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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

He's destroying my life

94 replies

Joa77 · 05/07/2008 16:44

I have been with my partner for around 2 years. He was violent once, after my birthday last year we had both been drinking and he started being quite aggressive when we got home. I recognised the signs and said I was going to bed, he then hit me across the face with the back of his hand. I told him I wanted him to leave but he talked me around, said he wouldn't drink anymore and would go to anger management. I agreed but the months went on and he kept saying he was too busy for the anger management but he did stop drinking.

Last weekend he told me that he thought I spent too much time at karate. I'm currently there 4 times a week, simply because I have a very important grading coming up. I am due to take my black belt in 2 weeks and so obviously need all the training I can get. He knows this. So Saturday night came and he asked if I fancied getting some drinks in, I said no and reminded him that he shouldn't be drinking either. He told me not to tell him what he can and can't do and if I can "Blow" so much time and money on karate he will do the same with alcohol.

I said fair enough but I wouldn't be joining him. So he had one or two drinks before he started on me, saying I was selfish and "fancied" the karate instructor and that was the real reason I trained so much. I told him he was being ridiculous and once I passed the grading I would cut the training down to twice a week so he pushed me into the wall and said "I know you will". I went on to tell him that I would do what I wanted, when I wanted so he said "so will I, and that might include giving you another back hander if you keep on". At this point I swore at him and he spun around and hit me (tried to hit my face but I got out of it) and I then kicked him and he dropped his drink which smashed on the floor so he grabbed me by the hair and said he was going to clean the glass up with my face. I got him off me and ran upstairs (to call the police) and he came in the bedroom and punched me in the side of the face which made me fall over and then he just went mad and carried on hitting and kicking me.

To cut a long story short, the next day I took DD to karate. Told her I couldn't go and to tell instructor. I couldn't turn up full of bruises and was in no fit state to train anyway. I told her to just tell instructor I was ill, nothing else. Needless to say she told him everything. Instructor then came out to the car and asked what had happened, I said it was personal and I would deal with it but he wouldn't let it go. I ended up telling him to mind his own business and leave me alone. Now I feel AWFUL, he has taught me so much and I treated him with such disrespect. He looked quite hurt and just walked away without saying anything which was worse really than if he had given me a mouthful of abuse back.

Another argument with DP on wednesday sealed my decision to give up karate altogether. I didn't let DD go on thursday because I knew istructor would qustion her so instructor phoned me yesterday asking what was going on and was I still intending to grade. I told him I had quit. He went really quiet and said even if I don't grade this time, I could always do it in a few months. I told him karate didn't seem to do me much good in real situations and I would not be returning. I didn't really mean this, I was just upset and angry. Instructor then said I was a fool and hung up on me.

DP is now acting like everything is fine. Meanwhile I am stuck hating him, hating this so called relationship, the man I respect the most in my life now hates me and thinks I'm an idiot and I've just thrown away pretty much everything I have built up in my life over the past few years.

I'm not really looking for advice, I just want to offload. I have nobody to talk to.

OP posts:
VictorianSqualor · 05/07/2008 20:17

If he is anything like me though, he may wonder why the PC has had the history deleted, I know both DP%I would find it strange as we normally type half an address in and select it from history, so if there were no history we would wonder why.

Ivegotaheadache · 05/07/2008 20:29

She can delete the history and then start opening loads of pages of different sites, ebay, mumsnet, next directory so there's something on there so he won't get suspicious.
Though if he goes through the history, he'll see all this stuff on mumsnet and know what she's been saying anyway unless she deletes it.

Ivegotaheadache · 05/07/2008 20:33

Although I'm assuming that her computer is like mine where dh and I have our own user accounts (on the same computer) with passwords, email accounts and browsing history all separate.
If it's just the one history that both of you use, take note of what he's looked at and after you've deleted it all, go back and visit those sites.

NotOodingTheHathWork · 05/07/2008 20:37

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NotOodingTheHathWork · 05/07/2008 20:40

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justabout · 05/07/2008 20:43

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mumonthenet · 06/07/2008 00:45

dear joa

I don't mean to be nasty but...

you are a complete idiot if you stay with this violent, abusive, controlling, bitter creep who would be better off in jail.

why on earth would you want to spend another minute in his company?

sorry but cannot help myself. Love and strength to you.

