Lovefraud received the following letter from a reader:
I was not in a disastrous relationship with my S. Our relationship was less than three years, our marriage less than two when he openly cheated and decided to leave me, then played games of false reconciliation, which in hindsight were so he could have two sex partners.
The short end of my question is ”¦ How do you reconcile the basically happy marriage, the illusion of a man you married with the horrible monster he has become in trying to create turmoil in your life and use your greatest love (your child) to hurt you?
Range of behavior
One reason why it’s so difficult to spot sociopaths is because they are not all the same. Sociopathy is a trait that varies from person to person. You could compare it to a trait like intelligence—not all intelligent people are intelligent in the same way. Some people are smart in academics, some people have mechanical skills, some people are artistically brilliant. They are all intelligent, but intelligent in different areas of life.
Sociopathy manifests differently in different people—I like to say the disorder ranges from sleazy to serial killer. Some, therefore, are violent—but many, probably even most, are not. Some sociopaths are low-level criminals; others have successful careers in business, government, medicine, the military, education, the clergy—every possible field of endeavor.
The point is, sociopaths exhibit a range of behavior, so behavior by itself is not always a reliable way of spotting the disorder.
The mask
Sociopaths often wear a mask—until they decide that they can no longer be bothered keeping up appearances. I think that’s what happened in the case of this Lovefraud reader. The sociopath she was with played the part of the committed husband—until he had enough of that game and wanted a change. Oh, he kept it going for awhile with the false reconciliation. But when he was well and truly tired of the marriage, he became the monster.
The reader didn’t say how he was using the child to hurt her, but based on what I’ve heard from other parents, I can take a few guesses. The sociopath considers the child to be his property, and he wants to own it. Or, the sociopath thinks the child will be useful to his image—he’ll be able to play the doting dad, so that he can snag another victim. Or, the sociopath simply wants to win whatever battle their custody situation has become, and win convincingly, so that our reader never has the temerity to challenge him again.
The illusion
So how does our reader reconcile the “happy marriage” with the “monster”? She has to understand that the happy marriage never existed. It was an illusion, carefully crafted by the sociopath to reel her in and get what he wanted. Once he changed his mind about what he wanted, the marriage was no longer useful to him, so he dumped it.
This is what sociopaths have in common: They are social predators. They are users. They have no heart, no conscience and no remorse. You cannot interpret them through the way you live your life. You simply have to accept the fact that they are staggeringly different from us. We feel empathy for other people. They do not.
Regardless of how it manifests, the common denominator is that these people are empty shells pretending to be human. When you look carefully inside them, you’ll see nothing.
Lovefraud originally published this article on April 5, 2010.
Study says kids do better with fathers in the home – but doesn’t mention sociopathic fathers
I could have written this! My husband feigned that I was the love of his life. We presented as a couple so in love (although in hindsight, I see issues: never wrong, braggart, short-tempered, entitled, different in public than at home).
Still I was shocked to discover his cheating, and months later I learned that he had a secret double life of long-term girlfriends and prostitutes. And when I discovered it, he faked a reconcilation while he made sure his girlfriend was onboard (she’s nearly 40 years younger and his employee). And from the moment I said I want a divorce and will no longer go to therapy with you, he really became a monster. A monster who has always been a disengaged parent suddenly is showing up to all doctor appointments and lovebombing our child. It’s misery. The marriage was all a farce. I am sorry for the reader’s experience. Her story is so eerily similar to mine. She’s not alone though. I wish her swift healing and I hope her children are safe and well.
I see now that this was an old article. Curious, is an update of her situation possible?
Wow, BerylPink, now YOUR story is ultra-similar to mine. I was truly very happily married for 23 years. His shell started to crack apart in the 23rd and 24th year, when I discovered the secret life of hookers, cheating, and crime. Everything about him is textbook, he lovebombed and interviewed me at the beginning. It’s very hard to process how he faked the love for so long. All around us thought we were that perfect couple. He played genuine, down-to-earth, humble Christian dad! What a great foil for who he really is!
In retrospect, I recognize that he was occasionally emotionally abusive, but it was not frequent. I didn’t recognize it for what it was.
A note of hope, though, even tho children may get manipulated and brainwashed for years, I am seeing amazing situations of healing with these kids.
BTW, my monster tried to have me killed, and has threatened me repeatedly. The story is not finished….I’m in year 5 of trying to get my property from him.
Donna, there is an article in the Daily Mail today (April 4) regarding Mel B (former girl band singer) stating details about her abusive marriage. It will send shivers up your spine.
Title: “Mel B claims ‘monster’ husband Stephen Belafonte”
Title on Radar Online about Mel b:
“Abuse, Stalking & Swindling Millions: Mel B’s Claims Against Husband From Hell.”
Here is one excerpt from the article
“Now Radar can exclusively reveal the famous mother of three claims he lied about his past and she didn’t learn the truth until after their 2007 wedding. “At the time of our marriage, I was unaware that Belafonte was not the respondent’s legal surname, not was I aware that he had been previously married,” she writes in the Los Angeles court filing. “Respondent has held himself out to be the son of singer Harry Belafonte, when in reality he is not related.””
Continue part of the Radar Online article dated April 5 2017: “Though Belafonte, who was born Stephen Stansbury, has called himself a producer, the 41-year-old dad “held neither steady nor gainful employment,” she alleges.”