'My Abusive Girlfriend Made My Life A Living Hell' | This Morning

[@Em45567]

Domestic violence has no gender. Both women AND men can be abused. Respect to him for bravely telling his story ❤️

[@Gem_ini]

99% of cases are men doing the abusing though, let’s be real here.

[@Maz-zb9uf]

No true everyone turn a blind eye when women experience this but now it's been take serious now the roles are reserved its now been taken more seriously

[@Em45567]

@@Gem_ini no actually it’s not, there is actually men out there suffering in silence, because of the stigma. Yes more females get abused and it’s shown in the media a lot more, but there is also a lot of men who are in that position but are afraid to speak up

[@lizzylivin27]

@@Gem_ini Exactly he's story is very sad and vile and not as common those are the facts women and men aren't the same.

[@thecatlady-n3n]

Sadly I don't think male abuse is still recognised yet. Let's hope this changes.

[@darrenyoung3102]

Good on you fella for finally freeing yourself from that abusive woman. It takes real courage as a man to go on national television and speak up, I admire you for that. Wish you all the best for your future.

[@marylynch951]

Absolutely utmost respect to him

[@jackieharris4681]

So glad they showed a photo of her so everyone can see who she is !!!

[@John-k5y3i]

Very pretty

[@Healingpoppy]

I hope this man finds someone as lovely as he is.

[@Gera1713]

or no one. Too much pressure to be in a relationship or move in with someone. Stay alone for a while.. ..get good platonic friends and then decide what you want.

[@melaniabladeofmiquella]

Abuse is universal and universally unacceptable

[@RHathemoment]

Absolutely.

[@RHathemoment]

Absolutely. 💔

[@marylynch951]

Yes agree but sadly men are not recognised

[@Maz-zb9uf]

.no not really men had no issue with men behaving this towards women so why should be feel sorry for men

[@astorrian6247]

Men have suffered physical verbal and emotional abuse gor years but would never dare doeak up for fear of being ridiculed or not believed. So happy that this gentleman has decided to tell his story which will give the right message to others who have suffered in silence. Abuse comes in many forms, irrespective of gender.

[@smallperson7522]

He’s very brave to talk about this. Please beware of online dating sites, these are hunting grounds for narcissists. The woman he dealt with was undoubtedly a narcissist, they often use dating sites to catch their prey. Please be careful out there🙏🏼

[@YaBasicMillenial]

And a sociopath too

[@ritageorge2348]

You can meet the wrong people anywhere, at a dance, in a club, even the supermarket. That’s a very narrow view of reality.

[@andymcnab2.0]

A guy went clubbing with his friend that were friend's from nursery. He killed her in a park after walking her home.

[@Themis33]

Everyone is a narcissist to a certain degree. The term narcissist is thrown around now like it's something special, when it's a common trait of humans. The woman, this man was dating, was a sociopath.

[@marylynch951]

Yes agree 💯

[@8plusus97]

Some of the comments on here are unbelievable! There is no excuse for abusing someone and victim shaming is just as bad as the abuse itself! He isn’t telling his story for sympathy but to raise awareness as to what abuse can and does look like, whether the victim is a man or a woman. I take my hat off to him and think he’s extremely brave!

[@reginamushi6582]

What? Are there negative comments?! Oh No..then I can't look at them...what a lovely man .... And I wish him all the best...that creature was flashed on our screens if only she knew that one day Karma will get her!

[@-Blue-_]

KZbin can delete negative comments this also happens with me sometimes ​@@reginamushi6582

[@orangesnowflake3769]

I don't see any negative comments?

[@8plusus97]

@@orangesnowflake3769 there are some comments mentioning that he probably chose to stay and men don’t get abused! Absolutely disgraceful

[@orangesnowflake3769]

@8plusus97 ah well they'll always be one I guess... but best to ignore and engage with the decent comments

[@MeganKirk-mg9ho]

I personally have met lots of toxic, scheming, narcissistic women, who think they can get away with whatever they want. So proud of this man, and every man who manages to get away,and shine the light for others. An evil person is an evil person.

