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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

Could you rebuild trust after your husband returned to escort sites?

39 replies

WhosLineIsItAnyway5 · 05/06/2026 13:13

A bit of advice, my dh got caught accessing an escort, long story but he came clean. We have a young family, I decided to try and forgive and move on. At that time there was significant stress and money worries, not an excuse but nevertheless I chose to try work on it. He accessed therapy and came clean to friends/family. Fast forward a year later, I’m looking through his phone to be nosey - I do this now and again probably for reassurance, aware the trust is building still. I notice a rogue email link and follow it, I discover he tried to log back in to the site that mainly is about escorts/webcams etc. I done some investigating and it looks like he went to create an account again but then didn’t. So I screenshot the email, and give him loads of opportunities to come clean. Tbh for me it was a relapse, one of which I would have understood if he told me himself, chatted about it and we could have looked at it together. But he lied through his teeth. I said to him that I needed access to his emails to check for my ‘own sanity’ that he hadn’t been accessing sites again, he was a nervous wreck, but low and behold there was nothing there, so he had obviously deleted it. I asked him again to come clean, again he denied it. I then at this point showed him the screenshot of the email, and he knew it was game over. He says that he knew I would end the marriage if I found out he tried to access these sites and felt he couldn’t be honest, he panicked and avoided the confrontation. Now even as I’m typing this, I get it, in my head the marriage is over, but I feel awful about it. He thinks he has addiction issues and needs help. He is an incredible father and an amazing husband (the above of course not included). What would you do? Can you move on from something like this? Financially we are tied until January, so even physically moving on will be impossible.

OP posts:
Retro12 · 05/06/2026 15:25

He is only sorry because he has been caught! The man is a liar, a cheat and a vile person... You will be better off without him

shellyleppard · 05/06/2026 15:25

No trust, no love in my book. Game over

WhosLineIsItAnyway5 · 05/06/2026 16:11

Thank you to all that Took the time to post, I appreciate them all.

in terms of those asking about my definition of ‘amazing’, my dh is supportive, kind considerate, goes over and above to make my day easier. Does his share in the house and more when I can’t. Has so much energy for the kids and goes out of his way to make sure they feel supported and loved. He is very present both at home and when he is away, always amending his plans to prioritise us all. He doesn’t shout or get angry, he’s cool and calm and logical in everything he does, even when I’m being unreasonable. He said nothing about me going through his phone. So you can see why am so torn, if he was awful in any other way I wouldn’t think twice, it all doesn’t make sense in my world. But all the comments are direct and fair. I appreciate them

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 05/06/2026 16:17

Youhave to think that looking at escorts is amazing for you to believe he is fantastic.
If you think that escorts messaging is acceptable and a usual typical way to be a great husband then up to you.
But you cannot say you dont like this but it does not matter.

cestlavielife · 05/06/2026 16:19

He acts so nice so you will carry on and accept his escorting behaviour. Are you going to ?

MrsTerryPratchett · 05/06/2026 16:26

I think it would help if you started using accurate language. Accessing escorts is you trying to fit the thought into your head with euphemisms. That's not what he's doing.

Therescathairinmybath · 05/06/2026 16:26

So you think this man is amazing, apart from this awful behaviour. If I made you a cup of tea and said it only contained 2% shit, would you drink it?

faithfultoGeorgeMichael · 05/06/2026 16:30

He's a terrible husband and a failure as a father. Come on OP, you know you should have left last time. What is going on here?

DaisyChain505 · 05/06/2026 16:33

WhosLineIsItAnyway5 · 05/06/2026 16:11

Thank you to all that Took the time to post, I appreciate them all.

in terms of those asking about my definition of ‘amazing’, my dh is supportive, kind considerate, goes over and above to make my day easier. Does his share in the house and more when I can’t. Has so much energy for the kids and goes out of his way to make sure they feel supported and loved. He is very present both at home and when he is away, always amending his plans to prioritise us all. He doesn’t shout or get angry, he’s cool and calm and logical in everything he does, even when I’m being unreasonable. He said nothing about me going through his phone. So you can see why am so torn, if he was awful in any other way I wouldn’t think twice, it all doesn’t make sense in my world. But all the comments are direct and fair. I appreciate them

You say he goes above and beyond to make your day easier. Let me guess, you think him taking care of his children and doing things in his own home are “doing you a favour” 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

Using the fact that he doesn’t shout or get angry at you as reasoning to call him an amazing husband and father show how low your bar is. This doesn’t make someone amazing it’s literally the basics of a normal human being.

