DR. WALLACE: Our married daughter is concerned about pictures her son is receiving on his cell phone from his high school classmates. The girls take their own (and group) pictures and email them to selected boys in their school. The boys got in trouble when caught texting in class — against school regulations. However when the school principal confiscated the cell phones he also found the girls' pictures. Some pictures were of the girls group flashing — taken in the school's girls' restroom mirrors.

Our daughter is concerned about how or who should handle the problem. She is reluctant to personally confront the girls or their parents and would prefer the school administration do it. She had previously talked to one of the girls when she found similar pictures on their home computer. It evidently did not do any good. Her latest action has been to take away her son's cell phone and closely monitor his home computer.

What do you think her best course of action is — expect the school to act, or contact the girl's parents directly? — Grandmother, New York City, N.Y.

GRANDMOTHER: Since the stupid and indecent act took place on school grounds, allow the school administration to severely discipline the girls involved and then work with the parents to insure that this unacceptable behavior comes to an immediate halt.

Exhaust all available school sources (your school principal, district superintendent, district school board) before dealing directly with the parents of the girls. A competent school principal will handle this incident to your daughter's satisfaction.

90 PERCENT OF ALL ABUSERS ARE MALE

DR. WALLACE: I find it hard to believe the number of child sexual abuse cases that have occurred in the past decade. Almost every week child sexual abuse is reported in newspapers or on television. Isn't it possible that all this media attention is encouraging more to get involved in this despicable crime? — Nameless, Goshen, Ind.

NAMELESS: Reports of child sexual abuse have increased dramatically over the last few years. As many as one out of five young women and one out of 10 young boys will have had a sexually abusive experience while still a child, according to Dr. Anne Cohen from the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse.

Cohen does not feel the amount of sexual abuse has increased significantly in the past few years, however the reporting of it has gone up, and that is important. She also says that there is no clear social, economic, racial, cultural or geographic group that is more likely to be sexually abused than others.

Ninety percent of all abusers are male and in 85 percent of all cases the abuser is someone who is known and trusted by the child — a father, stepfather, uncle, mother's boyfriend, camp counselor, youth worker or volunteer, and even religious leaders.

It is imperative that child sexual abuse be discussed openly and often. Children need to learn from parents, medical experts, teachers and nurses what can be done to prevent abuse and to be encouraged to inform "key" adults at the first sexual attempt. Informative writing about child sexual abuse can do nothing but be helpful.

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 [email protected]. 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.

Photo credit: Tom Jensen