Statistics show that one in four men has suffered physical abuse as a child; one in ten has experienced sexual abuse. Any violation of a man's right over his own body is wrong and can have lasting emotional consequences.

Typical reactions and questions men ask themselves:

• Shock and numbness: Why do I feel cut off from people? Why do I feel numb inside?
• Disbelief: Things like this don't happen to guys like me.
• Embarrassment: I don't want to tell the people that know me. What if they blame me? What if they see me as weak?
• Guilt and shame: Why do I feel guilty? I'm not the one who did this. But I don't know how to get this dirty feeling off of me.
• Fear: What if I got herpes or AIDS from this? What next? I didn't see this one coming, so what’s to say something worse won't happen to me? I don't feel safe anywhere.
• Anger: People look at me like, 'What's wrong with him?' I used to laugh things off and now everything makes me angry. How can I keep my family and friends if my anger keeps flaring up like this?
• Physical Stress: What happened to my appetite? Why can't I sleep? Why is it so tough to get out of bed? Is my body going to fall apart now, too?

What you can do to beat this:

• Get medical attention
• Don't overuse caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or drugs
• Don't isolate yourself
• Put your feelings into words
• Get support, either from friends and family you can trust, or from professionals
• Get into counseling

The services of licensed counselors and experienced staff are free to Dallas County residents.