The man had raised the girl since she was 11. Photo / 123RF
The man had raised the girl since she was 11. Photo / 123RF
A mother has revealed her utter devastation after discovering her ex-husband is in a relationship - with her daughter who he raised as his own.
The distraught Mumsnet user revealed how she'd been left reeling after her son told her they were together, asking fellow users if the relationship amountsto "moral incest".
Elaborating on the family background, she explained that she'd had her first child when she was very young and went on to marry her ex when her daughter was 11, the Daily Mail reports.
He raised her as his own and, as well as calling him "Dad" for more than 20 years, her daughter had changed her surname to her stepfather's.
The woman's daughter also has a son of her own who looks on the ex-husband as his grandfather and calls him "Pappy".
"It just feels so wrong on every level," she said. "I know biologically it's not incest, but morally it feels like it. I'm in total shock and haven't been able to speak to them since."
Fellow Mumsnet users were horrified to hear of the situation and assured the woman it was totally natural to be distraught.
Many admitted that they didn't even know what to advise as they were so shocked, while others warned they had concerns he could have been grooming her from a young age.
Many of those who did offer advice suggested treading carefully and trying to remain neutral so that her daughter can turn to her for support if needs be.
While some people expressed disbelief, others insisted that the situation is not unheard of.
Others pointed out that while the relationship itself isn't illegal, the couple would not be able to marry in the future.
Under UK law, step-relatives cannot marry if the younger of the couple has lived in the same house as the older person before 18, or been treated as a child of the older person's family.