[@sharronlowrie1793]

Hats off for speaking up

[@shaztaf]

💯

[@cherylespeckerman3216]

Abusers mess with your mind and self-esteem. By the end, you're so beaten down, you can't even think straight, much less walk out. After they get you in a corner, then the physical abuse starts. He was blessed to get out when he did, otherwise this might have become life-threatening. Good on you Gareth!

[@marylynch951]

Yes absolutely 💯

[@lizrigby-jones3700]

This happened to someone I knew. Sadly, no longer with us. Such people destroy lives.

[@seg6629]

So true 😢

[@FunnyCoastline-wx7rr]

Very true they beat you down

[@jamesdeegan211]

Went through the same. For over a year. Horrible. It ruined my life and my families. I opened up in a video on youtube and many people came out and did the same. Props to this man. More men need to come out.

[@emmawilkins5755]

I really don't agree with the suspended sentence. She will only go to prison if she does something else. She needs to be punished for what she has already done. It wasn't one incident in a fit of rage ( also not OK by the way!) but a campaign of abuse that was thought out and sustained.

[@a.b.2850]

Sorry to disagree. He wasn’t in a vulnerable situation like a single parent to 3 kids under 6 stuck with a part time job. He accepted her behaviours, for whatever reason, and went along with it. He needs to be honest and mature and realize that he was also getting something out of it.

[@michellelaw839]

@@a.b.2850hmmm, not sure I agree with this. We don’t know whether he was vulnerable or not. Also, I don’t think you’d think this way if he was a woman

[@mysticjen379]

@@a.b.2850 Mankind or Women’s Aid are good places to start if you want to understand why victims don’t leave. There is a complex psychology behind it which is too long to explain here, but you would be better off researching the topic yourself.

[@geraldineangelamurray3001]

Totally agree. Women should not think it's OK for them to be victims and nor Men. Women stay for different reasons as well as Men.

[@voyager2135]

@@a.b.2850If a guy said this about a woman, it would be called victim blaming. Double standards are wild

[@Human4Peace]

As a woman who has seen my male relatives go through so much abuse. I have warned and taught my son to pay attention to red flags and that a partner needs to treat him right vice versa too.

[@-Blue-_]

You are a kind woman who thinks for humans not gender

[@Ravalos3260]

What are the red flags? Please tell me so I can share with my nephews and brothers. Thankyou

[@abottleofRUMtv]

​​@@Ravalos3260 the red flags are clearly being said in the video. Have another watch, listen carefully and take some notes!

[@generaljimmi]

That sentence should not have been suspended

[@147cray]

Sadly, if the roles were to be reversed, the man would do jail time ….. it’s time society accepted that it’s just a common for women to be abusive as it is for men to be abusive.

[@a.b.2850]

@@147crayin what world? I got death threats from my ex-husband last summer (a highly abusive ex-husband of 8y) and he’s still 100% free.

[@JordanNettle]

​@@a.b.2850liar

[@Avasmith910]

@@147crayMy cousin was unalived by her husband. He got found guilty of manslaughter. They may aswell not bother sentencing him

[@Lyons_T-BAG]

​@a.b.2850 big difference between words and physical abuse.

[@viewer47ful]

It is difficult for men to acknowledge the controlling behaviour of a female. Harder for the authorities to understand

[@nsalimk1449]

Am a woman and I believe him 1000%. Am so proud of him to talk about and explain how he experienced the abuses. Please everyone should comes forward because Dv is bad just like any sickness

[@marylynch951]

💯

[@a.b.2850]

Because the 1000+ women that have been SO brave to talk about abuse, meaning for some putting their own lives at risk, and those that did die of abuse have not yet been enough to capture society’s attention. All this time all WE, Women, needed apparently was A MAN to explain his (dodgy imho) abusive relationship on a morning show to give a real chance to victims to finally be acknowledged, eventually hopefully heard, believed and taken seriously by law enforcement. The rate of femicides proves my point.

