My husband was released in December '22 after 16 months. We are rebuilding our family together and living around his SOR conditions.
#lifeaftertheknock
Please click on the link to view my blogs. I've been writing for a while now. My experiences as a partner of someone on the SOR for online offences.
#theknock
#tryingtomoveforward
#lifeontheSOR
9th December 2022, it's finally here. The dates been etched in my brain since my husband went to prison in August 2021. In less than 3 hours, me and my son will drive away from there for the last time, with him by our side 💖🙏🙌
My youngest son and I not long home from our last ever prison visit 🙏🥰
Next time we drive that 117 miles it will be in 12 days time to stay over in a hotel and pick hubby up. Can't believe he will be coming with us 😭🙏😱🥰
'We employ ex offenders but not sex offenders' I'm so fed up of hearing that statement in both my personal and professional life!
If we do not rehabilitate and reintegrate ALL offenders back into society, then that doesn't reduce any risk at all!!!
It's Christmas eve, this year with my husband in Prison, I've realised that Christmas magnifies your life, the good and the bad.
Whatever your situation, please be gentle and kind to yourself.
It's just a day and it will pass ❤️
Things are feeling a little more real today. I can't describe how amazing it feels to have my husband back by my side 💖🙏
Prison partners...hang in there 🙏
He's moving!!!!!!!!!
Finally after almost 8 weeks of Cat D status he has been told to pack his stuff as he's going today.
Another transition for us all left us emotional but it will be the best one ....working towards his release 🙏🤞💖
Thank you so much Twitter community for your well wishes upon my husbands release. With so much judgement and abandonment in real life, the support of this community is amazing 🙏💖
It's now 3 weeks until my husband is released..this week has been incredibly tough. My 11 year old made it in to school just one day....his anxiety is through the roof. The impact of parental Imprisonment on children is absolutely heartbreaking 💔😭
Decided to come back on Twitter. Hubby has been off licence and back home for 4 weeks now. It's been an incredibly difficult 4 years but being together as a family, properly again, reminds me every day why I fought against all odds to keep my little family together 🙏🏻💖
FINALLY starting to move forward. Last night my Husband stayed at home with us, for the first time in almost 4 years. As he has almost finished his horizon course (1 week left) and licence. Probation finally agreed a phased return home.
🙏🏻💖🙌🏻
#rehabilitation
#lifeaftertheknock
Last night hubby and I had date night...food and a theatre comedy show. I booked this almost a year ago when he was inside, knowing he would be out by then. It was amazing to actually do it. Something small but made me feel we are regaining control of our life again 🙏💖
Hubby has had a few drinks with me then fell asleep with a headache, next to me on the couch. This time last year he was locked in a cell 23+ hours per day and I was 💔
There is nowhere I would rather be right now 🥰
Wishing everyone a lovely Easter break 🐣🐇🍫🐥
We have hubby home for 4 nights, then back at his mum's for 3 nights, then home for good.
I can't explain how it feels to know we are going to be able to move forward after 4 extremely difficult years. I can finally heal 🙏🏻💖
Yesterday I went for a new job and said they would let me know in a week but got offered it today and the hours I wanted. As an NOP it feels brilliant to feel wanted and valued again ❤️🥰🙏
Today I tried to reiterate that my husband is guilty of the crime he is in prison for as lots of falsely accused accounts follow me. I expected to lose followers when in fact they have increased by another 15!
Thank you Twitter. This is definitely the most empathic platform 🙏💖
Hubby has a new job!!!
🎉🍾🥳🙌🥰🙏
Similar role doing deliveries. I have already saw this week his motivation is diminishing. Thankfully he will be back working soon. It's so important for recovery and rehabilitation to have that sense of purpose 🙏💖
After being physically unwell, I realised it was stress related and my job was a contributory factor.
So I took time off, applied for a new job at the weekend, had an interview yesterday and today I have a new job!
We have many choices in life. We can change many things! 🙏💖
Putting the tree up with my 11 year old and my husband feels amazing and surreal. Last Christmas the sadness with him away was overwhelming. I hope this Christmas is a positive way 💖🙏
#postreleasetimetoheal
This time in 10 weeks my husband will be out!!
As much as there is uncertainty around where he will be living, at least he will be out of there and our future can start again 🙏💖
Had a lovely afternoon with hubby, the kids and the in-laws. The price I have paid for standing by my husband is losing all of my siblings, niece's and nephews. The family I chose are much nicer than the ones I was born into. Still feels very unfair though 🤦🏻♀️
#theknockaftermath
Called the prison, done a welfare check on hubby, 'His credit didn't get topped up for some reason!'
