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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

sleeping with the enemy

124 replies

sadposter · 05/04/2010 18:54

I really need help. My H was kind and loving. He had a lot of anger issues from his childhood and he went to counselling to try and sort this. His behaviour at times could be very erratic and he was diagnosed with a mood disorder/depression. I knew life would never be easy with him but I did love him and he was very loving to me most of the time. At times he could be very abusive but I learned to not react and when they passed he would be very apologetic.

Before the recession we lived a fairly affluent lifestyle. I mention this because it's relevant I think. I began to suspect he may be messing around with other women. Anytime I confronted him he swore on dc's lives that he wasn't and that he adored me. Over time with a lot of detective work I discovered a whole other world of foreign prostitutes. Worse he set up a lot of these women in brothels and was making money from them.

I confronted him and told him to get out of the house or I'd expose him to everyone. He told me I was sick to think him capable of that. He denied everything and said he'd been set up. When I insisted he left he became very violent and in the end the police had to drag him from the house. He's never forgiven me for calling the police and insists that none of the above is true.

I began to question my sanity and thought I'd made him violent by my accusations. The police confirmed that it was true and I also had it confirmed from other sources. Still I could question it and wonder were they all wrong and was it possible he was innocent.

Since I exposed all of this the only way I can describe his behaviour is evil. He has tried to destroy me in so many ways.

I feel so broken that I had children with this man and that my marriage was a lie. I have no family support and have lost most of my support network as he has told they all lies about me. That I was only with him for money type thing and that I threw him out for no reason. I have told no one the truth because I want to protect the children.

He takes the children when it suits him and spoils them rotton. They get everything you could imagine which is the opposite to how I wanted them raised. I am struggling to make ends meet. He won't have them overnight or help in any practical way. He will only take them for a few hours to do fun stuff. The children think he's great.

I feel I am getting worse and worse. I do not want my children in his world but what can I do. I feel huge grief about everything. I don't want revenge but lately I really want to expose him. He now wants to take the children on holiday with his sister and I am really tempted to tell her everything. I hate leaving them go but is it right to punish them or him for his lifestyle?

I am sorry this is so long. I don't know how I'm ever going to recover from this. How will I ever get over the sadness and betrayal. I am constantly physically sick over all this. He is still involved in prostitution. Help

OP posts:
RealityIsWalking100K · 05/04/2010 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sadposter · 05/04/2010 22:11

It's under investigation but I'm not sure he'll ever be prosecuted. It's massage type places and I think there could be a grey area.

OP posts:
Fruitysunshine · 05/04/2010 22:11

Sadposter - I am so sorry to hear of your situation. I don't doubt that something as fantastic as this could happen to somebody based on some of the things I have experience in life!

Has he been arrested? Is he on bail? I assume he has not been prosecuted through a lack of evidence at this stage?

If you want to reduce/deny access you need to take what evidence you have to your solicitor and made an application to the court for supervised access only at a contact centre as a maximum due to the concerns you have with his involvement with the police and current investigations into potential criminal activity.

Keep posting, posting, posting. Many posters in this forum are full of meaningful advice and give the most fabulous support - especially AnyFucker who is just straight talking with no malice.

mrsboogie · 05/04/2010 22:15

I remember you posting about this before OP. I am sorry that things have taken a tun for the worse.

I'm not sure of exposing him is the right thing to do - he might be dangerous. In your shoes I would be more inclined to take my divorce settlement and disappear with the children.

SugarMousePink · 05/04/2010 22:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SolidGoldBrass · 05/04/2010 22:23

I would have thought that the fact he is under investigation for serious crimes would be seen as a good enough reason to restrict him to supervised contact only.
Are you in touch with WOmen's Aid at all? If you are not already talking to them, they are a good place to get help and RL advice which will be confidential.

sadposter · 05/04/2010 22:47

Thanks fruity, the only thing he was arrested for was the violence. My solicitor has all the details about the prostitution but can't use it unless he's prosecuted. He is currently under investigation only but the police have confirmed off the record that the facts I said were true.

Thanks mrsboogie, I didn't post about his before but I did post when I suspected him of being unfaithful. He is very dangerous. Since I exposed him he has put me through hell and back. There is only so much the police have been able to protect me against.

Sugar, I have said over and over that this is not my choice. Legally my solicitor has said unless I could prove he was a paedophile he has full parental rights.

Solid, I cannot say anything about the investigation in case I tip him off but at the same time nothing may come of this. Women's aid were only able to help in so far as prosecuting him for the violence. They told me to get a solicitor. I have one of the top solicitors but legally this is a nightmare.

OP posts:
mrsboogie · 05/04/2010 22:50

gosh someone posted before about their ex running brothels and no -one in the family knowing - sounded very similar to your story.

sadposter · 05/04/2010 22:51

Solid, you may know more than me about this but I think the police may allow/turn a blind eye to some of these establishments now as at least it is taking prostitution off the streets. I'm not sure but I'm not holding out much hope that he will ever be prosecuted at this stage.

OP posts:
DuelingFanjo · 05/04/2010 22:55

"The police confirmed that it was true and I also had it confirmed from other sources"

but if they confirmed it as true, why has he not been prosecuted?

sadposter · 05/04/2010 22:55

Thanks mrsboogie, it wasn't me. It's taken a lot for me to post this time. I'm terrified of being exposed and drawing him on top of me. Being told I'm insane and taking his good name. I'm going to do a search of brothels on here and see if I can pull up the other post it might have some good advice for me.

OP posts:
sadposter · 05/04/2010 22:56

It was confirmed off the record, investigation ongoing.

OP posts:
IfYoureHappyAndYouKnowIt · 05/04/2010 23:07

Sorry, I'm finding it hard to come up with ideas but would like to try and help even if I get it wrong.