[@66kaisersoza]

​@@a.b.2850 society has been listening to women *exclusively* about this subject for years.. Are you that insecure that when one man speaks up amongst thousands of women (who are all taken more seriously btw) you get upset. Bizarre

[@a.b.2850]

@@66kaisersoza and still, hundreds of women of killed from DV each day.

[@Clleonie]

Don't think anyone doesn't believe him

[@ValerieTruby]

Our son went through something similar and luckily managed to get out but kids are involved and she's still using them to get control. We wish you all the luck in the world. Well done for speaking out. Sending lots of love x

[@adriennekidd9785]

That is so so common.Weaponising the children.Theres no voice for men.

[@tiepolo100]

Poor guy, this is just horrible. It's hard to understand how a person can become enmeshed in this psychological cruelty. Dear Gareth, I hope you have lots of support from friends and family and will one day have the courage to find someone with whom you can have a loving and healthy relationship. I wish you well.

[@briggsvillin8523]

BRAVO for speaking out and making others aware that it's not ok to put up with abuse of any kind

[@umbungomoomin]

Well done for speaking out. People often talk about abusive men and "toxic masculinity" but there are toxic woman too. Domestic Abuse in any form by any gender is not ok! Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy relationship in the future.

[@misfitm1457]

Toxic masculinity doesn't refer to individual men

[@illy_6]

He seems like such a lovely man - really sorry this happened to him. Always happens to the most kind hearted. He’s very brave and I’m so glad he got out of it.

[@deirbhilenibhrolchain7666]

Wishing Gareth all the best going forward. Sounds horrendous

[@GGG-b2z8l]

You can’t confront or negotiate with a Narcissist, they will attack you more.

[@stephenwalsh156]

I really admire him for going on TV and raising awareness of this. I too am going through something similar (admittedly not to the same level of severity). I feel hugely embarrassed about it and its so hard to talk about and cope with.

[@georgia7967]

I'm not sure if he is aware that he has taken something so terrible and he is using it to help others. So many men do not report abuse, I hope because of his story others have the strength to come forward. ❤

[@85ABC]

Well done for talking about it. Having looked into something similar I can tell you that narcissists rarely change (almost never). She will never change. And the sooner you can realise that it will really help you move on. She is that way. You aren’t. You can go and live your life free. Concentrate on yourself and do things you enjoy!

[@Charlotte66666]

Poor guy, glad he's away from his abuser.

[@BethieJade]

I hope he manages to heal. No one should abuse anyone!

[@itlearner1175]

Thank you for sharing your story. I have been abused by my mother; she poisoned me numerous times, but luckily I survived. She used to put harmful substances in my meals. She beat me many tiems. She has also killed numerous people by mixing poison in their food and injecting it into their blood. I tried to report the case, but the police didn't believe me. She is still alive. I ran away and now live in a different country. However, this affects me every day; it impacts my work and my relationships.

[@monicanath4859]

Prayers for healing and for justice too 👏🏼❤️🙏🏼!

[@dukenightrider6104]

Do you plan to expose those police for what they did? Because this is a problem people don’t talk about. The incompetence of the police. If that were me, I would see to it the officers are exposed for what they did and be publicly shamed by society.

[@anneroarty6473]

I was abused by my exhusban for 45years i wish i left the marriage years before i did. They are very very evil people who abuses nice people to make themself feel better. I am proud of you Garet for standing up to this very evil woman. She should have gone to prison for 5years.

[@alexissteele5274]

Maybe even more. Evil people need to be away from society for a very long time

[@gimmemore9709]

Abuse has no gender!!! God bless this man for getting out of that situation, many would have stayed and put up with the abuse.

[@rumelahmed4539]

The same thing happened to me. It started off normal and then suddently she started being controlling. Made me change my phone number so none of my friends could contact me. Chose who I could see, when I could see them. Slowly it started to get violent, she would start hitting me. Then it started to turn into her emotionally blackmailing me through suicide attempts. It was horrific.

[@dennvision1353]

searched abusive girlfriends to see if anyone else has been through this and this video was posted less than an hour ago. If trauma can pass through generations, so can the healing.

[@SANDYBANK1000]

This woman has done this to every single man she's dated... this one exposed her. Well done mate. Onward and upwards from now on.