Tortington · 06/07/2008 01:26

you don't automatically haveto go to a shelter - the wise thng to do would be to go to th council and find out what yor options are - they arent't going to tell any one - and you can alays decline and go back home.

they may offer you a B&B. and then you are straiht to the top of the list for housing.

meanwhile you should call the police.

he can say whatever he wants - men can be very manipulaing - especially when you love them.

even if you don't prosecute - they wil have it on record.

you re in the best position you could be - believe it or not - you can get out quick. you do not have o say -te only person keeping ou ther is you,

you might thin your daughter doesn't know whatsgoing on - but she knows enough to tell thekarate instructor doesn't she

what are you teaching her?

think about that if you won't thin about your own safety, think aboutyor daughter having o list to that
think about your daughter being asked to lie - FOR YOU

two people at the karate place are already concerned and i doubt that they are the only ones. supposing ne of them gets so concerned thy phone social services?

eh?

ou have to put your emotional self in a box and push it to one side for one hour.

in that hour youhave t phone

shelter ere

they have a legal team that can give you real advice on our housing situation

what i know is this

if you are the tenant - you can have him removed anyway

if you are joint tenants or he is the tenant you should seek advice - but i know with council property that they can evict him for breach of his tenancy and re-house you back inyour home.

shelter deal with issues regrding private landlord too.

what you need to do is admit this to agencies that can help you, they are not gong to believe this man, they are not stupid. the can tell a liar. its not like they won't have come across this story many times before unfortunatly.

you need to think straight. practically. report it now. stay where you are. when it happend again the i a record.
report it now - you get back together in 6 months - he does i gain - you have it on file.

get your documents together passports, birth cetificates, bank statements and bills in your name such as loans etc. then if you decide one day that enough is enough, you have the account numbers to sort things out with thehlp of the CAB.

leaving things is only making it worse.

your bruises will fade - he will be sorry. and you will be scared. on eggshelss - and one day you will find yoursef devoid of a support system - he will have taken it all - you will find yourself relying on him, no karate, no friends etc. thats what they do.

if you leave. what will happen

your home situatin may be in a state of flux for the short term.

you will get advice from agencies such as the housing, thecab and other support agencies.

good friends and relatives will gather round you and be your suppot system

you will have self respect and pride in yourself for having achieved something thatmoney cannotbuy

DIGNITY.

you will teach yourdaughter that it doesn't matter who it is - they can't do things like that - even daddy isn't allowed to she will learn that you area srong woman with dgnity and respect and she will love you for that.

she wont have to listen to rows and pretend sehasn't
she won't be frightened in case mummygets hut again.

she won't have to hate you for putting up with it an making her go through it.

You wil go back to katate. they wil be pleased to see you. they will have the utmost respect fr you and what you have achieved.

so if you do this now - you will have a home sometime soon. friends, family, karate resect dignity

if you stay you have?...

well not a lot really.

listen, i work in housing although iam not a housing officer i kinda have a bit more jist of the processes - so if you want any help give me a mail on
creamy custardo at hotmail dot com

Alexa808 · 06/07/2008 06:25

Joa, what a sad story and I'm truly sorry for your DD and yourself. Violence likes this does continue and your partner will push the boundaries more and more. Today it's a bruised face, tomorrow he's hitting you with a wooden bat, the week after you have a knife wound, bleach in your eyes, etc. Do not stay with this monster. Think of your DD. She suffers already, don't kid yourself she doesn't know. She does. How long until your partner turns on her to keep you in check???
Please leave him!!! Don't stay for convenience and because you're scared to break away. This man might maim and kill you? He's sick, saying your face ought to be on the floor in glass shards. What a sick phantasy, the mere fact that he's even thinking* this would make me pack my stuff and go.

See your GP and register this abuse. Report him to the police. Yes, go and see that kind sensei of yours and apologize and explain. You need to open up so others can help you.

You received such good advice so far. Please make use of it while you still can. I really hope you will make it before he hurts you again.

yaz2 · 06/07/2008 07:55

please listen to all the good advice given above and leave. It will not get better he will not change. Go to your GP if you still have bruises etc it can be but down as evidence. contact women's aid the council anyone who can help. Get your instructor back on your side you need all the support you can get. Please get out for yourself and your daughter.

