Huge Age-Gap - Your thoughts?

[BianchiKings]

Please note that this is NOT about me! I do not want the hate - I am simply here to read peoples views on this so I can steady my own mind... or not!

This may also be something that people may find this very extreme and may find this disgusting and some may find this hard to read. I am just having a hard time to process this and get this out of my head - because, quite frankly I find this disgusting and just want to shake the girl!!

So - I work within a small team and we are a very close-knitted team, we share most things about each others lives, we have all be togethre through our pregnancies and more.
Recently, we have recruited an Apprentice (She's 18 bare in mind)... after a few months, she opens up about her "Friend" who she has been seeing fort he past 14 months (so that would make her under 18 when she started seeing him!)

Turns out - she has been seeing, going away with, having intimate relations (to try and not make this sound vile) with a MARRIED MAN who is 50 and has 2 CHILDREN WHO ARE BOTH OLDER THAN HER! Baring in mind this girl is 18... and a young 18 year old at that! - Her parents do not know... her friends do not know... The wife of this man and their kids do not have a clue..

We found this out a week ago and I cannot get this off my mind. I am the second youngest within the team at work at 25 years of age - But, she is 18.. this is her First relationship and I am just a bit freaked out really - this girl is younger than my youngest sister - who is such a 'prude' and would run a mile if a boy took a shine to her!

The girl at work has said that the man has told her that he basically cant leave his wife (as he supposedly wants to) due to money - thats a separate issue by the sounds of it; but has still carried on living a double life with his wife of 20+ years and an 18 year old girl.

I just want to shake the girl and tell her to see the real picture - that she is completely wasting her time and run for the hills. I'd like to tell her - and I have done when we first found out that she is completely stupid.. all going to end up in tears - not just for her, but for the wife, and the innocent Children of this 50 year old.
I also guess that because I spend most of my working week with her, that I am worried for her and just do not want her to be involved in something that she doesnt have to be.

What are your thoughts? What would you be saying to her? Do I leave her to it - she is classed as an adult..? Am I missing something here - but this is just growing a huge concern for her in me.

Obviously this is horrible but she's a colleague you just met, not your DD. Calmly give advice if she asks for it, but don't become overinvested. You can't get it out of your mind? Thats a bit much. She's not in any danger.

As for her wasting her time.... She's 18. Time is there to be wasted at that age isn't it? I'm sure by the time she is 20 this will all be a distant memory "can you believe I fell for that old guy.... Ewww!".

Okkkkk, the under 18 thing - if they were sexually active - bad.
But if she was 18 then she's an adult, he's an adult and they're entitled to do as they like.
My husband is 31 years older than me, and I'm the happiest I could be. I pursued him so no 'grooming'. We have the same interests. I just happen to have a bit of an 'old soul' and am mature. Age gaps aren't 'yuky' just people who are immature enough to see two consenting adults.
But this situation has different parameters that may make it a bit more tricky.... but the only thing you should be concerned about really was if she was under 18 when things happened - not sure what the laws are in the UK around this, but here in Aus that's prosecutable

*Immature enough not to see two consenting adults. People are different. Some people an age gap suit, others not. It's still the same as matching personalities, interests etc. But as with any relationship, it's up to the people involved to work out if it works or not

@Devilrocknroller The age of consent is 16 in the UK but obviously we can make some pretty unwise decisions at 17/18 and be more open to being taken advantage of perhaps. Hell, that can still happen to me in my 40s.