Coconutter24 · 05/06/2026 16:43

An incredible father and amazing husband he is not, sorry to break it to you but he isn’t either. An incredible father wouldn’t risk the security and happiness of his children’s home life and an amazing husband needs to be loyal at minimum. He didn’t tell you because he knew you’d end the marriage so decided to lie and hide it from you, so he knows he’s doing wrong! He won’t change

Error404FucksNotFound · 05/06/2026 17:29

WhosLineIsItAnyway5 · 05/06/2026 16:11

Thank you to all that Took the time to post, I appreciate them all.

in terms of those asking about my definition of ‘amazing’, my dh is supportive, kind considerate, goes over and above to make my day easier. Does his share in the house and more when I can’t. Has so much energy for the kids and goes out of his way to make sure they feel supported and loved. He is very present both at home and when he is away, always amending his plans to prioritise us all. He doesn’t shout or get angry, he’s cool and calm and logical in everything he does, even when I’m being unreasonable. He said nothing about me going through his phone. So you can see why am so torn, if he was awful in any other way I wouldn’t think twice, it all doesn’t make sense in my world. But all the comments are direct and fair. I appreciate them

That's really not amazing though.
Do you do those things and consider yourself an amazing wife and mother?

The list is simply things you should be able to expect from your partner and your children should expect from their father, written in a glorified way.

Does his share
Pays attention to his kids
Does more when needed
Can prioritise according to need
Doesn't shout and scream

When you need to add uses money the family needs so he can buy women, that list starts to feel a little less amazing.

Limpet54 · 05/06/2026 23:12

As a woman that has experienced exactly what you’re going through I wanted to share even though I clicked off here as now I’m no longer with my ex and in a deep healing process from the betrayal trauma on the back of my ex partners behaviour I try to keep away from these conversations. I was 7 months pregnant when I discovered it the night before our baby moon unbelievably. He had been doing it for years and years in his prior relationship to me also which he told me ended because his previous partner withheld sex. Later I realised that she went through what I did. Sex disappeared because he was more interested in looking at a screen or having his one hour paid for time weekly.

You cannot forgive this, it will never ever leave you. You will never trust him again, your brain will live in a state of hyper vigilance and wondering if he’s at it again. You’ll be monitoring for the rest of your days. It really is not worth it and will destroy you. I ended up having a full breakdown, my ex partner too presented a nice guy image. Men who pay money for consent are not ‘good’ at very best they are severely damaged morally and sexually.

I did so much research on this topic and it’s very very rare for a man who has become addicted to these interactions to just stop without extensive therapy and support for their addiction. The recovery rate is low and most do go back even after periods of abstinence.

I really wholeheartedly believe despite the agony of attempting repair myself that you cannot repair this. It’s too easy for them to continue without you ever finding out, you’ll live with it in your mind forever

I’m really sorry.

WhosLineIsItAnyway5 · 06/06/2026 12:53

Limpet54 · 05/06/2026 23:12

As a woman that has experienced exactly what you’re going through I wanted to share even though I clicked off here as now I’m no longer with my ex and in a deep healing process from the betrayal trauma on the back of my ex partners behaviour I try to keep away from these conversations. I was 7 months pregnant when I discovered it the night before our baby moon unbelievably. He had been doing it for years and years in his prior relationship to me also which he told me ended because his previous partner withheld sex. Later I realised that she went through what I did. Sex disappeared because he was more interested in looking at a screen or having his one hour paid for time weekly.

You cannot forgive this, it will never ever leave you. You will never trust him again, your brain will live in a state of hyper vigilance and wondering if he’s at it again. You’ll be monitoring for the rest of your days. It really is not worth it and will destroy you. I ended up having a full breakdown, my ex partner too presented a nice guy image. Men who pay money for consent are not ‘good’ at very best they are severely damaged morally and sexually.

I did so much research on this topic and it’s very very rare for a man who has become addicted to these interactions to just stop without extensive therapy and support for their addiction. The recovery rate is low and most do go back even after periods of abstinence.

I really wholeheartedly believe despite the agony of attempting repair myself that you cannot repair this. It’s too easy for them to continue without you ever finding out, you’ll live with it in your mind forever

I’m really sorry.

Thank you. I appreciate the perspective and comment. I’m sorry you went through that.

OP posts:
TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 12:55

No.

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