Wikipedia is a good place to start to get the basics. If you have a lot of time to research and want authentic texts, this free archive is a wonderful resource: http://www.sacred-texts.com/
Best of luck for the story. It sounds interesting. Take care of your health.
The worst part of all this is that the man may not have been doing all this consciously. Growing up he has seen his role-models act in this derogatory manner towards women and picked up the norm. I think with the changing times that we are going through, men especially need to look at their gender roles and how it affects others around them, both men and women.
"...recall the golden palaces that I built for them in my heart. I set these palaces afire, one by one, and watch them reduced to ashes..."
This part reminded me of the Adittapariyaya Sutta.