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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

Am I being abused?

58 replies

Boggl · 20/09/2024 19:38

Hi everyone, I really need some advice as I am certain I am being emotionally abused in my 10 month relationship but as you can appreciate, when you are in this sort of situation it can be really confusing.

relationship started off amazing, we had a genuine connection on ALL levels, really got on, he impressed me with how hard he works, his morals, how well he looks after me, supportive, caring, funny…you get the jist. All the good stuff.

However slowly over time I have noticed some huge red flags and I know when people read this they are going to jump on me straight away and say why have you not left immediately.

he is very funny about what I wear if I wear tight trousers or leggings or have a little bit of cleavage showing he will tell me how unhappy he is about this and it’s not giving off a good impression and that he believes only he should see certain parts of my body and not other men.
i can’t even nip out of the house to my car in a pair of shorts, he will go and get whatever it is I need for me. I have said to him so many times that I will wear whatever I like and I laugh it off and he then says I’m not trying to tell you what you can and can’t wear I’d never do that. But he effectively he is telling me what I can and can’t wear?

He is VERY needy, he would spend every minute of every day with me but I like my own space and I’m very independent, I have lots of friends I like to go and see and catch up with and he hates it and will go in moods if I want to stay at my own house for a couple of days and does this ‘poor me’ act and tells me how he feels alone.

I like to have a laugh and a joke and I don’t take myself too seriously and most of the time he will shake his head at me and tell me I’m acting like a ‘lad’ with my ‘banter’ and that I need to come across as more of a lady.

if he has a male friend round and I am there he will txt me while they are there saying to watch what I talk about and not to over share so much ( I don’t do this) or he’ll txt and tell me to go change my clothes, by the way I wear normal every day clothes nothing out of the ordinary or wild!

he goes through phases of been normal and when he’s like that he is amazing and I love being around him but more recently I think he’s noticed I’m getting abit fed up and wise to his controlling behaviour which has resulted in me withdrawing a little bit which has then resulted in him saying I’m unsupportive, im cold, I don’t comfort him when he’s feeling down and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like this and that he deserves more. Whenever I go to him with concerns in our relationship he has a very clever way of turning it around and making me feel like I’m making issues out of nothing and I know I’m not and I know this is not normal behaviour.

I feel so confused I keep thinking I need to end this now and then I’ll go back to but maybe we can talk through this but how can we when he doesn’t hear what I’m saying and makes it all about him.

please be kind with your responses. Thanks

OP posts:
BustingBaoBun · 20/09/2024 19:41

I've read your post and OMG there is not one bit of it I would put up with. No man will ever ever criticise me for wearing leggings or showing a bit of cleavage, EVER.

I have only picked out one bit of your post. The rest is just as awful.

Viviennemary · 20/09/2024 19:42

He is dreadful you need to get rid of him immediately. Absolutely beyond anything remotely acceptable. There is no point in discussing anything with him His behaviour is absolutely appalling.

ZekeZeke · 20/09/2024 19:46

To answer your question, yes!
You are being manipulated, controlled and abused.

Yougetmoreofwhatyoufocuson · 20/09/2024 19:47

He turns on the good behaviour to hook you in again, then it’s back to trying to control you. It’s called the cycle of abuse, it never goes away , it only ramps up slowly and grinds you down until you don’t know which way is up.
He’s not a keeper, be strong and throw him back.

TiredCatLady · 20/09/2024 19:49

This is classic controlling bastard behaviour - Prince Charming and you have soooooo much in common. All the love bombing and then “who are you dressing like that for?”, “I don’t want you talking to that person” and it just gets worse. Are you living with him already?

Goodluckanddontfitup · 20/09/2024 19:49

Get rid now, you are only 10 months in so cut your losses now before you get any deeper, this will only get worse

Boggl · 20/09/2024 19:50

Not living with him thank god!!

OP posts:
Idontjetwashthefucker · 20/09/2024 19:50

10 months? That's barely a relationship, fuck him off before it gets worse...and it will get worse

TiredCatLady · 20/09/2024 19:52

@Boggl thank fuck for that! Run from this one right now. Be prepared for him to make all sorts of excuses/promises and then to turn nasty. Hold firm - a simple “it’s not working out” then block him. If he turns up at your place, you don’t need to answer the door.