[@marionoladele]

Very brave of him to share his story. I hope he gets the support he needs to heal

[@mikefoster5045]

Well done for speaking up, I am married and I have been going through this for just over 7 years and I just cannot break free.

[@Sskim-ue6]

10yrs . Good luck to us .

[@monicanath4859]

So sorry! I pray for you and all 🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼!

[@VeronikaSokab]

I hope someone comes and treats Gareth the correct way and he finds true love

[@jacintacody133]

He comes across as such a decent guy 🤍🙏🤍

[@clarelees9212]

Eh?? The two comments about him being weak can just shut up.. I was in a domestic violence relationship was so hard to leave. U get kinda brain washed. I'm not weak. I'm strong so is he. It's the abusers that are weak!!!!! Come at me then!!!!

[@geml6540]

100% agree. I've also experienced domestic abuse and it's extremely complex. There will be a lot more to this man's experience than he can tell us in a short interview. The strength it takes to get away from an abuser is unreal too. They do not make it easy for you to leave

[@clarelees9212]

@@geml6540 exactly it very very hard to leave

[@URFUTUREUK]

Lllt

[@sharonhughes1538]

Well said clare❤❤

[@clarelees9212]

@@sharonhughes1538 thank you 🩷😽

[@donnalee2983]

It’s beyond belief that the sentence is not the same. Abuse is abuse is the same male or female.

[@seanDB1989]

I went through something not quite as bad as this…manipulation, controlling behaviour, blackmailing. It’s not until you get out and look back that you realise how bad things are/were.

[@lawriephillipasequeira8592]

The energy of someone like this is extremely toxic and negative ..it's very overpowering . It's terrible and difficult to extract yourself from .

[@LM-km8md]

This is exactly what is happening with my brother and his partner.

[@manichairdo9265]

Please encourage your brother to speak to DV charities for men. Some give incredible support in every area possible. I hope your brother gets away, and that he's able to remain in contact with you and other relatives and friends. Nobody was put on this planet to be used, misused, and abused.

[@seanmacmillan5562]

Yeah tell him to record everything

[@mariewalmsley6143]

If he was my son she'd know about it.

[@Galaxy-ho2pk]

Same here

[@Kelly-d9l4t]

Absolutely she would be missing

[@patterdale54]

Very hard when they wont listen 😢

[@YaBasicMillenial]

Goes to show. I’ll be showing my son this episode as a warning

[@asihia]

LIAR JUST FOLLOW HIM

[@Mal1k2317]

@@asihiashut up

[@jaykaye7025]

I have been treated bad by ex girlfriends, both men and women can be very abusive

[@monicanath4859]

I pray that this chap heals after such a harrowing experience! So many men goes through this!

[@michaelbyrne5507]

I was abused by my narcissistic wife for years. Everything seemed perfect in the first 12 months or so. I didn't notice the gaslighting after that. I was controlled in so many ways and I lost contact with my family for far too long. I could write so much about it here, but I know most people wouldn't be interested.

[@marylynch951]

So sorry to hear this Michael I know 2 women personally who were very abusive to their husbands

[@adriennekidd9785]

Your wrong.I think you'll find people will believe you.This is commoner than you think.

[@Chings001]

You're wrong. Many of us are very interested in your story.

[@susangreen9127]

Brave of Gareth for speaking out. Hope he can find someone decent in the future.

[@chelseydunphy4136]

I go by the quote “when people show you how they are believe them”

[@kimwilliams6591]

Yes you are spot on with that 😊

[@girlygirl1890]

@@TheStar798 No, It's a quote by Maya Angelou, who is now deceased. She was a very close and wise friend of Oprah. Blessings to you.

[@ParnikaJosh]

Classic narcissistic abuse. My narc ex almost killed me. It took me 6 months to be able to go back to a functioning adult. Something so small as being able to change the bed sheets was my victory. I am still in therapy.. Narcissism is becoming the next epidemic...

[@miamiflorida6965]

People are completely insane.

