I don't want my son being taken advantage of. My son doesn't seem to understand the implications of the age difference all he cares about is that he is 'in love' and now considers himself to be in a committed relationship. We agreed that there would be no physical meeting until my son had completed his HSC by which time he would be 18, so this sudden notice that the man wants to come to Sydney has caused great upset and concern. Basically, I agreed to let it continue but they had to cool the jets a bit so my son could focus on his HSC, which he will be sitting next year. We made an agreement that he had to focus on his studies (he is a straight A student but has dropped the ball lately) and that the hours long phone calls every night had to stop. At least at the moment he is still talking to me about it. There is no point trying to put an end to it - it will only drive my son to take it underground. My son has told me he has sent this man compromising pictures of himself, and I expect the same is true is reverse, although my son hasn't confirmed this. My son and I have had several heated discussions (as well as quite a few calm ones) about his relationship with this man, who he claims is his 'soul mate' and the 'love of his life' and this man claims to feel the same way about my son. He is a very vulnerable young man who has a terrible relationship with his father (we are divorced) and they are not in contact with each other, so he really doesn't have a strong, competent male role model. My son has high functioning Asperger's and is currently under the care of a Psychiatrist for anxiety and depression, for which he takes daily medication. It has nothing to do with him being gay I would have the same concern if it were my straight daughter was in this position. Obviously, the age gap is of great concern. He now wants to come to Sydney so he and my son can meet 'in person'. He has sent my son a very expensive pair of headphones. They speak daily on the phone and on FaceTime, as well as text. They have been conducting their friendship for nearly six months. We live in NSW and this person lives in VIC. He struck up an online friendship with a man who is 34.
He has never been in a relationship before. No issues around it he is fully supported and accepted by his entire family.