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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

Is this emotional abuse?

51 replies

Mumof295 · 10/07/2025 00:45

Hello everyone I’ve been holding off on posting here for awhile now in fear that my partner might find out I have an account. We’ve been together 15 years and have two children ages 9 and 5. He was always quite gentle and understanding with the odd anger issue which I overlooked because in general he was a good partner and dad. The last 4 years he has changed dramatically. Recently he has been telling me I show too much skin, in dressing for men’s attention. He calls me derogatory names in front of the children. He has threatened to leave me if I don’t delete certain guys off my Facebook, mostly close family friends, even one being a distant cousin. So I deleted them. I did used to accept anyone and everyone, not to chat to them but just because I didn’t see Facebook as a totally personal thing. I uploaded a profile picture of myself which he made me delete because I looked like a “prostitute”. His words. I do not in any way look like a prostitute but he said the red lipstick was going to attract men to look at my profile. He has argued with friends I’ve made and told me I shouldn’t be friends with them. He told me if I go back to work, he might aswell leave me. He constantly speaks ill of my family. My 9 year old son tells me he is scared of his dad and that he is so mean. He says it’s better when daddy isn’t here. My partner works away so we only see him every fortnight when he comes home for the weekend. This has only been since the end of May. I have voice recordings of him threatening to leave me if I didn’t delete my Instagram account. I did delete it for him. He tells me I am playing games with him and has threatened to kill himself and leave it on my conscience. He told me yesterday he will leave me and never see or speak to me or the children again. I have told his mum I am worried about him as he has become unrecognisable. She just says he has difficulty regulating his emotions. I cannot cope with him anymore. I feel like he doesn’t even like me, let alone love me. I tell him he’s hurting me and he says things like “you’re playing with me, you’re acting like a victim, you’re a woman getting all up in your emotions”. He tells me I am listening to my family too much. He says I shouldn’t speak about what goes on at home, it should be kept “in house”. He once shoved me during an argument and when I mention this he screams at me “say that again and I will leave you”. He gets extremely angry to the point I am frightened sometimes. He has threatened to kill me one night, so I went to my brothers and he didn’t stop calling and texting, again threatening to kill himself. I had to call his mum because I was worried about him. He told me to stop telling his mum because she is worried about my mental state. I don’t know what he’s said to her about me but I have a feeling he’s told her I’m mentally ill or crazy. Once when we were arguing he followed me to the bathroom and I called him a woman beater, because I feel emotionally beater. He said “I’ll show you woman beater!” And raised his fist, at which point I called my then 8 year old son. He didn’t hit me but gave me the fear that he was going to. When I tell him I think he’s abusing me, he denies it or says I push him to act that way. He says men act in anger when they are upset, whereas women cry. I am 34 and I don’t need this stress in my life. I just wish I could make him see what he’s doing to our little family. He always promising this dream life, he wants to earn loads of money, buy property and land, give us a good life. I don’t feel safe with him. I really don’t wanna break up my family but I don’t know if I’ll ever get through to him. I love him, well I love how he used to be. He has changed so much and become such an angry man. Has anyone been through something similar? Is this abuse or am I overreacting? I really feel trapped.

OP posts:
Luckyingame · 10/07/2025 14:09

MarxistMags · 10/07/2025 01:44

@Kimwestonhelpless I'm sorry Kim. I can't imagine what that is like

I know how childhood physical abuse leaves a MH mark as my friend is only now getting therapy at age 60+

Just as well she IS finally getting the therapy. Hopefully she will experience some peace for herself. I'm sorry for your experiences- my narcissistic mother called me at 5 years of age to ask whether she should divorce my father.
That was more than 40 years ago, she is still here, very low contact.

Imisscoffee2021 · 10/07/2025 14:12

He has changed the dynamics of your family, he is breaking it up, he is the one behaving in a way to destroy the bedrock of it all. Don't forget that. It's not on you to keep it together at the expense of your health and your children's being exposed to their mother being treated this way by their father.