Like these things just 'happen' and aren't staff incompetency!
In the meantime the kids & me have had an anxious weekend with no contact 😭
#familiesarecollateraldamage
Brother in law and niece have just left. He is the only one on my side who has supported my decision to stand by my husband... Someone who is a relative through marriage.
Blood is NOT always thicker than water! 😢💖❤️💞💗
#theknock
#NOP
#itwasntme
Brilliant visit to cat D today with both the boys. So relaxed and private just spending time together as a family playing lots of games n having some lunch. Priceless for us all 💖😘🙏
Letter off hubby today. Positives of Cat D so far:
No cell lock up just building lock up at 8pm
Communal lounge to make toast, play pool and watch TV
Lots of education / training
Lots of outdoor space
Real cutlery and plates
Original letters and clothes from property allowed 🙌💖
3 months today since hubby was released. He is working almost full time, rebuilding our life and family. Just hoping he can get on his course soon to come home properly 🙏
#lifeafterprison
Emailed safer custody to check on hubby as I know how much he goes downhill fast when we can't speak & he's in a new place so far away. They called back after speaking to him. Have to say the staff at Cat D already seem more empathic 💖🙏
Family think it's ok to abandon me and the children due to my husbands online offending....then send a random Xmas present ...3 weeks after Xmas. Don't chew us up and spit us out. We have been through enough trauma and rejection thanks 🤦🏻♀️😭
1 week / 7 days exactly now to release. Starting to feel a mix of nerves and excitement. Just hoping I made the right decision not to move and all is ok 🙏🙏🙏 we all deserve some happiness and an end to this trauma
#theknock
#NOP
I joined Twitter in November 2021 after I decided to write & share my blog as a non offending partner.
Today I reached 400 followers. Many professions, academics and fellow prisoners wives.
It means so much that people want to hear what I have to say. Thank you 🙏💖
Hey guys
I'm gonna delete this app today so I am not drawn into heavy conversation whilst we are away. Waited a long time to be able to go away as a family like this. Cannot wait for some sunshine and cocktails ☀️🍷🍹🍸🙏🏻💖
I'm back after a Twitter break. I felt in the middle of a war about the SOR.i am not here to light fires, just find my voice.
We are all entitled to our own opinions. If we all had a little empathy with each other maybe our world would not be so divided 🙏🏻💖
We are now 'living with covid' in everywhere but prison
Hubby tells me it's been 29 hours since they've had opportunity to get outside for fresh air.
Lock up for 22/23 hours per day & 1/2 hour outside if they are lucky.
It's absolutely inhumane.
Self harm is rife in there!
Sitting here in tears as a call from social care has set my anxiety off.
They will soon be intouch to assess / scrutinise my parenting because of my husbands offending 😭😭😭🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
I don't want to have to be judged. I am doing my best and just want him home upon release 💔🙏
Hubby's fed up. 2 jobs gone due to his offence. He ticked he had a conviction on both apps. They did not to ask. Working from home but sat here crying. He's just gone to his Horizon course. What more can he do?! How do I accept the man I love is hated and judged by everyone?! 😭
Christmas is such a painful time of year for those who miss their other half in prison, or have lost family members due to their decision to stay.
Not to mention other empty chairs around tables for those we've lost.
Sending you all lots of love and strength.
🙏💖🙏💖
25 days until release...my mission today I'm being sent on by my son....to buy an advent calendar to Countdown until we pick his dad up in 25 days!
🥰🙌🙏💖
3 years and 3 months post arrest, 2 years post sentencing n almost 8 months post release...
My husband has
FINALLY started his formal rehabilitation with Probation inform course today.
Good job he self funded rehab they don't recognise aye?
A step closer to him coming home! 🙏💖
Never thought I would say this but I've wrote a feedback email about our social worker following the assessment received today. To be treated with compassion and empathy and have all of our wishes taken on board and support the reunification of our family is amazing 🙏💖
When your 10 year old feels sick going to school and says he just wants to be with you all the time because he already misses his dad so much and says they shouldn't put anyone in prison if they have kids under 16, it is 💔😭
Today has felt like such a tough day... Having a husband in Prison is the biggest roller-coaster I have ever been on.