CeruleanBelt · 20/09/2024 19:55

Yes 100% you are absolutely being abused.

To be honest if you have to ask the answer is probably yes. You dontt have to put up with this.

ConcernedOfClapham · 20/09/2024 19:55

Urgh.

Just urgh.

I hope you find somebody who appreciates you for being you x

Elisabeth3468 · 20/09/2024 19:58

He's a narcissist- research the personality type.
You aren't gonna change him but he will make you think you can.
His behaviour is not acceptable, he is abusive. Hopefully you have the strength to leave him before it gets worse.
These kind of relationships can escalate very quickly and I'm talking from experience.
They usually come off as the charmer and very intense to begin with as well so it's very easy to get lured in but they soon show their true colours.

followingthebreath · 20/09/2024 19:58

Oh my love - leave him, how awful for you. You can find someone so much better for you than this manipulative controlling man. You are worth all the love in the world,
So much more than what he has to offer!

CrunchyCarrot · 20/09/2024 19:59

Yes this is controlling behaviour OP. I experienced most of it with my exH who was (mainly) mentally abusive. He would object to certain things I liked to wear, wouldn't be seen out with me in them if he didn't like them (for example a pretty flowery long skirt that he just didn't like). Also disliked my friends and made it difficult for me to see them. Plus he too would turn conversations round on me so it was always my fault.

Honestly OP you need to get out of this relationship asap because it doesn't get better, it just escalates. I made the mistake of thinking 'if I just do this, once we just get that, oh in time surely it will get better...' Nope.

DinaofCloud9 · 20/09/2024 19:59

Urgh he sounds a right tit. I'm sure you can do better than this loser.

SocksTalk · 20/09/2024 20:00

Maybe have some babies with him cos I think he will make a great dad!

SocksTalk · 20/09/2024 20:00

... or you could start running to some place a long way away and when you get there keep running some more.

Qwerty111 · 20/09/2024 20:01

OMG yes, you are in an abusive relationship with an absolute controlling arsehole.

He polices what you wear.
He polices what you say.
He punishes you for going out without him.

Dump him. Wear shorts.

DadJoke · 20/09/2024 20:03

He’s a needy, controlling arsehole who will strip you of your self worth, stop you seeing your friends and it will get worse and worse, I hope PP’s wise words will stop you feeling confused.

Lavenderblossoms · 20/09/2024 20:03

Qwerty111 · 20/09/2024 20:01

OMG yes, you are in an abusive relationship with an absolute controlling arsehole.

He polices what you wear.
He polices what you say.
He punishes you for going out without him.

Dump him. Wear shorts.

In fact, dump him wearing shorts and showing some cleavage.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 20/09/2024 20:04

You are in an abusive relationship with him.
He wants to keep you in a cage of his own paranoid making.

The only acceptable level of abuse in a relationship is none.

You need to end this relationship before you are in this any deeper. How can you be helped into leaving your abuser?.

If you read Why does he do that? By Lundy Bancroft you will recognise your man in those pages.

MeMyCatsAndI · 20/09/2024 20:05

Leave him, you'll regret it if you stay he'll control your whole life.

TwistedWonder · 20/09/2024 20:06

He’s an abusive controlling narcissistic wanker who has more red flags the a communist party rally.

Dump, block, don’t look back

Eddielizzard · 20/09/2024 20:08

Yes you are being abused. Absolutely. Time to end it, but take care. Tell your friends and family what's been happening. Keep your doors locked. You don't have to ever see him again. You do not owe him anything. Stay safe

Whalewatching · 20/09/2024 20:09

No no no @Boggl . This is the type of situation that only gets worse. He won’t suddenly decide your legs, cleavage or whatever else are now ok to be given a bit of an airing. When he has you dressing how he wants you to, next your friends and family will be in his crosshairs and he’ll drip poison in your ear and want them out of the picture.

Nope, chuck him back in.