Starting over and past history! How?

well it's like this I am an single black female that is 33 years old and I have been married before like 8 months into that relationship. My past relationships was very abusive and ever since my last relationship I have been on my own and doing good for myself to the point where I am continent with myself the majority of the time. My issue is that I am very sexy, smart, self employed, stable, and I am cool to be with and down to earth for real. so my main issue is dating again to the point that I want to go out and date and have fun again but I now have trust issues and scared that another man is going to abuse me again so I always turn down dates because of the past thoughts that come to my mind when I feel myself having fun or just being out mingling and trying to meet people. I have no issues with dates or being around people because I am a people person and I love to enjoy the company of a man but I am scared of being hurt again so I just stay in my apartment and stay to myself and I get bored at times and lonely other then being around my mom which we are very close and we do things together and she will come and stay with me because I am a mam's girl and we are close. But I need more then my mom and I want to date and mingle but the fear never leaves my mind. so this guy that has been trying to talk me for like 2months or more is really into me which that is what he says anyway. But I have heard bad things about this guy and a female has came to me and told me that he beat her and rape her and I was friends with her off and on for a while but my thing is I know everybody is not perfect and we all have our faults but I have always tried to give people the benefit of doubt just like I did within my past relationships and the men turned out to be abusive and I never seen it coming as well. so it's like I don't want to judge a book by it's cover without even opening you know. so how and what do you do when starting over when you have had a bad past with men? And should I at least give this guy an change and just be cautions of whatever happens around me? A part of me is like try and see but when I did that in the past I got hurt. And the other part of me wants to say no and never have a social life at all but I don't want that I want a relationship and I want to trust again but it's hard so what should I do? some advice anybody?