When going through a trauma, the best advice is to 'take each day at a time.' tomorrow is a new day 🙏💖
Hubby has secured a third job post release. Not a customer facing role so hopefully no backlash 🙏 he's also appealed against the decision of termination due to gross misconduct with his last job. 1/2
24 years ago today I met my husband. When people ask why I stood by him...We have had a lifetime together. As crap as things have been the past 3.5 years since
#theknock
the love and happiness we have / have had together outweighs it 🙏💖
Feeling so sad and low today. The pain and loss of losing my family due to my husbands offending is so much to bare...and is unfair beyond words.
Nobody should ever have to choose between those they love 😭💔😭💔
Our first born is 16 today. I just so incredibly sad and also ang y that his dad isn't here for him as he should be. Our kids should never have to go through this parental imprisonment! 😥😭💔
Yesterday was the worst day I've had for a long time... Just felt so heart broken missing my husband and being abandoned by family. Don't think drinking Xmas day n boxing day helped... It really is a depressant. Today is better. I am having non alcoholic wine later ❤️
Happy new year to my fellow wives and partners. The new year is a new beginning for us all.
I am hopeful that this is the year we get to be a proper family again and can finally start to move forward and heal from these last few years 🙏🙏🙏💖 xxxx
Booked a holiday abroad for August. Found something just about affordable. This time 4 years ago I didn't think I would ever do something like this with my husband again. This will probably be our last one all 4 of us as our eldest turns 18 next month 🙏🏻💖
#lifeaftertheknock
What an emotional day.
I love my husband so much.... Yet the anger builds and then blows at times. Sometimes my tolerance with him is so low as I feel I've used it all up to understand and forgive him.
I hope one day our relationship is healed from this trauma 🙏💖
Just home from an amazing weekend at hillend with
@ChildrenHandS
lots of family fun, tasty food and chatting with other mums in similar positions.
Thank you so much to the amazing staff and volunteers who made it happen🙏. It is so heartwarming to be made to feel so special 🥰
Police visit today to check devices. All was fine. My anxiety is not though. It's incredibly triggering having them intrude in your home. One was lovely, one I could sense her eyes bearing into me thinking...you crazy woman standing by this man!! 😭
Will I ever not be judged?!
After many phone calls from me and much mythering and complaints from hubby...his phone pin is finally sorted!!
We had a nice chat this morning and he spoke to our son for the first time in 10 days!! 💖🥰
It's been another triggering day today. Again I feel emotionally drained. Being a NOP, especially when they're in prison, is all consuming.
I wish agency, family & friend response was more empathic with the trauma we go through and stop treating us like secondary perpetrators 😥
I've cried a bucket load of tears again tonight. So has my husband..he says he feels like he keeps hurting me over n over again..yet since his arrest he's not done anything to hurt me, just the opposite. We have to be able to move forward now and leave the pain behind 😭🙏🙏💖
1 year ago today I started my blog to help me to process the trauma of the knock and my husband going to prison. Now we are almost at 2 weeks from release I'm so glad I started it.
It's helped me to process and helped me to heal 💖🙏
#theknock
#NOP
If you know someone with an OH in prison..
You've no idea the daily battle of painting on a smile, keeping life going on the outside when a massive piece of their heart is inside with their OH.
So, don't judge. Don't question their decision...
Just be kind 🙏💖🙏💖
Such a positive day of hope..went to see a careers advisor with my 16 yr old which was positive for him..also spoke to them about counselling courses for me and ending up looking at a pathway into psychology. If I can get through the last 2.5 years....I can do anything!! 🙏💖
The impact of parental imprisonment goes on. My 11 year old is very emotional this week and missing his Dad so so much. Just 💔 to see your child suffer so much! 🤦🏻♀️😥💔😭
I am delighted to announce the official name of our zoom social group! It makes sense to link it to my profile and the community I have built up on here.
If you are supporting someone on the SOR and you fancy joining then please message me 🙏💖
#theknock
#community
Happy international women's Day to all my fellow NOPs and Prisoners wives! They say behind every successful man is a strong woman. These past almost 3 years I've met the strongest of women 💪 (too many to tag) 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Those of us with lived experience, putting ourselves out here to help others understand the impact on families after the knock, I would love to see more professionals in this area; retweeting and supporting our cause. There are many sides of this and many stories to be told 🙏💖
Yet again going around Tesco seeing valentines cards, flowers etc just tears me up inside.