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:20

Thank you all for the replies. You all said what I was expecting you to say. I feel like I’m in denial, I keep going to and from, one day I think he’s terrible and his behaviour is abusive and unacceptable and then the next I think oh he isn’t that bad. I’ve not been the easiest to be with either. I used to be very jealous and accuse him of looking at other women. He told me this is what’s caused him to treat me the way he does. I recently opened up to him that I cheated on him when we first got together about 3 weeks into our relationship, I kissed a guy while I was on holiday in Spain. He keeps using this against me. I feel terrible that I messed up but it was so long ago and we had only just started dating I didn’t know we’d go on to have a family together. I would never cheat on him now. He once told me if he ever finds out I’ve cheated on him he would kill me. Today he called me from work telling me he wants to download my Facebook data to prove I haven’t spoken to any guys on there. He also wants to do a lie detector test for me to prove I haven’t cheated and then do counselling together. He went on and on saying his head is a mess. After that call my daughters friend was coming for a play date. He sent me a text saying he was sorry and that he didn’t want to stress me out. Then tonight he called me on FaceTime and acted like nothing was wrong. He seemed happy and told me he’s proud of me and that I’m doing a great job with the children and that I’m strong for doing it all alone while he’s working. I’m so confused and already preparing myself for another outburst tomorrow when his mood may change. I have been wondering if he has borderline personality disorder or NPD. I’ve told him maybe he should get therapy but he refuses. He tells me not to speak to his mother because she has health problems. I told him I am also a mother, OUR children’s mother - what about them and me?! Any time I mention my feelings he tells me I am gaslighting him. He says he has been reading a lot about women’s actions and feelings and that I’m one of them women who just needs validation from other men. I spend all my time either with my children, taking them to play with friends, cleaning the house or visiting family. I don’t have time for any other man. He has just been so different the last few years. He started coming home from work and one day told me he doesn’t know if he’s attracted to me anymore. This made me feel really insecure and pull back abit. So then now he says when I pulled back I must’ve been cheating on him, giving someone else my attention. I have tried to explain the way he treated me and the things he was saying to me is what caused me to pull back - he will not accept my answers and just tells me I’m playing games with him.

OP posts:
Kimwestonhelpless · 11/07/2025 00:24

He's insane.a lie detector test really!!
He's an abuser nothing more nothing less.

MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 00:26

Anytime you feel the need alter the way you live out of fear of your partner's reaction you are being abused.
Being afraid of him knowing you have an account says it all in itself.
It almost never gets better and it usually gets worse.

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:29

He was going through his tabs on his phone next to me one night and I happened to see the dating site Ashley Madison. I didn’t mention it but I decided to check it out and see if I could find his profile on there. I found a profile with what looked like his photo. There are filters where you can blur the profile picture. I had told him I’d found him on there and that I knew he was looking for an affair. He denied it and accused me of being paranoid. This was September 2022. Ever since then he has become very angry. I have no proof the profile was his and he even swears on our childrens lives. I just can’t shake the feeling that it was him and his guilty Conscience is catching up with him and he’s pinning blame and accusations on me to escape accountability. I never ever wanted this for myself or my children. I’ve made my own mistakes as I said I am not innocent, but I would never treat anyone the way he’s been treating me. I am so afraid of making the wrong choice. When he is home every fortnight the children are all over him because they do love and miss their daddy, but I’m also showing them that this is what love looks like, and I dread my son becoming an abuser, or my daughter falling for one.

