DR. WALLACE: Bless you for telling a girl who was being physically and emotionally abused by her boyfriend to stop seeing this "criminal" immediately. I'm glad that you said that she should report him to the police if he continued to bother her after she told him to take a long walk off a short pier.

This naive young lady wasn't sure what to do because she thought she still might love him and kept believing him when he apologized for his behavior, promising that it would never happen again.

Trust me, it will happen again and the punishment this guy dishes out only gets worse. This guy is a coward and cowards beat women to exert their power. They beat women because they are afraid to challenge men.

I was also a victim of a coward. I thought my love would turn him into a gentle man. Boy, was I mistaken! As time passed, things became worse. The end came when he beat me so horribly that my parents didn't recognize me. I wound up in the hospital for three weeks. I had a broken jaw, a broken nose, a broken eye socket, a concussion and bruises and welts all over my body.

My mother contacted the police and this coward was arrested and convicted. He now is serving time in prison. You can bet your last dollar that he isn't beating up any of his fellow prisoners!

A friend of mine has a father who is a psychiatrist and he told me (free of charge, of course) that men who batter their female companions rarely change their behavior, even with passing time and the victim's love. He said that the only way an abuser will stop abusing is with professional help or prison, whatever comes first. — Nameless, Dallas, Tex.

NAMELESS: Thanks for sharing your experience with us. The number of letters I receive from battered females who don't know what to do is enormous. They think they still love the guy and hope that, in time, their love will cause him to change, but that rarely happens.

Men who batter females are incapable of love. Never, ever, should a young lady believe that her love will "tame the beast." Girls, please don't wait until a guy harms you. The minute you feel threatened, dump him without looking back! A relationship with a guy should be fun and based on mutual respect, not filled with fear!

THE GUY MUST BACK OFF IMMEDIATELY

DR. WALLACE: I'm 17 and work six hours every Saturday at a fast-food restaurant. The manager is about 40 and he keeps "hitting" on me. He keeps inviting me to go on a date with him and I keep telling him no because he's much too old for me. He knows that I'm 17 because he is the one who hired me. I don't want to quit because I need the money and I like my job.

I already told him that if he doesn't stop pestering me I'll quit and sue him for sexual harassment. Why is it that older guys are always on the prowl for younger girls? — KT, Philadelphia, Pa.

KT: This guy must back off immediately! You shouldn't have to quit your job to make your point. If he continues to pester you, contact the owner of the restaurant or the person who has authority over him. Most employers are sensitive to sexual harassment and will take appropriate action.

Older guys who pursue young girls usually have low self-esteem and feel unable to impress or attract females their own age. They need to grow up!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.