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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

Please can anyone offer me some support. Abusive ex. Can't think straight. (Sorry its long).

15 replies

sparklefrog · 09/05/2009 22:47

I'll try to keep this as brief and to the point as possible.
I was with my ex for 5 years. Before that, I was a single mum.
In the first 3 and half years, I put up with so much crap from him. He left me without so much as a note 5 times for his x g/f, who wrote me nasty emails and laughed down the phone at me, wishing my DS dead or brain damaged.
I don't know why I took him back so many times, I guess i loved him, and believed him when he said he really really wanted to make things work with me.
He stole money from my bank using my card at an ATM on one of the occasions that he left me, then I had his x g/f ringing me to tell me he had bought her a new mobile with the money. (It was my rent money!)
He either wouldn't or couldn't hold down a job for long. I think 6 weeks was his usual, but it could be as little as a day. I struggled to provide everything for us all. He also liked to gamble abit.
He moved into my house quite quickly, and I fed him, put a roof over his head, let him use my car to get where he needed to go, paid most of the bills, and gave him all of my DS cast off clothes. I bought him work boots, cigarettes, most everything he needed to make a life for himself. He had virtually nothing but the clothes on his back when he first came to me.
He flitted between his x g/f and mine until 18 months ago. Every time he came back, she would email me to tell me that he was a thief and a liar, had stolen jewellery from her and her children and slagged me off, even intimately personal things. She always vowed never to have him back, but lo and behold, he would worm his way back in.
With both of us.

Although he hardly ever had any money, he would cook, clean, and was a whizz with the housework, but I didnt want a househusband, I wanted a man to help support the household and pay his way.

We got engaged a yr into our relationship. Since then he has pawned my engagement ring 5 times. (It's sitting in a pawnbrokers as I type.) I paid to get it back 3 times.

Loads of other stuff that I cant remember at mo.
I got so far in debt trying to support him that I couldn't get out of it on my own, he chopped and changed his jobs so often. (He has had approx 48 jobs in 5 yrs, but blames me for losing most of his jobs, and if its not me, its his employer.)
So when he told me that he was finally going to change, I prayed he would, so I could begin to dig myself out of the debt I was in. (99% in my name)

In 2007, I got pg, and had my gorgeous baby in 2008. During my pg, he became so controlling, he wanted to know where I was, who i was seeing and what we were talking about. After we had baby, he got worse, although he was holding down a 3 day a week job by now, he wanted to know everything that I did, every day. When I didnt tell him, he called the police and reported me as missing with mental health issues. I couldn't kick him out, police wouldn't support me, and he physically refused to leave, as well as threatening suicide.
He also punched me while I was pg, and his mother was convinced I had PND. I went to dr with ex who told ex that I was angry and frustrated, not depressed at all. He still called police after that saying I had mental issues.
He has no friends. I almost lost my home for not paying the rent because I couldn't afford it, and when he said he paid the rent, he hadn't. I issued him with an ultimatum, show me the receipt or leave, he went back to same x g/f, telling me he went to a friends.

He eventually left after an argument in which the police were called, and took our baby with him.

I went to court, for an ex parte order for him to return her. He told me on phone he would return her, but only if he came back too. I wasn't willing to accept that.
Judge wouldn't issue ex parte order, and he was given a penal notice to attend court. I got baby back a week after he left with her.

Since then, he has rented himself a room not far from me (which he says housing benefit are stalling on paying for) He has been seeing baby lots.
Lately, it has gone awry again. He accuses me of cheating on him all the time, quizzes me about where i have been, who i have seen etc, and rifles through my letters and papers to dig holes in my life and my parenting, but says he wants us to be together and insinuating he will kill hisself if he cant be with me. I gave him £300 to buy the things he needed for his new place, only to find 4 days later, he stole another £100 from me. He denied it at first but it could only have been him. Then he admitted it.
I now have residency of baby. SS were involved because the night he went, I was violent to him but SS were satisfied that I was a good mother.
He has broken promises, humiliated me infront of friends by telling them things I have told him in confidence, flirted with them in front of me, met other women online. It's been a nightmare 5 yrs. I have done everything to make it work with him, but I cant.

