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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

STUCK!

2 replies

Peanut1001 · 05/11/2025 17:54

So ive debated writing this as I'm worried about if the person finds out, but if they do I hope they understand it came from concern, love and needing outside views, opinions and advice etc. And also that I want to grab her take her far away and make her see sense. It's very frustrating to everyone he's charming kind friendly nice and cannot do enough! He's narcissistic without a doubt but when she tries to open up to him and drops the wall she puts up she tells him her insecurities her worries her fears as you know you should be able to do with a partner? But yet... somewhere down the line in an argument either where she's tried to talk to him if she's upset or needing support he's then used those as ammunition.
He's a gremlin.
I don't like him at all not at all really to see my friend go from having so much confidence and self esteem to then being down at zero. The light has completely gone from behind her eyes she's lost so much weight, doesn't go out, became a hoarder, more irritable, emotional, gets extremely overwhelmed with everything and feels as if a task will become a failure.
She re did the flooring at their house and I was proud of her for it but he wasnt... it wasnt good enough.
Took a long time to do etc blah blah now id like to add also he doesn't do any diy jobs, gardening, decorating etc he will cook clean and stuff but when she's found confidence to want to do something like gardening or some form of renovations he's then at her as to why the dishes weren't done or the washing when she's been busy with something else that's needed doing.
The dryer needing fixing so she fixed it immensely proud and felt accomplished with herself which was nice to see on her face but.. yes of course...
Again not good enough.
It's like he enjoys seeing her lost broken miserable and down. But says he loves her and cares (bollocks)
I hate him i really do but out of respect for her i keep my mouth shut she knows id be there in a hertbeat if it got bad and yes id open my mouth then.
hes isolated her away from friends and family also so she has nobody else apart from me but he thinks weve fallen out and dont speak but we do daily which I'm extremely grateful for as i do worry about her.

So.. I'm at a complete loss with what to advise with my friend.
We've been friends since kids and have a very strong friendship she's basically my sister.
She's been seeing a man for around 8 years now ive met him he's no children, never married, works etc and appears to be a respected member of his work and community.. so you'd think.

But behind closed doors ive heard him emotionally abuse her with cruel, vile, horrid words that have undermined her personality, appearance, views, opinions etc...
He's even caused damage to her neck where they're was a incident with a window and yet he dismissed and justified it with "it was an accident" along with that she said something to rile him up. (That one took the piss)
Anyway... I've spoken to her at great length and urged her to leave him that she'd be better of without him and id help her etc etc but she won't she has openly admitted that she's waiting for him to change and that when things are good he's then the man who she fell in love with but when things are bad she feels like she's in trouble or punished.
That's not love.
He never admits responsibility either or owns up to his shit either. I've pulled him a few times and he's actually had the cheek to say to me that she's Unstable! She needs to see a dr about her moods and has anger issues lmao! Yes she snapped at him and went ape shit yet now its used as the above.....
He constantly belitles her if she's feeling confident about something he will knock her down a peg or two with some crappy comment. I've seen my friend go from happy, bubbly, confident, my little weirdo (we call each other that) ❤️, empty, broken, a shell, quiet and constantly apologising. It's killing me tbh. She won't leave him because of money issues and I suspect there is a trauma bond there too, I need some advice please as I'm worrying about her also please be kind and as honest as possible regarding this post and what you'd advise.
I know and she knows that if it ever got bad and dangerous with him she would call the police. She knows my opinion of him even though I smile through gritted teeth just for her when she knows I want to make several voodoo dolls of the creature he is! Grrrr.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thankyou xx❤️❤️

OP posts:
CoffeeLipstickKeys · 05/11/2025 19:22

I would anticipate that she won’t necessarily take your advice on board as they are very probably enmeshed in a coercive and dependent relationship when you do these your concerns become be factual don’t over embellish and most of all let her know that you’re here for her.

Verbally tell her about advice and resources that she can use if when she plans to leave him, I wouldn’t leave a digital footprint. He probably knows her logins and passwords and you don’t want to height and risk if he sees any evidence that she’s planning to leave them the immediate period in which of women is leaving or has left a man is really risking terms of violence or consequences as he potentially acts out in anger and recrimination

The resources that you would signpost her would be to refuge ,women aid and https://www.ncdv.org.uk
On a practical level, I would advise her to get copies or photograph of all her ID bank statement things that link her t the locality to go to the local authority to ask for temporary accommodation?
Does she have a support network elsewhere? Who could help her out? Does she have friends and family elsewhere in the country that she could relocate? If there are any untoward incident? She needs to report to the police and get a crime reference number

I can appreciate this is probably going be really difficult. She may of course deny and decline to discuss it with you. She may be so mired in the relationship that she can or won’t discuss the negative impact that he has on her. The nature of an abusive relationship is that it wears stone corrodes and changes the woman.

Get her to delete her history search and digital footprint so that he doesn’t have an idea if she’s looking for advice or support she could get a burner phone cheap and use that as a means of communication

There’s no immediate answer here. It takes time for women to find the strength in the confidence to leave men when they are a vulnerable person in a coercive abusive relationship.

domestic violence

Domestic Violence & Abuse · Emergency Injunction Service

A free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence regardless of their financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation.

https://www.ncdv.org.uk

Endofyear · 05/11/2025 19:32

Sadly, you can't make her leave. You can only tell her what you think and advise her to speak to Women's Aid. Keep lines of communication open with her and let her know you will always help her if she needs a place to go. It's very hard but she has to come to the realisation on her own.

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