OP posts:
MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 00:31

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:20

Thank you all for the replies. You all said what I was expecting you to say. I feel like I’m in denial, I keep going to and from, one day I think he’s terrible and his behaviour is abusive and unacceptable and then the next I think oh he isn’t that bad. I’ve not been the easiest to be with either. I used to be very jealous and accuse him of looking at other women. He told me this is what’s caused him to treat me the way he does. I recently opened up to him that I cheated on him when we first got together about 3 weeks into our relationship, I kissed a guy while I was on holiday in Spain. He keeps using this against me. I feel terrible that I messed up but it was so long ago and we had only just started dating I didn’t know we’d go on to have a family together. I would never cheat on him now. He once told me if he ever finds out I’ve cheated on him he would kill me. Today he called me from work telling me he wants to download my Facebook data to prove I haven’t spoken to any guys on there. He also wants to do a lie detector test for me to prove I haven’t cheated and then do counselling together. He went on and on saying his head is a mess. After that call my daughters friend was coming for a play date. He sent me a text saying he was sorry and that he didn’t want to stress me out. Then tonight he called me on FaceTime and acted like nothing was wrong. He seemed happy and told me he’s proud of me and that I’m doing a great job with the children and that I’m strong for doing it all alone while he’s working. I’m so confused and already preparing myself for another outburst tomorrow when his mood may change. I have been wondering if he has borderline personality disorder or NPD. I’ve told him maybe he should get therapy but he refuses. He tells me not to speak to his mother because she has health problems. I told him I am also a mother, OUR children’s mother - what about them and me?! Any time I mention my feelings he tells me I am gaslighting him. He says he has been reading a lot about women’s actions and feelings and that I’m one of them women who just needs validation from other men. I spend all my time either with my children, taking them to play with friends, cleaning the house or visiting family. I don’t have time for any other man. He has just been so different the last few years. He started coming home from work and one day told me he doesn’t know if he’s attracted to me anymore. This made me feel really insecure and pull back abit. So then now he says when I pulled back I must’ve been cheating on him, giving someone else my attention. I have tried to explain the way he treated me and the things he was saying to me is what caused me to pull back - he will not accept my answers and just tells me I’m playing games with him.

OP, he has threatened to kill you. Get the hell out of there ASAP!
I suspect he is projecting massively, btw. He says he is not attracted to you, which means he's likely lusting after other women and possibly cheating himself. It's common for cheaters to accuse a partner of cheating.
But that's irrelevant in terms of what you must do now. He is dangerous. Your life with him is hell. Run.

MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 00:36

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:29

He was going through his tabs on his phone next to me one night and I happened to see the dating site Ashley Madison. I didn’t mention it but I decided to check it out and see if I could find his profile on there. I found a profile with what looked like his photo. There are filters where you can blur the profile picture. I had told him I’d found him on there and that I knew he was looking for an affair. He denied it and accused me of being paranoid. This was September 2022. Ever since then he has become very angry. I have no proof the profile was his and he even swears on our childrens lives. I just can’t shake the feeling that it was him and his guilty Conscience is catching up with him and he’s pinning blame and accusations on me to escape accountability. I never ever wanted this for myself or my children. I’ve made my own mistakes as I said I am not innocent, but I would never treat anyone the way he’s been treating me. I am so afraid of making the wrong choice. When he is home every fortnight the children are all over him because they do love and miss their daddy, but I’m also showing them that this is what love looks like, and I dread my son becoming an abuser, or my daughter falling for one.

Edited

Aha! I knew it. Love, this man is utter scum. I'm so sorry.
Your thoughts about the effect of the abuse on your children are correct. It's not to late to teach them that this is not okay. You know what you have to do, it's just that it's a hard leap to make. You won't regret it.

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:38

MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 00:31

OP, he has threatened to kill you. Get the hell out of there ASAP!
I suspect he is projecting massively, btw. He says he is not attracted to you, which means he's likely lusting after other women and possibly cheating himself. It's common for cheaters to accuse a partner of cheating.
But that's irrelevant in terms of what you must do now. He is dangerous. Your life with him is hell. Run.

This is what I think. I think he’s cheating on me and projecting. The thing is I have no idea if with a man or woman. Not that it matters- cheating is cheating! When we first got together he told me he thought he was gay when he was a child. Whenever I bring this up he gets incredibly angry. He has come home from work telling me how men have chatted him up. I caught him masturbating in the bathroom while watching something on his phone once and I was not happy - I feel that betrays my trust and he knows how I feel about it (some people are ok with it, each to their own) - anyway he said to me “how do you know I weren’t watching a man?!” He said he only said that cause he’d know I’d be furious if he admitted he was watching women - he thought I’d find it easier to cope with it he was watching men! I mean… really?!