[@shaztaf]

Bless him, he seems like such a sweetheart ❤

[@ClaudiaBoleyn]

Gareth, if you're reading this, then I want to commend you for your courage and how you've taken a hellish situation and are now using it to help others.

[@lfg4823]

Thank you for being brave enough to share your story. Wish you all the best and hope you find someone deserving of your kindness.

[@UmOwlad]

Her being a nurse and looking after vulnerable people is frightening… hope she loses her license

[@nataliestownsend4211]

Poor man, but sadly, it happens. It is a sad and tragic story. i hope he gets better soon

[@suziet.4845]

Well done for sharing this story, what happened to is terrible, sending healing hugs

[@jbrown247]

This is mad and quite upsetting as this took place in a house I used to live in that was a very loving family home. However since Sarah Rigby bought it off us she has turned it into a controlling and manipulative environment and tarnished all those amazing memories. Such a shame. Thoughts go out to Gareth and his family and hopefully they can reach some sort of normal again.

[@svatisingh1]

As said by the presenter, he is a catch indeed. Wishing him well, and that life may bring him a new love in time.

[@marylynch951]

Gareth Well done for speaking out on the domestic abuse you endured by your ex wife Stay strong and continue speaking out because I am sure there are a lot of other men been abused by their partner but will be too embarrassed to talk about it Good luck in the future

[@RedandBlackS10]

Yup, it happens to men too. Don't ignore or downplay it. 💯

[@paulinemcfarlane4379]

People who have not experienced this cannot possibly understand. I have known so many, male and female, although often not to such a degree. These people play on a vulnerability and then they have you, get a hold over you and pull the strings until the other person is in a constant state of fear and anxiety, resulting in brain fog so severe that the other person feels they are going crazy. My ex husband did it to me, this is how I know what it feels like. I have lost at least two female friends because they were treating their husbands in this way. Men very often suffer in silence due to the stigma that can be attached. This man is very brave to speak out. Well done, don't let it prevent you from finding love, just take note of the red flags

[@mariamawits3689]

What a brave and courageous man! So sorry that happened to you. Hopefully you find someone who will mend your heart ❤️

[@JamieLofthouse]

We believe raising awareness of abuse towards men is essential. Many have experienced, coercive behaviour, harassment and stalking. It is about saying to men, you have exactly the same rights as women to get justice and to speak out. He's doing men a huge justice in sharing his story and all power to him for doing so. Hopefully more men will feel more able to report these things. There is no stigma or weakness in saying "No" I will NOT accept this I WILL report it to the Police.

[@kerriwightman3141]

What a brave man to talk about this, it's heartbreaking what she put him through ☹️

[@deborahwatson2432]

He’s such a nice man Hopefully he’ll find a lovely lady ❤

[@mechloe8528]

So he had evidence, she pleaded guilty & she still got out of jail?!? Somethings wrong here....

[@Harry-o6g]

Wow ! Im so sorry this man went through this ... i just want to give him a hug. This is horrendous ! Just goes to show you never know whats going on behind closed doors. Kudos to this lovely man for speaking out about this 😊❤

[@hqx5977]

It doesn’t matter the gender or sexuality it happens. This happened to me in my relationship between two females. It broke me to the point I tried to take my own life after she left me. People don’t realize it’s quite narcissistic.

[@thesupportdirectory]

This also happened to me, And even though my ex was convicted in court of abuse, the abuse still continues today, and the stigma attached to it never goes away. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@EvaDraconis]

Thank you for talking about this Gareth, you are empowering yourself and you are empowering men and women who are in abusive relationships

[@egl3369]

My brother went through this. Destroyed his life.

[@jamesdunn8893]

I don't appreciate people who do this

[@mooncakerabbithender7203]

Im so sorry this happened to this lovely man. Its sickening how people feel they have the right to treat people with no regard and respect. I think when this man is ready he will have plenty of good honest and loving ladies waiting for him. Best wishes for a happy future

[@nataliravn]

Nothing but respect for this man. Domestic abuse is genderless.

[@Uksoapfan]

Female to male abuse is more rife than believed.