So could you take the kids to a Women's refuge? Would you consider removing the kids and yourself totally from the situation by doing that?

sadposter · 05/04/2010 23:13

I'm not in any physical danger from him so a refuge wouldn't really help. Even if I did it wouldn't resolve the problem of him having access to the children.

OP posts:
prettywhiteguitar · 05/04/2010 23:46

I have been told before by my solicitor that even if my ex was a druggie useless piece of crap that he still had access rights...it seems that access is seen as a right and not something that is earned by being a decent person

if he is just having them for a few hours then you can stipulate where he takes them, ie not to his own property if you believe that it may be detrimental....

it maybe that he will protect them from it you know, it must be terrible I really feel for you

SolidGoldBrass · 05/04/2010 23:47

I think you may not be getting the right legal advice because it would seem to me that a combination of his previous violent behaviour and the fact that he is being investigated on serious criminal charges and you have been told by both the police and a solicitor that he is dangerous, would be enough to restrict him to supervised contact only. Insisting on supervised contact is not the same as refusing contact.

Alarm bells for me are ringing when you say your solicitor claims that only pedophilia is seen as grounds for stopping unsupervised contact: violence and threats of violence are a justification for restricting contact, men who are percieved as an abduction risk (may take the DC and flee the country) or men who have made threats to kill the DC/the XW or who have a proven record of violence have all been refused unsupervised contact. Your H has been arrested for violence towards you, so it is a matter of public record that he is capable of violence.

prettywhiteguitar · 05/04/2010 23:48

at least hes only having them for a few hours

no help to you but over time you may feel better for this once you get used to coping on your own

a break up is so hard, its hurtful but in time it does get better and you will feel strong

NEmummy · 05/04/2010 23:54

Gosh. I have no advise but I hope that you and your family can get through this. I hope that you get the strength from somewhere to carry on and I do agree with you trying to shield the children from some of your pain. If you do crack in front of them then explain the tears away by saying that you are sad that your marriage has broken up. At least then the children won't be worrying if your mood goes unexplained. Sending you my best wishes sadposter I really do hope your days get better. xxx

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:01

Thanks pretty. What you've said is so true. I am not concerned that he would expose them directly to this as I know he wouldn't but I just don't think it's morally right.

Thanks again solid. He doesn't know he's being investigated. He is a very powerful successful business man with a lot of connections. The only conviction he has ever had is the incident of violence. You are of course right in the types of men who will be refused access. My solicitor was only pointing out that it was going to be impossible to block access. The violence was towards me and he had already been charged for that so the judge did not feel the children were at risk. If he looks for overnight access or to take children on holiday he will be given it. My solicitor did mention the prostitution to his solicitor to test the waters. He went mental and said he would bring in a host of people to testify it wasn't true. He said it was defamation of character and that I was bitter and deluded.

OP posts:
cedricdoris1 · 06/04/2010 00:07

blimey and i thought my ex and my situation was terrifying deepest empathy to you trying to protect your children whilst having your hands tied by the law i am registered with my local council's Early Intervention Project for Domestic Abuse and Violence and my only suggestion for support and help would be to find out if your local council has something similar they know the law with regard to access to children and would be a constant support day, night or weekend which is what sounds like you need so badly is your counsellor any help to you really i too am seeing a counsellor and i get real support from her i totally feel for you you feel trapped in a situation over which you have no control, you can't even sell the house in the current climate i would urge you establishing if there's an EIP in your area based on your referring to his abuse whilst you were together

dizietsma · 06/04/2010 00:08

SGB is right, either this is a wind up or OP has the worst legal advice ever.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming the latter, I urge you to consult a couple of other lawyers and see if they can help you better. I can't imagine that you will have any problem preventing or severely restricting access (supervised access at a contact centre or somesuch) to the kids on the basis of his violent behaviour and threats. Not if you have halfway decent representation.

Morally, you cannot allow a violent criminal continued access to your kids. If your lawyer isn't doing their job, fire them and get someone better. Just because they are top tier lawyers does not mean they will necessarily be good at fighting your case. If you are not getting the help you need drop them and find someone else.

sadposter · 06/04/2010 00:10

Thanks NEmummy. For some reason your post has just sent me into floods of tears. I suppose posting this thread has exposed me in a way. I was a good wife and I am a good person. My life has turned into hell. I did not deserve this and neither do my children.

OP posts:
fuzzywuzzy · 06/04/2010 00:11

Is CAFCASS not involved with the contact issue, I would demand he see the children only on a supervised basis, and as he has been charged with domestic violence towards you (has he received a conviction for it? is it on record?), I'd dig my heels in and ask for a risk assessment before the children are allowed to be with him unsupervised.

I know how contact issues go in court, the solicitors all go on about his rights blah de blah, you have to totally dig your heels in and tell them everytihng and make thme listen to you if you really do believe your children are at risk.

For what its worth, if your soon to be ex, was a druggie, he'd be awarded supervised contact pending three clear drug tests, or something along those lines. Your childrens safety and wellbeing comes before anyones rights.

dizietsma · 06/04/2010 00:12

"the violence was towards me and he had already been charged for that so the judge did not feel the children were at risk."

Sorry, this makes no sense.

Violence towards a mother whilst the kids are around/in the house is emotional abuse of the children. Judges know this, and therefore would not think the children were at "no risk".

NEmummy · 06/04/2010 00:14

Well, as in most situations I always think 'There but for the grace of God (sorry athiest) go I'. Putting myself in your shoes I think I'd be a blithering mess. I really feel for you. Have a really good cry in private then a massive big bit of cake or chocolate. Big Hug me dear. xxx