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:46

MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 00:26

Anytime you feel the need alter the way you live out of fear of your partner's reaction you are being abused.
Being afraid of him knowing you have an account says it all in itself.
It almost never gets better and it usually gets worse.

Yes it’s not right that I’m scared of him finding out I have an account. He wants to take my phone to someone who can check all my data. I think I’m more afraid of him leaving me because he seems so sure that he is a good man and makes me believe I have a lot to loose. He’s told me no other man would ever want me, that I’m ugly and worthless, worn out with two children.

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:48

Kimwestonhelpless · 10/07/2025 01:22

Abusing you and the children please don't underestimate the effect of seeing this will have upon them.
I grew up in a DV household having therapy for it 50 years on.

I’m so sorry you went through that. I’m frightened of my children resenting me for letting this happen but I know they love their daddy. I feel like I’m in a rock and hard situation.

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:51

MarxistMags · 10/07/2025 01:33

It's time to go. You called your 8yo DS to protect you. How damaging is that for him ? Next it could be your 4yo DS .
It's time to get everything sorted financially and leave him before he kills you and your sons.
I believe there is info on here about DV and what to do about leaving your abuser.

I told my GP a few months back that I think I’m being abused and manipulated. She passed the info onto MASH and passed it onto my children’s school. I didn’t tell my partner at first but then the school wanted to have a meeting to speak with me about what’s going on at home. I was so scared of loosing my children that I backtracked and told them everything is fine. I couldn’t eat or sleep for weeks and ended up confessing to my partner that I’d confided in my GP. I was hoping he might wake up and realise what he’s doing is not ok. He has got a lot worse since then.

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:57

MeTooOverHere · 10/07/2025 01:36

Next time he's away working, take the opportunity to get your necessary paperwork together and see a solicitor.

Do you have access to money that he doesn't know about? Get a place to stay and move ASAP. If you can do that all in the same time span when he's next away do that. If not, stay calm and pleasant when he's home and then bolt once he's left again for work.

The home I live in is in my name. He doesn’t live here he works away and only stays every other weekend now. I don’t need to move as such, I have a good supportive family and friends who all tell me he isn’t good for me. He tells me my family and friends are getting in my head and trying to break us up. I told him I have my own mind and can make my own decisions. I lost my mum when I was 12 but am very close to her sister, my aunt. My dad and brother are amazing. My family will always be there for me but are tired of hearing about my relationship issues so I’ve given up telling them too much. I’m at the point where I’m dealing with it on my own now and really just trying to get my ducks in a row. I’m really scared of doing it all alone as I’ve been with him 15 years and with two small children it’s quite daunting to do it on my own, I know I need to be strong.

OP posts:
Francestein · 11/07/2025 01:02

Oh Jesus, let him go. He’s been red pilled.

MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 01:03

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 00:46

Yes it’s not right that I’m scared of him finding out I have an account. He wants to take my phone to someone who can check all my data. I think I’m more afraid of him leaving me because he seems so sure that he is a good man and makes me believe I have a lot to loose. He’s told me no other man would ever want me, that I’m ugly and worthless, worn out with two children.

They always tell you that, my darling. They destroy your self esteem so you won't have the confidence to leave. Classic abuser behaviour. You are obviously a lovely person and you deserve to be treated with kindness. Never forget that.

Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 01:04

Ruby0707 · 10/07/2025 11:39

Yes this is abuse and I'm sorry you are going through this but calling your 8 year old son to protect you is unacceptable. You should be protecting your son by leaving this horrible man.

You are right and I feel like a terrible mother for allowing my children to experience this 😥

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 01:09

Francestein · 11/07/2025 01:02

Oh Jesus, let him go. He’s been red pilled.

