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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

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Abusive partner help!!!!!

31 replies

Annabel2110 · 13/07/2026 21:11

I don’t know why I’m writing this on here, I think I just need to hear an outside perspective as I fell out with all my friends to be with my partner. W snow have 2 kids are are struggling with money due to debt (even though we earn good money) but beneath the money struggles, we are best friends and love each other so much!!

we both have a little bit of debt each that we are trying to pay off separately and we have 2 kids that we had back recently so still trying to get out of 2 maternity leave debts. He also takes testosterone. I am not the most tidy/organised person (undiagnosed ADHD) and he is very anal and wants everything perfect all the time. Even with 2 toddlers I have had to pick up more work hours so I am doing 4 days now, so don’t have a lot of time to do housework and when I am at home, I am juggling a nearly 2 & nearly 3 year old by myself whilst he works from home and I have to keep them quiet or he comes storming downstairs shouting at me.

There are a few things I keep doing that he has told me multiple times not to do, like keeping the kitchen sides clean, not leaving long phone charges out looking messy, just general tidying up that sometimes I get delayed to tidying up due to the kids. He looses it and says I don’t listen and why am I not changing, I am a farmyard animal, a slob and disgusting. I am not one to back down and let someone speak to me like that so I argue back and he looses it even more and tells me to stop talking back, it escalates so bad that he usually either pushes me on the floor/bed/sofa or gets me by my neck against the door or over the kitchen sink. But he claims because he’s never punched me it’s not that bad and I’m playing a victim. He says he doesn’t want to hurt me, he just wants me to listen.

He loves his sons so much and would never hurt them and he is the only person I have now as I lost all of my friendship group to be with him (they thought he was bad news as they knew of him before).

when the physical abuse happens I am adamant I am leaving and I tell him that and he says good, then we make up and he says how sorry he is and how he feels awful for being just like his dad and he will try and stop. We are best friends and I try and hold onto the fact that we are just in a bad place because of money but once we are out of debt we won’t have this constant stress over us and can get our happy life back.

I don’t know what to do and need to hear it from someone else’s perspective instead of telling a family member and risking them all hating him if I don’t leave him. We really do have a great relationship underneath this money stress, but we will be out of it soon. But is it worth sticking around for it to get better?

OP posts:
Anon501178 · 14/07/2026 05:45

This is so sad to read :( What is going on will already be impacting on your children negatively, even if they don't understand and it appears they aren't reacting, there will be subtle signs such as being hypervigiant (constantly on edge) or raised cortisol levels (stress hormones).The not reacting outwardly is sadly because the behaviours are appearing normal to them which is a massive concern in itself.

Sadly the majority of abusive partners turn on the kids eventually and abuse them too.

And you deserve better too!

A 'best friend' does not treat someone this way and a 'good' relationship is not abusive, even some of the time.
He will never change and the damage is done.

Please protect yourself and your children, and leave xx

TheSandgroper · 14/07/2026 08:30

Annabel2110 · 13/07/2026 21:53

Yes it’s mostly always infront of them unless they are asleep or napping, but they are 1&2 so still very young. One time he pushed me to the floor and my 2 year old thought it was a game and starting pushing me whilst I was on the floor 😫

One of Australia’s most prominent singers had an abusive childhood. He can remember the colour and layout of a kitchen in one of the houses where the family lived. He was six months old at the time.

Research has shown that abuse in early childhood absolutely leaves memories and scars that never, ever go away.

You must ring Women’s Aid or take your children and go to the police now.

Pedant61 · 14/07/2026 08:36

All the other posters are correct, OP.
You are not "best friends", because real friends don't treat each other like this.
Please try reaching out to one of your actual friends - I'm sure they will help you.

Bonkers1966 · 14/07/2026 08:40

Your friends don't like him because they know he will kill you one day and leave your children as good as orphaned. He is not your best friend. Just another controlling vicious cunt.

Francestein · 14/07/2026 08:40

You are not best friends at all. He has isolated you so that you have nobody else. There is a very big difference.
I think you need to contact the police about his behaviour and do a Claire’s Law Request.

PipMumsnet · 14/07/2026 10:05

We're so sorry to hear you're going through this, OP.
We hope you don't mind, but when these threads are flagged to us we like to link to our web-guides, which we hope may be helpful. If you'd like to, please do feel free to take a look at our Domestic Violence page.
Very best wishes from all at MNHQ 💐

Domestic violence support webguide | Mumsnet

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https://www.mumsnet.com/i/domestic-violence-webguide

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