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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

violently attacked by ds, 12 - call the police?

116 replies

enoughofit · 26/01/2019 11:11

Ds has been getting increasingly violent - he is already a couple of inches taller than me and a lot stronger/bigger (I am petite). He has just hit me repeatedly, hard, on the arm - I will almost certainly have visible bruises by tomorrow. It is not the first time he has attacked or tried to attack me or others. It is because I was trying to remove him from the computer which he was banned from today because of shouting and rudeness yesterday - he refused to get off the computer and was shouting at me aggressively and blocking the way physically. When I tried to move him so I could turn off the computer he hit me repeatedly whilst shouting in my face.

I've phoned my dh, his father, to come home (he was out for the morning) and sort it out as I can't deal with this any more. Dh is useless and I think a big part of why ds is like this, as dh gives in to him again and again and will tell me off in ds's hearing when I try to discipline him, so ds feels (rightly) there will be no comeback for his behaviour. Dh is not violent towards me but is physically aggressive - shouting and hitting things etc, so it is clear where ds gets the idea from (and our marriage is on its last legs).

Should I call the police? I need ds to realise how utterly wrong and unacceptable his behaviour is. I know he is only 12 and don't want to stereotype him as a 'bad kid' or give him that self-image but I can't live like this. And I dread to think what lessons he is learning for a future relationship.

Please help.

OP posts:
Starlight456 · 26/01/2019 11:16

I wouldn’t call the police but serious consequences would be put in at home.

Discuss it with dh and united front together

Berthatydfil · 26/01/2019 11:18

Ltb and call the police

jackstini · 26/01/2019 11:19

Definitely need serious talk with DH - what did he say about the hitting?

Re Police, how long until DH gets home and are you fearful DS will continue/worsen the violence?

Sorry this is happening to you Sad

LovingLola · 26/01/2019 11:19

Your son has learned his behaviour from his father. And you can be absolutely sure that when he is an adult he will be violent and abusive to whatever woman who is unfortunate enough to end up in a relationship with him.
By all means call the police. But what will your husband do?

HenweeArcher · 26/01/2019 11:23

DH sounds like the root of the problem here. He is abusive and DS is modelling his behaviour on this. Would you consider speaking to social services? Women’s Aid might be a good place to start too.

enoughofit · 26/01/2019 11:24

Just tried calling Women's Aid but can't get through. Can only leave a message.

OP posts:
TooTrueToBeGood · 26/01/2019 11:25

If you call the police, are you prepared to see it through and have your son charged, prosecuted and possibly convicted? If not, don't waste police time. They are not there to compensate for incompetent parenting. Your OH is the root of the problem here - his own propensity for aggression and failure to support you in properly parenting your child. You need a divorce lawyer, not the police.

SouthWestmom · 26/01/2019 11:26

The police came out to us for this. Really lovely and calmed things but the backdrop is severe mental health issues for my child.

I don't know as a sanction that I would do it.

Happygolucky009 · 26/01/2019 11:28

Please remove the pc now.... Behavior like this needs consequences and to be nipped in the bud. I wouldn't call the police at this stage but you do need support and perhaps speaking to the school nurse will help !

HenweeArcher · 26/01/2019 11:28

Do leave a message OP. Your local area will likely have a domestic abuse charity you could try calling.

noSh1tSherlock · 26/01/2019 11:38

As the violence is escalating it will only get worse and worse. What would your husband say if you called the police? Has ds calmed down? Do leave a message with womans aid.

TheProvincialLady · 26/01/2019 11:58

For a start I would take every single item of computer or gaming equipment to the tip and he wouldn’t be seeing anything of the like until his behaviour had completely transformed for a good six months.

However, nothing you do will make any difference until you leave your husband and get counselling for your son. He is just a child acting out what he has been exposed to.

enoughofit · 26/01/2019 12:30

Dh home now and bloody useless. Shouted at me so ds could hear complaining that I was shouting. Asked me what punishment I would like and I have no idea. Dh spoke to ds very gently saying his behaviour was wrong, ds said it wasn't and it was my fault. Ds then went to get all my devices so dh followed him and trod in his foot in the scramble )ds knocking stuff down and throwing things everywhere), ds then burst into brief angry tears claiming he was injured and the victim and retired to his room in high dudgeon. Dh gone off downstairs.

I'm on my own in my room. Ds has now gone downstairs and is shouting at dh again.

We have a dd, 16, who was the one who asked me to get ds off the computer in the first place as she had loads of A Level homework to do. I hate that she is growing up with this. She is less physically vulnerable than me as stronger and good at martial arts but she should not be having to potentially feel threatened by her younger brother. Obviously mentally this is shit for her.

And yes, dh is very abusive. Screamed in my face from a foot away in the car before Xmas that he hated me, in front of ds (because I had suggested to some friends they could come over before Xmas and he interpreted it as meaning he couldn't put up his decorations when he wanted and that this was therefore 'ruining his Xmas'. Hmm When my DF passed away just over a year ago, dh went pretty much AWOL, for the couple of months afterwards, he spoke to me for no more than 5 minutes a day and even when I pleaded and made it clear how important it was to talk about my DF, he would go out of his way to avoid me and avoid talking to me. Sad He regularly puts me down (loudly) in front of dcs, suggested recently in front of the dcs that I was making up the racism (I am ethnic minority) I and my family have personally experienced and demanded 'evidence' of it, as though I was in court - the opposite of sympathetic (and horrific as it is denying the racism his own dcs are also likely to suffer and have already suffered a little). He did this even though he knows I am only in the UK as my family fled here because of genocide in their country of origin due to their ethnicity.