He did enjoy watching Andrew Tate for awhile which was abit of a red flag for me. I cannot stand that man!

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 01:13

MuckFusk · 11/07/2025 01:03

They always tell you that, my darling. They destroy your self esteem so you won't have the confidence to leave. Classic abuser behaviour. You are obviously a lovely person and you deserve to be treated with kindness. Never forget that.

Thank you. I am glad I decided to post here. You all are helping me a lot. He is home tomorrow for the weekend and I expect he will want sex but sometimes I just don’t feel like it and then he’ll accuse me of being with or wanting someone else so I just go along and get it over and done with to keep the peace. I can’t believe I’m even writing this.

OP posts:
Mumof295 · 11/07/2025 01:20

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 10/07/2025 08:57

Yes it is seek help to leave safely and then consider reporting to police

The police turned up at my house, called by a passer by the police said. There was a lot of noise coming from my house because we were arguing. I was having a panic attack and he told me he hoped I died. As they were pulling him into the back of the police van, he was calling out “why are you doing this to me babe?!” I felt terrible and told the police I didn’t want him arrested and that we had just had an arguement. When I look back I can’t believe what he’s put me through and still believe he’s a good man and that I have pushed him to act this way. Surely this isn’t normal right? He’s really got into my head and made be believe I am the problem here. I have a brilliant dad, but my partner says he is a “simp” because he washes up, cooks, cleans and hangs washing to help his partner. My partner used to wash up after I’d cooked dinner, his dad said to me one time “what have you done to my son? Men are not supposed to wash up?!” His dad was very abusive to his mum and she has become a shell of a woman. I always told my partner I am afraid of becoming like his mum. I feel I am halfway there.

OP posts:
Francestein · 11/07/2025 01:21

Honestly, stop caring about what he SAYS. Care about what you feel and what you want. Tell him not to come over. Ever.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 11/07/2025 01:25

He watches too much Andrew Tate. Please get rid of him and get some counselling.

Bittenonce · 11/07/2025 07:05

You’re scared of him. The kids are scared of him. I’m scared for you. This is one of the most terrifying threads I’ve seen on here. But you’re in a strong position because the house is in your name and you’ve got family on your side, who know he’s wrong. From what you’ve said, I think you shouldn’t let him come this weekend. Change the locks now. Get your brother to come round. When you tell him you don’t want to see him again, he will bully, manipulate, lie, threaten. Please use your family to shield you, get away, distance yourself. Seriously, he is dangerous and the time to act is now. Right now, before things get horribly worse. Everyone on here has said the same, and this time they’re all correct. Please please do it now

Eeehbyeck · 11/07/2025 07:28

Stop trying to reason with an unreasonable person and drop the idea that he will see any wrong in what he’s doing, it’s wasted energy and not what you need to focus on.
youre living with a ticking time bomb by the sounds of it and you need to really think about your safety, you definitely need to leave and you need to do so carefully.

tell the police everything so they have a log, this is so important as if something else happens it escalates it quicker I believe as they already have a case

contact women’s aid and follow their advice on a safe way to leave

don’t let him know you’re going, act as normal as possible

good luck
xx

Stilllifes · 11/07/2025 09:35

Please god your children will tell someone and SS will become involved.

What a horror of a childhood for them.
This pig is a house terrorist.

Your poor children.
Please put them before this awful man and stop lying and protecting him.

Tell the police the truth.
You can do this.

Jacobanddarcy1 · 11/07/2025 10:34

I’m sorry your going through this, yes it’s highly abusive and it’s escalating, I can relate, please seek advise from women’s aid and please gather enough courage to report to the police, if nothing more than to leave a paper trail. Please don’t underestimate the effect this abuse will have on the children. My 17yr old son had a nervous breakdown a year after my ex husband was removed from the house, thankfully he is slowly recovering. When you are in the thick of it you think you are shielding and protecting the children when in reality this is not case. Please take action for the children ❤️

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