I feel my half of my heart is locked in that cell for 22/23 hours a day with him 😭💔
Night away for our anniversary was lovely. First time sleeping with my husband in almost 3 yrs.
Our decision to stay is not always black and white. We are still knocking down those barriers to get him home properly 💖🙏
#lifeaftertheknock
If you are social care, police or probation, working with sex offenders who have families...please consider us...the unseen victims. Whilst you're busy ticking your boxes, you are making life changing decisions at the drop of a hat. Have some compassion and empathy for us 🙏 💖
Feeling so sad as not heard from hubby at all today. Phones off all weekend, one call late last night now nothing again. So unfair on me and the kids. It's families who are punished over and over when their parent / husband is in prison! 😭😢🤦🏻♀️
Off out to town for a fun day with my boys.
No matter what you're going through in life, make sure you stop and have some joy along the way. Try n not let anything consume you 24/7! 🙏💖
Not heard from hubby since Thursday evening.
He's waiting moving to cat d but I spoke to visitors centre today and he's not moved yet.
Have they not topped his credit up?
Or have they cut his cell phone off so he can move Monday?
Why aren't families important?!
Looking into doing an access course then going to uni 🙏
Something I've always wanted to do..when the time was right.
If I can get through the last 3 years of trauma, I can do anything!
What doesn't kill us makes us stronger as they say?! 🙏💖
Everything is bittersweet when your husbands in prison.
Now moved to cat d but no contact for 4 days as our number isn't verified. They tried once on Thursday when I was out now I just have to sit and wait.
Just get on with like aye? Prisoners families are collateral damage 💔😭
Cancelled an interview today partly as previous colleague works there who I know knows about my husbands offence and cut ties. It's unfair I should be made to feel the burden of guilt and shame for still loving this man. We may as well be on the register too.
#lifeaftertheknock
I am happy to say that I have now finished my Level 3 counselling course and been accepted on an integrated counselling course level 4 and 5 in September. When your world falls apart after
#theknock
you never think life will move on. It does. However painfully slow at times. 🙏🏻💖
Having an emotional day. Trying to re establish life after the knock and prison is tough. So much pain and destruction to heal from 😭💔 he can only apologise so much.
Thank you lovely twitter friends for your kind words during a tough week with my husbands work issue 🙏💖
Lots of you have reached out with emotional support and practical advice. It reminds me that we are not alone 🙏💖
Feeling so much more settled in Myself now we can speak to Hubby again. The family separation is so hard on us all. So far Cat D seems to have been the best move possible 🙏
This woman / fellow non-offending partner is the biggest inspiration. She has had to flee her home, is almost single handedly raising 5 children whilst studying and somehow finds time to bake her 6 year old his self designed birthday cake. You're amazing my lovely friend 🎂❤️💖💕
Me n the boys hadn't heard from husband for 48 hours since our visit as phones down. Been through anxiety and anger....it's us who suffer just as much as them! 😢😭😢😭😢😭
Today PPU visited. Told them about probation...could see them almost rolling their eyes agreeing he'd be much better at home with me n the kids. Reassured us once off licence we will get him home and be able to move forward.
I really needed that hope 🙏💖🙏💖
#lifeaftertheknock
Feeling so sick with anxiety at social care coming out today...to judge and scrutinise my parenting🤦🏻♀️😭 when my boys are thriving despite their Dad being in Prison 💖💖
Today has been a lovely day...taking the dogs to the park then tea out as a family of 4. The sad part was hubby having to leave to go to his parents to 😴. Probation's inability to sort his course out is affecting our family so much! Yet we are still making lemonade. 🍋🙏💖
We are off away to stay in a caravan park for the week tomorrow. It's been well over 4 years since we've been able to do something so normal, together as a family. Best things come to those who wait aye?! 🙏🏻💖
Being the wife of a prisoner means I am 100% responsibile for our boys right now. Feeling hormonal n rubbish today.. After a bit of mayhem this morning.. Grateful to the inlaws for taking them out Xmas shopping 🙏💖
Disclosure is done. No surprises just triggering of having to go back to how far he went online.
Sickening to hear but somehow I held it together. What a week of social care, police and probation and I am a NON offending partner.
Therapist says I deserve a wine tonight 🍷
Why can't the world be a kinder place? Why can't humanity be more forgiving?! Why do people have to be held to account for their behaviour...forever?!
Not only talking about SO's here!
Where has our sense of humanity gone?!!