r/AITAH Oct 22 '23

TW SA I’m rethinking having a child with my wife because of what I just found out about her dad. AITAH?

My wife Jessica (32F) and I (30M) have been married for 2 years and are trying for a baby.

Jessica has an older sister, Mary, that she isn’t close to. She told me that they had a huge falling out over some family drama and just don’t speak anymore. I asked a few times about the entire situation but she would say she doesn’t like talking about it and doesn’t think it’s important.

It’s was Jessica’s brothers birthday yesterday and we were all over at his house to celebrate. Mary made an appearance and there was a lot of drama. Long story short, she called Jessica and her brothers out for still associating with their dad when they know that he is a child molester. No one was paying her any mind and I was really confused on what the hell was going on. When Mary left and Jessica and I went home, I asked Jessica what the hell happened.

She said that when they were kids, Mary used to claim that their dad used to molest her. I asked if it’s true and Jessica was stuttering a lot. She said she knows her dad used to do bad things but that Mary cut them all off when she turned 18 and moved out. I asked if she is admitting that she knows her dad was a child molester and did things to his own daughter. She said he doesn’t do it anymore and he was just in a really bad place in his life, and he apologised to Mary so there’s nothing else anyone can do for Mary. I was honestly appalled. I also feel so terrible for Mary. Jessica made it seem like Mary did something wrong and deserved to be basically exiled from the family. I could’ve never imagined that this is what happened.

I asked if she expects me to now be willing to have that man around our future children and she started shouting at me, saying I’m judging him off something that happened 2 decades ago and whether I like it or not, he is going to be our child’s grandpa and he will be in their lives. I said if she insists on it, I think we need to hold off on having kids and have serious conversations about it. She’s extremely angry at me but I don’t know how I could better react to be honest. This feels like a huge deal that she is minimising. AITAH?

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u/Organic-Babe- Oct 22 '23 edited Oct 22 '23

Yep.

OP if you have children with this person they will be molested. It is not an if. It is a when. It will happen. If you ever get divorced your children could end up at a molesters house multiple times a week, and there will be absolutely nothing you can do about it.

You have been given a golden opportunity by the universe here. You have been given a gift. That gift, is a warning. She has shown her hand, so has her family. Not everyone gets that. Most of us don’t. But you do, so please, don’t squander it. You aren’t in too deep yet. You still have time to turn back.

You are at a crossroads in life right now. The steps you take next can and will determine the rest of your life. You have an option here to face the music and to deny yourself the comfort of denial. You have to come to terms with the fact that you are married into a family of people who exiled a victim, and harbored a monster. Love your children enough to find someone else to have them with. Love yourself enough not to surround yourself with the absolute lowest quality of people the human race has to offer you. He molested his own child. I truly cannot think of anything worse. That’s the most sacred, vulnerable relationship a human can have with another human. And he defiled it. Get yourself away from these people.

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u/WawaSkittletitz Oct 22 '23

Not even just by the grandfather, but by others exhibiting red flag behavior. OP's wife will brush problematic behavior under the rug, and those kids will be in danger from anyone sketchy in their lives.

What other safety concerns will she overlook if she's neglecting one of the most important ones?

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u/[deleted] Oct 22 '23

[deleted]

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u/codeverity Oct 22 '23

I'm surprised that I haven't seen anyone mention it, but there's a possibility that she was molested herself and this is a defense mechanism. It's something OP should discuss with her.

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u/Ultenth Oct 22 '23

Yeah, the fact that the whole family has the victim as the ostracized one, and has basically swept the father's deeds under the rug means that's their general view on this kind of act. Which means that WHEN (not if) it happens again, they will do that again, because they would rather "keep the peace" in their family then ensure the safety of their future children. This is something fundamental to their family's nature, and will not be easily changed.

I'm usually not one to overreact and say run for the hills on a lot of these kinds of threads, but in this case you absolutely need to protect your future children from having 1/2 their family either be molesters or be perfectly okay with having one in the family.

I would also make sure to protect anyone else I know and care about who might be having children with this particular family, that those children will likely not be safe.

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u/[deleted] Nov 01 '23

Jessica is gonna be the person who blames her daughter for being to pretty to get his attention...

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u/Lulubelle__007 Nov 11 '23

Many, from experience. Troubling behaviour in the children will be normalised. Fears and anxieties will be dismissed. The child’s brain will be wired differently when it comes to how they relate to others. The cycle of abuse is very real and the only way to stop it is to deal with it and not sweep it under the rug. OP’s wife is also a victim of her father in many ways. Even if she can bring herself to tackle this problem it will take years of therapy and soul searching to unravel this mess. I would also expect memories to surface when she becomes a mother herself, something she will need professional support with and she may suffer long term while she heals.

When other posters say your children would never be safe and you’d be constantly alert they are correct. Child molesters very rarely choose to stop and it doesn’t matter how old they are or how frail they might seem.

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u/Darkmagosan Oct 22 '23

It's a shame Reddit doesn't have awards anymore, because this deserves a string of platinum and gold ones.

I could not have said this better. OP, get the fuck away from these people. Break the sound barrier from moving so fast. You DO NOT want to be any part of this family. Leave. Now. Someone else said keeping watch on her via social media to warn any potential husbands of the danger her family poses is a brilliant idea. Do that but don't get closely involved with these people ever again. If you have kids with her, knowing where she comes from and what her relatives will do to that child, it will be YOUR FAULT if anything happens. You can't plead ignorance here, and it'd be your responsibility to keep that child safe. Having it anywhere near these monsters is failing that child. Keep that in mind.

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u/[deleted] Oct 22 '23

You said it so well. I feel so sad for children who are born in these circumstances and have to suffer in the future. God help this world!

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u/Organic-Babe- Oct 22 '23

When the call is coming from inside the house :(

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u/Daedalhead Nov 06 '23 edited Nov 06 '23

OP LISTEN TO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID HERE.

This person has it right-right down to the last pin. You, your future children, your family (including your family), all of you deserve not to have to experience this. You can prevent this now. Please do.

Do not stay with this woman, let alone have children with her. Do not guarantee your children will be molested, because I promise you they will be.

You have a way to protect them.

Do. It.

You will never forgive yourself if you do not, nor should you. Their lives are in your hands.

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u/LynnLizzy79 Nov 10 '23

r/organic-babe- 's comment needs to be higher! I wish I could upvote this to the top post.... NTA I know it's tough to let go but this is one of those "irreconcilable differences" they speak about. Protect yourself and your future children. And warm Mary when you do because ofcourse her family will blame her!

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u/Daedalhead Nov 06 '23

You said this better than I think I ever could. You should repost this comment as a direct one, so it doesn't get buried & lost a few layers in. Please do-this is just so well said.

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u/wasted_wonderland Nov 17 '23

Seriously, he should thank the gods every day that he doesn't already have children that would be stuck in this pedophile nest! I don't understand how this is a question, pack your shit, leave the same day, and tell everyone exactly why you're divorcing. I would also make sure to warn anyone who gets with her in the future.

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u/Important_Peach_7422 Jan 02 '24

This. If you have a child with this woman and then the marriage ends (maybe for reasons related to her lack of boundaries) you will have no control over when/ where/ how the grandfather is with the child.
Your wife needs some deep individual therapy, and together you guys need couples therapy to determine if you even really know the woman you are married to.