Friend’s frisky husband makes his desires clear
DEAR ABBY » My married friend is a swinger. She says her husband’s sex drive has declined lately, but it hasn’t. He keeps trying to get me to talk “naughty” with him, but I always refuse. To me, that would be betraying my friend.
Abby, I value our friendship. If I tell her about his late-night habits, it would hurt her. If I don’t and she finds out, it will also hurt her. Lately, I have avoided spending time with her because of his late-night requests. What should I do? — Turned Off
in the South
DEAR TURNED OFF » Tell him his advances are not welcome and to stop calling you, and that is he doesn’t, you will tell your friend. If he persists, inform your friend how long this has been going on and that you have been reluctant to tell her, but it has reached the point that it is making you not want to be around her.
DEAR ABBY » My adult son is married with a newborn son. I recently learned that he is the victim of spousal abuse. He was keeping it a secret from us, but we found out when authorities became involved. My son loves his wife and wants to make it work. Knowing your adult son is being harmed by his wife, how would you interact with this woman?
— Uneasy in Arizona
DEAR UNEASY » Before the next holidays, you and your husband should have a talk with your son about why he has tolerated the abuse and WHAT HIS OPTIONS ARE.
A support group your son would find helpful is Stop Abuse for Everyone (stopabuseforeveryone.org). Once he gets in touch, he will realize that he’s far from the only husband who has been battered.