I have been in a mostly happy and loving relationship for just over a year now. We are in our late 20s and often speak about spending the rest of our lives together. However, he has a problem that irks me beyond belief: he stares at (pretty) women incessantly, to the point where he zones out of our conversations to look at them. They are usually incredibly different looking to me and when we are out and about, I am constantly aware of women that he may check out, and find myself bracing for when he does.

We’ve discussed the situation many times, and he says it doesn’t mean he loves and respects me any less, it is just something he does and could stem from him being single for a long time (two years prior to our relationship). To me, this is utterly disrespectful, lecherous and kind of creepy behaviour.

I don’t know if this is something I can possibly get over and ignore for ever, or if it is something we should split up over.

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