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    • #43852
      Malachite
      Participant

      Hi everyone. I’m new here, but need to know if it’s really that bad or if I’m just being silly. If you need them… CW: possible sexual assault
      So I’ve been in a relationship for a long time and have a child. My partner is not physically violent and is not financially/emotionally abusive in an obvious way. We got together while we were quite young and I had some mental health problems. I wasn’t particularly attracted to him, but I felt like he was my best friend at the time and that if I didn’t give him a chance romantically/sexually then I might miss out on something good.
      Early on in the relationship, he had sex with me without really having my enthusiastic consent. Once when he knew I’d be uncomfortable doing so, and had only agreed to to avoid doing somethng else I’d feel uncomfortable doing. And another time when we’d just had an argument he pretended to be mute (ie. didn’t say a word), started to play fight with me, held me down and had sex with me, then afterwards joked “that was technically rape because you didn’t consent”.
      So I tried to break it off probably three times after that (in the space of a year), but it was so hard because he was so upset and he was practically my carer (I had mental health problems and probably would have dropped out of my studies without him, I didn’t really have any other friends at that point).
      We ended up living together and I could see no way out. He drank quite a bit and was angry a lot. Then I got pregnant, stupidly I thought I may as well have a child because I was probably going to be stuck with this guy forever.
      When the child was a baby he was quite critical of my choices, I had that “walking on eggshells” feeling. Actually managed to confront him about that after a year or so, and he toned it down.
      Other than that he guilt trips me into having sex with him and when I try to break up with him he says he wants full custody, that I should be the one to leave, and guilt trips me into staying (cries and says life won’t be worth living). He makes my skin crawl and knows I do not want to have sex with him (I say no several times every time he asks and only give in bc he won’t leave me alone), but tries to carry on like I haven’t tried to break up with him several times.
      I don’t know if this is abuse, but I feel trapped and I feel disgusting after sex with him (I basically get drunk, switch the lights off, and think about nicer things if I want to feel okay). I know I’m a coward, but I don’t want to leave my child with him when he’s crying and angry because I don’t want to scar her for life. Last time we broke up he told her “mummy’s going to live in a different house because she doesn’t love me anymore” – so basically making it sound like I’m doing a bad thing when actually we could make it work out if he’d make an effort.
      I feel like I have no one to talk to about this, I only have a few friends that aren’t mutual, everyone who knows us both thinks he’s great. I feel like I’ve got myself into this stupid situation and that there isn’t a way out. He’s also super nice after arguments, goes out and buys me stuff, I feel like it’s another way of guilt tripping me, but maybe I’m just paranoid.
      In addition to all this he probably phones me when I’m working at least once a day, not really to check up on me, but it makes working more difficult. He also talks badly about mutual friends that I get along better with quite a bit. He’s fussy about inviting people back to the house. He checks up on my bank balance online reguarly because he wants to make sure we’ve got enough money, but I always feel like he’s going to comment on my purchases.
      I’m sorry if this isn’t bad enough for this forum, I will leave if you think I should. I promise I’m not trying to waste your time.
      If you got this far, thanks for reading.

      PS. I guess that I should also note that he knows I’ve been in a previous more sexually abusive relationship and knew I had issues around sex early on in the relationship. He was mainly understanding about that I suppose, but a lot of the time we have together sexually feels v similar to when I was with the other guy, just instead of forcing me physically he makes me feel like I’m an awful person if I don’t “perform”.

    • #43858
      Relieved
      Participant

      Hi Malachite, you are definitely experiencing abuse. He sounds very controlling and you are clearly very unhappy. The walking on eggshells feeling is a classic sign of abuse. I had a non violent abuser. I have just put my story on the Are you new to the forum section. Please call the help line or look for a local domestic abuse service on this website. You will be taken seriously and you will get the help and support you so obviously need – he is not caring for you and he is using your child to make you stay. He is being very manipulative and emotionally abusive, the calling you at work, checking your bank account and guilt tripping you into having sex all abuse tactics. Being super nice and buying you treats is to make you stay too – we all look for that tiny c***k of kindness that makes us think he’s not all bad. Read up on trauma bonding or (detail removed by moderator) Also Google the freedom programme and the power and control wheel.

      Please keep posting, we will all support you on here x

    • #43865
      SunshineRainflower
      Participant

      Yes as Relieved has said above, it is an abusive relationship with the checking up on you at work, checking your bank account, guilt tripping you into sex whilst knowing you don’t want to, threatening suicide if you leave, threatening to kick you out and take your child away, creating distance between you and your friends thus isolating you. He’s also using your mental health as a way to keep power over you whilst masquerading as a ‘friend’ or ‘carer.’

      It sounds like you are understanably very unhappy and feel trapped by his threats. However, it is possible to escape with help and support and build a new and happy life with your child. Definitely ring the helpline and your local domestic abuse team for help and support. Abusers trick us into thinking it’s all our fault, once we start talking to people who understand we start to understand the tactics they use and we can regain our power. xx

    • #43867
      Malachite
      Participant

      Thank you for replying. My first thoughts are to defend him, despite disliking him.. isn’t that funny?
      You’ve validated my concerns though. So I feel much more ready to talk to someone. Thank you so much again.

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