[@mooks29]

About time they are talking about female abusers. My stepmother abused my dad for years and I tried reaching put for help for him but there was no help for men. It infuriates me when I see adverts about Domestic abuse and make out that it's always the men who are the abusers.

[@misfitm1457]

Because it usually is, but there are plenty of places both can get help, well less so for women recently ofc but maybe one day that changes

[@mosimosi630]

He’s such a kind person I hope he finds a good woman

[@blondie9422]

I wish him well for the future

[@GriefTourist]

I'm glad I'm middle aged, the internet has destroyed society and it wasn't that great to begin with. People will only get more narcissistic, bitter and spiteful.

[@marjorieg2076]

I never realised how much this is happening to men as well. Good for you for coming out to speak about your experience. She needs to get some medical help. No remorse means she might do it again 😢

[@christinalikoski4937]

How IMPORTANT was his story THANK YOU ❤ Australia 💕 Christina

[@ryangriffin18]

I went through a similar thing. Gareth you are a hero. Thank you for sharing your story

[@tilly8509]

Urgh working for a domestic abuse charity.. 20 months 2 years suspended.. is nothing! Disgusting! Also RO’s are broken all the time.. abusers don’t care! They will breach any conditions they don’t care. Poor guy thank god he escaped and is able to speak his story and help other men

[@StaceyElstob-o5l]

Your so brave ❤ I'm so sorry you experienced this. I hope you are managing to heal and are supported well x

[@Da1Dez]

Hence why we need to stress how men can be as vulnerable as women and need a government minister for such a thing.

[@alisonhay5924]

Well done to this guy for speaking out, my son was in a similar situation and took a long time to heal!! Eventually we went to court, he's now married and very happy. More needs to be done for the men who are in these situations my son was automatically assumed to be the aggressor and locked up !! I tried to get some emergency accommodation after she threw him out late at night but everything was geared up for women we need to be just as supportive for men.

[@Ivy9984]

Narcissistic personality disorder in todays world is like a pandemic. It is very sad. There's always me me me and people don't think they can hurt someone. I study psychology and the stories I hear are terrible. It's good that victims of that behaviour are talking about this.

[@misfitm1457]

She doesn't have that, she's just a terrible person

[@raninazreen5718]

That’s what is wrong with this system, suspended for what, if it was the other way around, he would have been behind bars.

[@misfitm1457]

Not true, my ex broke 7 bones, abused me with heated hair tools and worse, nothing and there was tons of evidence. Courts are more bothered about not paying tv licence

[@mjl2904]

A man would have been trialled in the court of public opinion and he would have been put under the jail. She is just walking around getting on with her life

[@hedakom]

nah men are let off every single day

[@joavkof]

This man requires some therapy. The woman should be in jail

[@hollybarton934]

This interview just shows they are not right for the job

[@LucyLlewellyn-z9m]

😅

[@misstracyatkins9874]

Unfortunately 😢, Domestic violence 😔 affects both genders! Not just women but males probably will not say anything. I applaud this guy for putting his story forward.

[@LeonDavidson-tz4fr]

No says a thing when a man is abused and attacked by a women its not just men who can be aggressive

[@colinsweeney1109]

When she refused to let him use the toilet he should have done his business in the living room

[@flossyrainbowsbailey2691]

Suspended sentence? Disgusting

[@hannahwallis1290]

So true but women get off so lightly in situations like this it’s so awful and we all say we don’t get the equality we need. We seem to be doing better than men in situations like these it seems and it makes me so angry 🤦🏻‍♀️😡

[@Bagpuss7]

Hope you find some happiness Gareth 😊don’t let it put you off dating as I’m sure there’s a lovely lady out there that will respect and love you for who you are 🥰🍀🇬🇧

[@user-cy4vw1qj9m]

A good kind man. I hope all men saw her photo.

[@junkieplays]

Honestly so real I hope everyone dealing with abuse gets the proper help myself included

[@mackmckay588]

Her eyebrows should have been the first red flag

[@louisegraham157]

You can only imagine how bad his abuse was because it is so hard to get C&C through CPS let alone a suspended sentence outcome