I learnt this the hard way. After my separation my ex-husband embarked on a vicious campaign to malign me. 

His pride was hurt when I left him and he could not let anyone believe the failure of the marriage was his fault.

He told people that I had been involved with other men.

When that wasn't damaging enough, he told people I would secretly smoke weed.

His male friends received the stories happily- it was something to gossip about.

No-one asked for my version of events, or even for proof of the allegations.

Depending on his audience the story would change.

Either he would tell his mates I was good in bed which means I must have been experienced before we were married, which, in his eyes, supported his claims that I had been cheating on him during the marriage.

His alternate story was that I was rubbish in bed and that I should be grateful he stayed with me and that it is this lack of gratitude that made me leave him.

Men seem to gain pleasure in vilifying women- are we just easy targets?

The irony is that his friends who are gossiping about me are the ones whose wives have told me they have cheated on them.

Morals go out of the window when it comes to themselves or their male peers.

Men, I hope not all, are hypocrites, bitchy and ever so vindictive.

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