Divorced from (2010) and remarried to (2014) XBH
1 1/2-year-old daughter and another baby girl on the way
" I will not define myself by what went wrong yesterday when I can draw upon Life and Love right now." R.R
At least some researchers also call it a form of domestic violence.
From http://www.network54.com/Realm/HealingHeart/batinfid.html
research found that common characteristics of abuse and infidelity include: - The Recurring Cycle. As with domestic violence, infidelity can become an ongoing feature of some relationships. - Similar Phases. Ongoing infidelity sometimes follows a path similar to the well-documented domestic abuse cycle. A typical cycle might include a tension build-up phase, the infliction of pain, a brief period of remorse and guilt and then the reconciliation phase, followed by a return to tension build-up. - Apparent Indifference of the Betraying Partner. Apart from brief periods of guilt and remorse after critical incidents of abuse or infidelity, the betrayers/abusers tend to be insensitive to the pain and distress they inflict on their partners. They often continue their infidelity or abuse without accepting responsibility for the anguish they cause. - Similarity of the Responses of the Injured Parties. Those who stay for significant periods of time with partners who are unfaithful, often display the same psychological and social symptoms exhibited by victims of systematic abuse. Some of these symptoms include: - deep personal suffering - low self-esteem and a sense of worthlessness - a sense of helplessness and a lack of control over their lives - a dependency on the betraying partner and a need for their approval and - a distorted sense of reality in which they can begin to believe that their partner's infidelity is their own fault. In the case of Joanne, for example, over time she began to question what she had done to make her husband want another woman. She concluded she was worthless and unattractive. She blamed herself for being jealous and possessive. She tortured herself to the point where, she said, she thought she would go mad. She had lost sight of the simple reality that George's infidelity was both his choice and a breach of their mutual commitment. - Breaking the Cycle. Behaviour patterns established by partners in abuse and infidelity situations can be difficult to change. Like domestic violence, unfaithful behaviour does not often cease of its own accord, but calls for definitive action on the part of either the perpetrator, the affected party or both.
- The Recurring Cycle. As with domestic violence, infidelity can become an ongoing feature of some relationships.
- Similar Phases. Ongoing infidelity sometimes follows a path similar to the well-documented domestic abuse cycle. A typical cycle might include a tension build-up phase, the infliction of pain, a brief period of remorse and guilt and then the reconciliation phase, followed by a return to tension build-up.
- Apparent Indifference of the Betraying Partner. Apart from brief periods of guilt and remorse after critical incidents of abuse or infidelity, the betrayers/abusers tend to be insensitive to the pain and distress they inflict on their partners. They often continue their infidelity or abuse without accepting responsibility for the anguish they cause.
- Similarity of the Responses of the Injured Parties. Those who stay for significant periods of time with partners who are unfaithful, often display the same psychological and social symptoms exhibited by victims of systematic abuse. Some of these symptoms include:
- deep personal suffering - low self-esteem and a sense of worthlessness - a sense of helplessness and a lack of control over their lives - a dependency on the betraying partner and a need for their approval and - a distorted sense of reality in which they can begin to believe that their partner's infidelity is their own fault.
In the case of Joanne, for example, over time she began to question what she had done to make her husband want another woman. She concluded she was worthless and unattractive. She blamed herself for being jealous and possessive. She tortured herself to the point where, she said, she thought she would go mad. She had lost sight of the simple reality that George's infidelity was both his choice and a breach of their mutual commitment.
- Breaking the Cycle. Behaviour patterns established by partners in abuse and infidelity situations can be difficult to change. Like domestic violence, unfaithful behaviour does not often cease of its own accord, but calls for definitive action on the part of either the perpetrator, the affected party or both.
No one else has mentioned physical abuse. you dont have to be hit to be physically abused. WH had unprotected sex with a stranger, then had unprotected sex with me the very next day. I would not have given him my body had I known he was endangering my health..my life. What he did could have resulted in an STD that could have killed me. It was a very known, very high risk. And he took it.
..that feeling you get in your stomach, when you heart's broken. It's like all the butterflies just died.
In one of our early discussions, I told my FWH that it would have been less painful (and perhaps even more honest) if he had just beaten me black and blue, given the emotional pain that resulted from the A.
D-Day: August 14, 2012 9 year LTA with former co-worker and family "friend"/7 years EA+PA, 2 more years EA
This would have deterred my fWH if it were considered a domestic abuse crime. This would help people realize how serious and dangerous adultery really is. I also believe that this would help minimize violence related to jealous wife or husband rage because they would have a way to get justice and restitution. Currently the adulterer gets to destroy the lives of their spouses or family without any true consequences. We are being socially conditioned to minimize the fallout which does and will continue to have dire consequences for our society.
[This message edited by whattheh at 10:06 AM, May 26th (Monday)]
