Is he emotionally abusive?

She said he has given her a 2-week probation to decide if he wanted to stay or go.

This just a week after she learned he had slept with someone else while she was on a business trip. They have been living together for over a year. But he is unhappy because she cramps his player style. He is in his mid-50’s and never married because he likes to sleep around. He told her he’d had over 800 lovers. He wants to go back to that life. He told her although he’d been monogamous up until the trip, it wasn’t his style.

He wants her to break up with him — he doesn’t want to be seen as the bad guy. She loves him and hopes he’d see how great she’d made his life. But she’s also become financially dependent on him, even though it was her house they are living in.

In front of others, he is the perfect gentleman. But behind closed doors, he belittles and humiliates her, chipping away at her self-esteem. She walks on egg shells fearing he’ll leave as he’s threatened to do.

This is emotional abuse. He is manipulating her, knowing her love will thwart any desire to end the relationship. He figures he can do whatever he wants and treat her poorly as she’ll never do anything to stand up for the respect she deserves.

She knows she does not want to be with a cheater. Yet she can’t find the courage to kick him out. Her gal pals have offered to help her pack up his things and get him out. But she keeps hoping he’ll change his mind.

Meanwhile, everyone hopes his emotional abuse doesn’t escalate into physical abuse.

Have you encountered emotional abuse? How did you get out of the relationship?