Man abused as child may need to confront it as adult
Dear Abby: I have been in a serious relationship with my boyfriend for two years. He shared with me that he was sexually abused by a cousin for years as a child. He told me he has never disclosed it to anyone but me.
My boyfriend says he has come to terms with the abuse and his abuser, but I’m not sure it’s true. He became really upset when he spoke about it the one time, and we haven’t discussed it since.
I’m afraid to pry, but I think he may need help. His abuser is still present in his life. I’m not sure what’s stopping him from seeking help. What do you think I should do? — Only Trying To
Help In Ohio
Dear Only Trying To Help: Your boyfriend may not have discussed DEAR ABBY
what happened because of fear or embarrassment, or because his abuser made him feel it was his fault. When someone is abused for years, that person is the victim of a predator.
Talk to him again about this. I agree that he should consult a mental health professional. Not only would it help him, but because therapists are “mandated reporters,” it would also ensure that this cousin doesn’t sexually abuse other children.
Dear Abby: I had an affair years ago, and I recently confessed to my spouse that our child isn’t his. Things are really bad now between the two of us, and I don’t think we are going to make it. My question is, do I tell my child the truth? — Imperfect Mom In California
Dear Imperfect: At some point your child will need to know his or her entire medical history. He or she may also wish to meet the biological father. If your child is young, the news can wait. But if he or she is nearing adulthood, that information could be important in case there are diseases that run in the father’s family — diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s among them. Frank and Ernest Born Loser Peanuts Garfield Snuffy Smith Beetle Bailey Blondie Mike Du Jour Conceptis Sudoku Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.