Hi everyone . I'm also a member of SL and have been for a couple of years now. I've yet to encounter as Melody and as Aussie99 have while visiting SL.

I joined not long after JL announced its founding at OBT - and shortly after I was dx'd with Asperger's (as an adult). I'm a member of Brigadoon, which is a private island and it is totally "G" rated.

Admittedly, it deeply saddens me to see how SL (and Brigadoon) have been characterized - here.

So that people do know: JL didn't create SL or "virtual" sex havens within SL. He works for Linden Labs, which created SL. And, JL has never behaved inappropriately (in a sexually suggestive manner) - that I've ever seen.

The sexual content, etc., in SL is restricted to "Mature" regions in SL; it's not system-wide. People choose to visit those regions, and the same applies to the regions that offer gambling and so on.

This article was written earlier this year; it offers a glimpse into Brigadoon:

Autism community forges virtual haven

The only inaccuracy I see (in the above article) is my age; I declined to provide that, since SL also has its TOS and members are not required to disclose data about ourselves - that could ID us in RL; the reporter took a "guess." (My member name - "Rain" - is derived from a nickname that my RL friends gave me.)

SL doesn't create addictions. I've currently $L 24,000 in my account - and that's the balance after having raised and re-directed donations for Brigadoon, ShockProof and BT.

What do I do in SL? Some is described in the article.

I've also participated in Educational Faires - by helping set up and "man" the areas respective of Asperger's and Brigadoon.

Because Brigadoon is a private island, and none of my RL friends are also Aspies, I bumped my basic account to a premium - to buy land. A few of my RL friends joined SL - being supportive of me and of others with Asperger's. We "meet" on that land and it bridges a gap; we live far apart so, in a sense, it's a way to get to "see" each other and interact through synchronous chat.

Periodically, Brigadoon has an "open house," and its members are invited to ask others to attend . It's not a secret society, but the island does provide a safe haven... free from prejudice and ridicule.

I'm not a lone individual in SL; I know a number of people who don't use SL for its "sexual" content/activity. One, for instance, is a cardiopulmonary specialist - a doctor. His use of SL is for relaxation and creating.

To me, SL is not only a viable tool for socialization, it also facilitates creativity - much as do the modules used in design school, which I'm attending (thinking that design can provide a relief from working in computer forensics and encountering a barrage of criminals.)

SL is member-driven/dependent. The content (objects and text) exist, in large part, based on what members do in SL. And, in turn, SL is what each member makes it; the experience is also member dependent.