There is more but I dont wanna bore you all. lol.
I think he has gone back to same x g/f.
I am left up to my eyes in debt, living on benefit, no car and no decent chance of getting out of this hole for many yrs, while he has just moved on.
The last couple of times he came to see baby, we have ended up arguing which has upset baby. He seems to do it deliberately to wind me up, going through my letters and phone, then quizzing me about what he finds. He has contributed very little since he has gone (prob £40 worth in 3 months, although he's had meals at mine, and at least £400 cash from me)

I am so angry at how far back I find myself. I wasted 5 years. My baby will grow up not having a good relationship with dad, and I will struggle for yrs. I have some good friends but I dont want to burden them with this all the time.

Why do I feel he has got away scotfree while I am left with all the responsibility??

Maybe I just needed a rant, I dont know, but x now tells me I wont be seeing him again ever, and i wont hear from him again. I think he is just saying this to manipulate me because i told him we are over.
Why do i feel i have been left stuck in the crap while he is off living a better life??

Grrrr!!!

His family dont bother with seeing baby now, and I am left further back than when i met him. I am so angry at what he has done to me.

I find myself hoping he has gone back to his x g/f so he can be her problem now.
Everytime i did manage to get him out of house, he would wait outside to get back in, or sit round my friends houses crying.
Since I last saw him, he has just disappeared off radar though, although I haven't tried contacting him. I am too angry. One of the last things he said to me was to tell me to sort my life out. That led to me shouting at him alot and baby was upset by it all.

Why couldn't he be bloody normal and sort his head out. Why did he have to be so controlling and manipulative? Why is he so bloody awful??

I am sitting here on my own, in the dark, wondering what do i do now, day in, day out, how do i begin to pick the pieces up again when i just dont have the motivation.

OP posts:
ninah · 09/05/2009 22:52

sparkle you have to let go of him.
He's taken up enough of your time. Now, your future is going to be so much better without all this. You've been through everything with this man, try another approach - try going cold turkey and just getting on with you, and your life and enjoy your baby.
Who knows? years down the line my ex is in contact with my dc, and we are polite and amicable. We have a horrible history and I was destroyed by the breakup. But it gets better, and you will be OK - more than OK actually. Happy.

poshsinglemum · 09/05/2009 22:53

Please do not let this man back into your life. You know he's trouble. You and his other gf are both in danger imo.
You should definately go to women's aid as he has been violent. People often find it very difficult to leave abusive relationships- trust me because I have been there. You will need support.
He probably gets off on playing you an dhis other gf off against each other and loves women arguing over him as it fuels his pathetic ego. Don't fall for it. hugs.
He may be the father of your baby but he dosn't have to be a main part of your life.

idontlikethisperson · 09/05/2009 22:55

I'm so sorry for you I don't really know what to say but.....GET AWAY FROM THIS IDIOT. You have seen enough and suffered enough from him and you don't deserve it.

Do not let this man anywhere near you anymore - take the control back.

I am so sorry he has left you in this completely utterly crap situation. What a horrible piece of work.

First things first, do you have friends you can rely on and talk to, and perhaps help out with your kids?

Can you arrange for someone to be there when he comes to see DD and not let him into the house?

Im thinking of you. Slowly but surely it will get better, I promise you.

xxxx

poshsinglemum · 09/05/2009 22:55

agree with ninah. I was destroyed when ex buggered off but I'm so happy now you wouldn't believe. It gets better. You deserve better.

wonderif · 09/05/2009 22:56

sparkle, i feel for you

i think what you need to do is make things more formal with regards to him seeing the ba.

and if i was you i would take a break from men for a while get your head straight try and get a few girly nights out.

hope you can get through this but please dont take him back

move on get some confidence and try and meet new people.
xx

solidgoldSneezeLikeApig · 09/05/2009 22:59

Oh shit I prescribe a MASSIVE dose of feminism. This man is a worthless horrible tosser and you are a much better, nicer, smarter, lovable person than he is - or than he says you are.
First, go and treat yourself to something nice that's just for you - even if it's only a bag of Haribo: do something to demonstrate to yourself that you are worthwile and deserve treats. Then contact Women's Aid and/or the local police domestic violence unit and ask about help for recovering from domestic violence, and also, more importantly about getting some legal stuff in place to make sure that this man is only allowed supervised contact with your child.
Do not give him any money under any circumstanes, do not let him into your home. He has no right to be there, and no right to money from you. He is a bad person. While your children are entitled to some contact with their father it needs to be managed in a way that puts their needs first and protects them from him.
There are lots of resources for people in your position, abusers have far fewer rights and entitlements than they say.
Wishing you strength.

RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 09/05/2009 23:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sparklefrog · 09/05/2009 23:07

Thank you so much for all replies so far. Making me feel so much better reading them.

SW recommended that xp had his contact with baby in my home so as not to disrupt baby anymore than necessary, but SW did say he was worried about the possibility of my xp and myself reconciling.

Why do I feel like his x g/f will get the best out of him and be happy whereas I've sacrificed 5 yrs for nothing, because i just didnt know how to 'handle' him? Probably stupid I know to think like that, but just being honest (something xp doesn't know how to be)
I think he only vame to me for money, food, cigarettes etc, and if i didnt give them to him, he made me feel so bad and guilty, or he would just steal them anyways.

OP posts:
RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 09/05/2009 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ninah · 09/05/2009 23:11

you said it yourself. Sacrificed. You sacrificed 5 years don't make it 10 girl!
and don't compare with anyone else's life. It's yours. I do know how difficult this is. If anyone had told me when I left ex I'd be the way I am today I wouldn't have been able to listen.
Stop thinking about him. Her. All the crap. Think about you.

solidgoldSneezeLikeApig · 09/05/2009 23:12

Oh FFS his xgf is welcome to him, only I wouldn't wish him on her either, poor cow.

Jux · 09/05/2009 23:16

She won't get any more out of him than you did. He's pissed her about as well as you, and even if he's moved on to a different woman he will piss her around as well.

He was using you and abusing your trust (or hope or whatever it was) and he will always do that to whoever he can find.

You have lost money and 5 years. However, you have gained a child. You can use this awful experience to make your life better.

You can pick yourself up again, really you can. You can sort everything out, given time - which you have.

Do not lend him any more money or do anything for him above and beyond what the law says you mush vis a vis your child.

I would ensure that if he comes to see your baby you get someone else to do the handover, and it should not be in your home. He should not set foot over your threshold again.

So sorry you went through this, but it is over now and you can make life better for yourself. Trust yourself.

sparklefrog · 09/05/2009 23:32

Thanks so much for all your replies. I have some good friends who are really helping me through this. I wont be giving him another penny. My help obviously hasn't helped him or he wouldn't still be stony broke after 5 yrs.
I am so angry at what I let him do, how long I put up with it for, but at least he is out now, and he is going to stay out.
He will try to make me feel guilty, but he will survive.
I could never work out how none of his family could see what a twunt he is, and my poor baby will never know the love of his family because they have sent me to coventry, but the future beckons.

OP posts:
pingviner · 10/05/2009 01:01

Sparkle, please dont ever think of taking him back. He is an emotionally and physically abusive user from your posts. Whenever you waver or even think about it read that opening post you made - he has hit you, stolen from you, kidnapped your baby, run you into debt, cheated, lied, manipulated and hurt you in every way possible. You owe it to yourself and son to stay away from this situation.

Some good advice on this thread - phone WA, get help with debts and keep in touch with social services, for their help and knowledge of your case might be useful if he does try more manipulation. Get a solicitor and make sure any contact is supervised. Do not lend him money, dont let him in the house, dont listen to his sob stories, dont think about him and his on/off other woman, dont engage with him at all.

You sound very unselfish in trying to promote his contact with his son, it may be hard but its the right thing to do - just make sure you protect and insulate yourself from him as you do so.

His family - if they were the sort of people you want around your baby they would have made contact and be making an effort. As he grows up your baby will know your love and good example, (and that of your freinds and family) and he'll learn some day how you protected him.

And remember - he didnt get off scot free: no matter what debts and bad circumstances your life can only improve, and you have a lovely son.

He will always be stuck being an twunting abusive cocklodger

pingviner · 10/05/2009 01:03

oh flip, now noticed your baby is a girl, and you already have a DS. Still all stands though, except you have two lovely children to protect, and enjoy when you are away from this prat.

damned insomnia

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