and never felt strong enough to report until yesterday which I have. It’s just the pressing charges part I am still scared of

you reported yesterday
what instigated the report yesterday and how have the police responded ?

trextape · 29/06/2024 16:12

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 16:11

Thank you so much. I have kept him away from. Our kids it’s his mum that thinks he should see them. This is what pushed me to finally report as I believe if I died she would encourage him and child services he could be a father. I regret not doing this sooner I suffer with depression and anxiety over it

ah it was his mother pushing you to allow contact?

does his mother ever see the children?

this woman seems to have too great a hold over you

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 16:13

trextape · 29/06/2024 16:11

you reported yesterday
what instigated the report yesterday and how have the police responded ?

I have finally built up the strength. That’s what Instigated it. He has controlled me and abused me mentally as well it was they will come to see me this week to take a statement

OP posts:
trextape · 29/06/2024 16:13

how old are the children? how have you managed to keep the children away from him with no third party involvement?

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 29/06/2024 16:13

Pinkflowersxo · 29/06/2024 15:57

I have reported. I am just worried about pressing charges and his family making me feel bad about it. I know I’ve been stupid to stay I felt like I couldn’t leave and never felt strong enough to report until yesterday which I have. It’s just the pressing charges part I am still scared of

Well his family obviously don’t feel bad about him beating you. Stop him doing it to someone else.

DracoDormiensNumquamTittilandum · 29/06/2024 16:15

Try not to focus on the pressing charges part. In reality we don't have that option in the uk. You have the choice to give a statement to support a prosecution or not. In cases of domestic violence if the police have enough evidence they can prosecute without your statement but it's much stronger if you give one. Now you've reported it would be foolish not to support the prosecution. You've started the process and you need to see it through.