ShortandSweet · 06/07/2008 08:32

Hi Joa
I am so sorry your going through this. I was in an abusive relationship nearly 7yrs ago now. This relationship will only get worse it NEVER gets better. I had to move from Ireland to England to get away from him.

You really need to get away now before he grinds you down any further. You also need to get away for your childs benefit, its not good for her to see this.

Please listen to everyone on here because it is excellent advice.

AbricotsSecs · 06/07/2008 09:49

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cheerfulvicky · 06/07/2008 12:13

Oh god, how terrible for you Joa. Please please leave this man. He will never change. You must get away from him now before things get even worse.

WAStyedye · 06/07/2008 13:57

Leave,leave,leave,leave.....
He wont change,read "Why does he do that" by Lundy Bancroft,(its on amazon),it will give you the clarity and conviction to get out.
Yes,it will escalate,it ALWAYS DOES!!,I left my violent DP over a year ago.
CAT me if you like,i will discuss what your options are directly,xxx

Best wishes,be strong.

bearmama · 06/07/2008 14:07

Joa CAT me too if you want, I have been there.
So sorry you are going through this.
I know you are feeling confused but his behaviour will continue and then things wont be complicated any more - it will just be a simple choice to leave.

Your life belongs to you and you deserve better than this.

Tortington · 07/07/2008 12:12

even if you stayed, can you give us an update please?
hoep you are ok

Joa77 · 07/07/2008 12:37

Thank you for the support, sorry it has taken me a while to get back on here. You have all been very kind.

I have arranged for me and DD to move out of here on Saturday. I have been in touch with the council and filled out an application form for a house and they said I should be given priority. I have temp accommodation arranged for until then.

We had a bit of a drama yesterday which is why I didn't get back on. I text the karate instructor and apologised (bit crap by text I know) and he text back and asked me to go to the next lesson. I did and DP found out and phoned the instructor and gave him loads of abuse over the phone telling him to keep away from me and accusing him of having sinister motives. Instructor then told him that if he recieved anymore phonecalls or contact from him at all he would be reporting the matter to the police as well as reporting suspected domestic violence.

I later phoned instructor to apologise for DPs behaviour and he said his behaviour had no relevance to me and I didn't need to apologise. He even admitted he found the phonecall quite ammusing, especially when DP became noticably panicked at the mention of the police lol (not funny really I know).

I am still confused as to what happens next. I have my passports, bank books, cards, birth certificates, photo albums. It seems a shame when I'm asked if I have all my essentials and I realise everything thats worth anything to me fits in a tesco carrier bag

Thanks again for all the advice and I will keep posting. x

OP posts:
Tortington · 07/07/2008 12:41

bloody well done you!

have you got bank statements and any bills in your name?

again

bloody welld one you - i am so proud of you and i don't even know you ! well done girl

justabout · 07/07/2008 12:42

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Joa77 · 07/07/2008 12:46

Thank you He doesn't know either which is making it a bit easier. His major concern right now is that I am back at karate lol

I have all my bank statements together from my own accounts, again one of which he doesn't even know about (I was kind of prepared after last time) not sure what to do about the joint account. If I draw anything out of it he will know somethings up but I don't really want to write it all off as lost, maybe I'm too materialistic.

OP posts:
Tortington · 07/07/2008 12:57

no, i would make up some excuse to draw out some money.

if you arrange the bills this would be easier - if you don't you may have to be creative. You will need all the dosh you can get.

do you have a car? or can you get some of your stuff - some clothes, towels etc over to someones house until you move?

if you have a car you can also clean out the cupboards of food. take all the tinned stuff.

you could use the joint money and do a big buy in of expensive things and tell him it was on offer - things like washing powder, coffee, non essentials that you mightn't have the money fo like bleach and cloths.

you can always hire a taxi on the day. to take portable telly, games systems for the kid, computer!

girlnextdoor · 07/07/2008 12:57

well done!

can you draw the money out at the last minute when you move out? you aren't being materialistic- just looking after yourself and what's yours.

TheHedgeWitch · 07/07/2008 12:58

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Tortington · 07/07/2008 13:00

i can't see the bank allowing her access on a story that she tells as she walks in one day tbh.

TheHedgeWitch · 07/07/2008 13:06

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