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In a story that has left many scratching their heads and others downright appalled, a married Colorado man, who spent three decades unaware of his biological roots, has reportedly left his wife to embark on a sexual relationship with his birth mother. The mother, Kim West, had given him up for adoption shortly after his birth.
The tale begins in 1983 when Kim West, then a 19-year-old student in California, gave birth to her son, Ben. Facing financial and emotional challenges, she made the difficult decision to place him for adoption after just one week and subsequently returned to her native UK. For over 30 years, their paths remained separate.
However, in 2013, Ben, now a married man residing in Colorado, sought to connect with his biological parents. His search led him to Kim, and an initial letter paved the way for tentative emails and phone calls. By 2014, they arranged to meet in person, setting the stage for an unexpected turn of events.
Both Ben and Kim claim an immediate and intense connection upon their reunion. Within days, their relationship reportedly became sexual. The repercussions were swift and dramatic.
Ben later confessed to his wife, Victoria, that he could no longer be intimate with her unless he imagined her as his mother. Kim, reflecting on those early days, described a tense household atmosphere, noting Victoria’s politeness but aloofness, and a rising tide of jealousy.
“Victoria was welcoming, yet I couldn’t warm to her,” Kim stated. “I felt a growing sense of competition and when Ben touched her I felt jealous.” She further alleged that Victoria grew increasingly uneasy with the amount of time Ben spent with his birth mother.
“She would constantly call him when we were together,” Kim recounted. “Eventually, he admitted she was giving him grief about spending time with me. ‘She calls you mummy girlfriend,’ he said.”
Within days of the affair commencing, Ben revealed the truth to his wife. Soon after, he ended his marriage and moved to Michigan to live with Kim.
News of their relationship sparked widespread condemnation. Under Michigan law, consensual incest between adults is a serious criminal offense, potentially leading to jail time and mandatory registration as sex offenders.
Despite the public outcry, the couple has refused to label their relationship as incest. Instead, they refer to their connection as “Genetic Sexual Attraction,” citing a disputed theory not widely recognized by psychologists. This theory suggests that close relatives meeting for the first time as adults may experience powerful attraction due due to the absence of early-life bonding.