He also controls the finances so I have to ask him for small amounts of money and take on debt to be able to get by (we have lots of debt, nearly all in my name, even though I was the one until recently with no regular income, only freelance work). I recently took on a full-time job but haven't been paid yet. I'd leave tonight but would be sleeping on a park bench as I have literally a tenner I can access.

There's more. Sad I should have left a long time ago but couldn't afford to. Is it too late to help ds too? I know that he is testing us, by being as much of an utter little shit as possible to see if we care or not. But I have to balance that with a right not to be assaulted in my own home and shouted at. Read something recently that made me realise that ds behaves like this because he can and because he gets lots of power out of it - he gets to use the computer when he shouldn't and throw his weight around. A couple of weeks ago, ds shouted at me while I was trying to work (working from home one day a week in a brand new job I'd only taken on in order to pay for stuff he wanted) until I cried. As soon as I burst into tears, he stopped shouting, said 'Good', with the utmost satisfaction and slammed the door shut. Sad He told me he only pretends to be nice to get what he wants. I don't know if that is true or not but hard to trust him.

Had enough. I've held fire on the police after reading the above but had told him I would call the police unless he makes amends so he will continue to think he can act with impunity. If I had any more money or anywhere I could go (can't tell family or friends), I'd leave tonight.

Should be paid in under 2 weeks. Will leave then. Can't do this any more. Don't know what to do about dd as she will want to stay here (nice house, I couldn't afford anything like this).

Ds kicking doors and shouting abuse currently. My heart is breaking.

OP posts:
MaryPoppinsPenguins · 26/01/2019 12:34

If you leave can you take your daughter?

CarolDanvers · 26/01/2019 12:35

That PC would have been chucked out the window by now. I'm not joking or at the least removed entirely from the home. He has to see a serious consequence for that. My12 year old tried something similar once, however he is autistic and had lost the plot completely. I restrained him and he was manhandled down to his room and all electronic devices removed indefinitely. He's not done it again and he's almost 16 now and mortified if it's ever mentioned.

CarolDanvers · 26/01/2019 12:39

I'm sorry. Cross post.

My ex husband was horribly abusive too. I contained it and covered it as long as I could until it all just became too big to manage. It sounds like that's what's happening here, it's now escalating and your child is acting out what he's seen. You're not going to be able to keep a lid on this. You really have to get yourself and your children away.

DitzyPrints · 26/01/2019 12:39

So sorry op it sound like you are being abuse by your dh and basically ds sees this is an acceptable way to treat you.
I’d leave with the kids or kick Dh out.

wigglypiggly · 26/01/2019 12:41

You and your dd need to move from this abuse, do you have friends or family you can stay with.

Newname12 · 26/01/2019 12:46

Don’t call the police unless you are at immediate risk of harm.

Social services would be a better pathway if you can wait til monday. Ss should be able to put you in touch with support agencies- all the police can do is turn up, check you’re ok and refer to ss.

Do bear in mind once police are involves to will show up on dbs checks and the like, although it would only be passed on if deemed relevant.

minkies11 · 26/01/2019 12:52

Such a toxic situation and you must feel trapped and hopeless. Tbh I would leave. Try and save from your job and get a cushion of money however you can and leave. You are not safe there. Hang on to your job no matter what. Keep your plans to yourself and get the Hell out. Then start divorce proceedings. You need to look after yourself and violence and mental cruelty from your family will only break you down. Really hope things get better for you but think it will only come from you and not OH.

MissSusanScreams · 26/01/2019 12:55

You need to leave and your DS needs anger management help. Otherwise he will repeat this pattern in his own relationships.

I would tell school. They can start the ball tolling for counselling. It might mean you have some social services involvement in the short term. But it will help him in the long term.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/01/2019 12:58

I’m so sorry OP. You are being abused by your husband and he is teaching your DS how to do it too. He is coaching your DS to be his sidekick. You really need to get your DH out of your home. Otherwise this will continue and get worse.

mikado1 · 26/01/2019 13:01

Your ds is so so angry. Yes he needs anger management but he also needs help with the cause of the anger and I'd be getting an adolescent therapist/help of some kind. I could not leave him. I would certainly leave your dh, whose behaviour has been modelled long-term to your DS. It's terribly difficult and I can understand you wanting them both to go away.

Nellabella · 26/01/2019 13:04

I think you need to focus on getting rid of your DH, he should be the one to leave the home, not you. Then get your son the help he needs and lock the computer in your bedroom. If you and your DD leave then your son will definitely become a mini DH and he will be lost to you.

Unfortunately that all falls on your back as your DH doesn't sound like he will ever discipline your son and all the time he puts you down in front of him he is teaching him to treat you like dirt.

Good luck

Cauliflowersqueeze · 26/01/2019 13:07

Your problem is your DH. The consequence is your DS. I’d get out with the daughter and leave your DH to manage your son.

Nobody should put up with being screamed at by their husband and publicly and repeatedly undermined and belittled.

Can you make plans to leave because this is really horrific.