This situation is not so much the case in more developed countries as it is in less developed countries. However, in my opinion, generally the main reason why young girls go for older men is because there is a perception and some truth to the thought that older men are established and therefore, life would be secure.
In an environment where there are not as many options to consider as far as employment, health care, education, and daily living, young girls who are concerned about securing their future or maybe even frustrated about the lack of alternatives that are available to them in the society, tend to seek both love and security by being with older men. I use "older" not old as we have not provided a definition of how young is young and how old is old.
