I'm 33, marrying my fiancée, age 29, in one year, we have a big wedding planned, BUT the other day, he'd left his computer on by accident, and what I saw horrified me. I saw download after download of teen pornography. Perhaps conventional porn I wouldn't have been such an issue for me, since I do have brothers and was exposed to this kind of juvenile fascination growing up. But these were all clearly targeted at teens.
I haven't confronted him, I'm not sure if it even warrants a confrontation, but I am disturbed. Our age difference was an issue for me, and this almost confirms my worst fear. Do I have the right to be fuming mad or is this an insecurity issue on my end? PS: His girlfriend before me, two years ago, was only 19.
- Disturbed
What are you waiting for? Confront, question, demand logical explanations, and demand an end to his watching what is illegal in North America; pornography containing participants under age 18.
He should know his behaviour disturbs you, and could become a deal-breaker. I get far too much mail from unhappy women who find their partners' porn-watching interferes with intimacy, and time together. Also, this interest can become an obsession. And this appears even more likely with someone whose preferences are so specific.
Your brothers' showed you that young guys sometimes go through a phase of
porn-fascination, partly just because it's available. But when a grown man who is planning marriage is still secretly getting his kicks this way, experience tells me there's trouble ahead. Focus on this issue before going ahead with more wedding plans.
I'm a mother of three whose husband has just moved out with a much younger woman. I feel betrayed, and I'm devastated without him. I know I should forget about him and move on but my whole body is weak from this. My baby daughter is only 14 months old.
What should I do? I know I should take good care of my children but I'm so depressed now.
- Lost
Draw on any and all resources immediately: See your doctor about treating your depression, ask close family members for some babysitting help so you can get out with friends, and for company when you're too low to be alone. This is the time for counselling help to come to terms with your life in its new state.
You also need legal help to protect yourself and your children in negotiating a separation from your husband. Despite missing him, you must take these practical steps for the kids' sake, and because, once healed, you'll be thankful you looked after yourself.
Ask your family doctor for a referral to a therapist, or seek pastoral counselling through your faith.
After one year of a great marriage I started to feel some symptoms and confided to my husband that I feared I might've gotten pregnant accidentally even though I was on birth control.
His first response was, "Were you with some other man?" which horrified me. I have no male friends, I never go out without him, I never speak to anyone on the phone, I come straight home from work and stay home all evening. He has the passwords on all of my online accounts so he can follow all my conversations with anyone. He's not sterile.
He couldn't explain his comment about the pregnancy, but it really hurt my feelings. Is this something random that might pop out of a man's mouth due to surprise and stress, or is it a sign of something wrong, deeper in the trust department? He says I'm putting meaning where there isn't any.
- Stunned
Check out the sterility factor, for certain. There IS the possibility your husband knows something about himself that you do not, since you're still newlyweds. Once that's out of the way, you can dismiss the comment from mind, IF his behaviour with you is neither unduly possessive nor jealous.
However, your list of reasons for no other male contacts, even friends, sounds an alarm. I doubt that all this isolation from others, and checking of your conversations, is by your own choice. Ask yourself some questions: Why have you accepted this? What happens when you do get pregnant: more isolation?
You and hubby need to resolve more than his one statement, accidental or otherwise.
Tip of the day:
When a partner's porn-watching is disturbing to you, it's no longer a private matter.