Josh Duggar alleged sexual abuse - new developments

[MalteseBaby]

So this family gets ANOTHER fucking pass in their fucked up lives?! This is insane. So I wonder who came forward to have them destroyed: one of the sisters, or the non-family member who likely got paid off!??!

My husband's always said that money does the talking. I guess he's right.

[Hera]

Not my specialty, but wouldn't the fact that JB and M covered up the sexual abuse of their children and allowed the abuser to remain in the home put them at the top of Arkansas's version of CPS's Must Investigate List? Frankly, if they're willing to cover this up, there's no telling what else goes on in that house.

[happy atheist]

I've been lurking here for about 6 months and I've read extensively about the duggars in that time. Background about me: I work with trauma victims in my day job and have long suspected the duggar girls were victims of sexual abuse based on things Jim Bob has said and Gothard's history. My other unrelated hobby/pastime is researching political scandals, cover-ups, and conspiracies.

So I came here long after the Razing Ruth scandal but for a long time it has pinged my radar - it looks a lot like an orchestrated disinformation campaign. I told myself I'd let my conspiracy theory hobby bleed into my other "fandoms" but I couldn't shake myself of this and almost wrote a post about it a few days ago. I wish I had since it would probably carry even more weight now. But essentially it has the components of someone like a fixer (ala Olivia Pope from Scandal) trying to get ahead of a political or PR crisis. Got troublesome rumors that need to be swept under the rug? Sometimes the only way to hide rumors is to openly have someone present this information and then discredit the person. Then whenever the information is discussed again it is dismissed as "that crazy person started that rumor" and people move on.

I don't know what this tactic is called but its essentially a version of two truths and a lie. Tell some things that are exactly the facts and something that's an outrageous lie and everyone dismisses all three things as outrageous lies.

My thoughts aren't very organized right now since I'm so horrified (even if not surprised) but I guess I'm curious where to get more info about Razing Ruth and how she was discredited. Where exactly is she now? Its possible that she knew inside info or stumbled upon it and incorporated it or that it was entirely coincidence but it shocks me how accurate she was about her allegations. I'm also curious if FreeJinger archives all old threads and how best to search these? :doh:

There's no way Ruth was a victim. She's in her 40s and was already married at the time this was happening. She never lived in Arkansas.

[gilora]

My two cents on the fallout:

Anna isn't going anywhere. She "was created to be Josh's helpmeet."

Josh is probably done with the FRC and any dreams he may have had of holding public office are finished. He and Anna will move into their recently purchased rental house.

The Duggars will make a statement to the effect that this happened so long ago, Josh returned to God and was forgiven, and please respect our privacy during this difficult time.

The weekly show will be cancelled, there will be specials for milestone events, but they will not feature Josh.

Derrick may move his family out of the mansion, but there will be no further cutting of ties with the Duggars.

Ben won't do anything and will continue to live in the rental house with Jessa.

Jim Bob and Michelle will try to spin this on the church circuit as persecution for their beliefs.

The Josiah courtship will continue as planned.

Hopefully the victims can go back to having some privacy in their lives.

[ClaraOswin]

What would be the point of destroying the documents now?

They are on-line, so all of the most damaging information is out there, for all the world to see, until the Internet ceases to exist.

What's the point, besides making it look like more of a cover-up?

I suspect that it could be the non-family victim. Her name isn't out there at all and I'm sure she'd like to keep in that way. Especially if it is who I think it is....someone married with a family. I doubt she'd want everyone in her life knowing about this.

(All speculation and my opinion, of course.)

[Walking Cat Bed]

Every time someone suggests that they show someone getting counseling and putting it on the show, it makes me angry. Counseling sessions should ONLY include the counselor, the person receiving help, and maybe other people the counselor deems appropriate. They should NEVER be broadcast. Ever. For any reason.

Yes, EXACTLY. I think it would be honorable of TLC to FUND the counseling sessions, maybe even finding a (female) licensed-counselor-who-is-a-Christian who will only use the Bible/religion in uplifting or empowering ways, and to pay for the remaining kids' GED prep/testing, career counseling for the oldest few, and anything else that will benefit the individual kids so they can be productive adults -- and not film anything else unless an adult child consents to a special episode.

TLC needs to cut Jim Bob and Michelle and Josh off entirely.

[Buzzard]

I have no problem with them destroying the originals. The unredacted copies should never be made public. The redacted copies are now out there forever and there is no taking them back. I just wonder which poor child was forced by Boob down to the courthouse to sign these papers.

[16strong]

I'm not convinced that 19KaC will be cancelled, or that the Duggar worship will stop. The Duggars are ridiculously slick, and can make controversies that kill other people's reputations roll right off their backs. As much as I'd love to count them out of the race, history has told us that they always have a few PR tricks up their sleeves. Who's to say that they haven't been planning for this moment for the last 10 years? I'm just so skeptical. I want to believe TLC will wash their hands of them, but I don't want to get burned.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Wasn't Derick's father associated with local law enforcement? It wouldn't surprise me if someone told Cathy about this situation before. I am sure it's been an open secret in LE circles in NW Ark for years. I can imagine that someone would want to warn Cathy that her grandson was being born into a family with a known history of abuse.

The thing is that I don't think that Cathy or Ben's parents would bring this to the media. It's not like they'd only be harming Josh and his parents, their daughters in law are just as harmed (if not more so) by this. It would be one thing if there was one sister out of the 4 oldest who were molested. Then there could be a chance if wasn't their daughter in law. But 4 girls were attacked, and I'm going to hazard to guess Joy was not one of them. Even if Joy was one of them, that leaves 3 out of 4 older girls who were assaulted. No matter what, people will see their daughter in law as one of the victims. And they'll talk about it, they'll speculate, many will blame the daughters, many will say "boys will be boys," etc. I mean we are already seeing that. Why would you put someone you're trying to protect into harm's way?

No. If it's an inside the family thing, I'm going to guess that either Jessa or Jill released it. And not without the other girls' approval.

[JenniferJuniper]

I don't know the answer to that, but if Bill Clinton can have an affair while in Office, lie about it, later admit it true and still remain in Office, then anything is possible.

He lied about consensual sex with an adult who wasn't his wife.

Josh molested his sisters and his parents covered it up. And have the audacity to lecture endlessly about gay couples destroying the family unit.

I don't know what will happen to the family after the show. But the show has to end now.

[FlamingFundie]

My two cents on the fallout:

Anna isn't going anywhere. She "was created to be Josh's helpmeet."

Josh is probably done with the FRC and any dreams he may have had of holding public office are finished. He and Anna will move into their recently purchased rental house.

The Duggars will make a statement to the effect that this happened so long ago, Josh returned to God and was forgiven, and please respect our privacy during this difficult time.

The weekly show will be cancelled, there will be specials for milestone events, but they will not feature Josh.

Derrick may move his family out of the mansion, but there will be no further cutting of ties with the Duggars.

Ben won't do anything and will continue to live in the rental house with Jessa.

Jim Bob and Michelle will try to spin this on the church circuit as persecution for their beliefs.

The Josiah courtship will continue as planned.

Hopefully the victims can go back to having some privacy in their lives.

Honestly, I think you nailed it.

[asinglevoice]

Folks, RazingRuth aint real. she can't do an exclusive interview because she doesn't exist. The only reason this information may at one time have appeared on her site because the woman behind the scam was a reader of this forum where it had ince been speculated that Josh had molested his sisters.

[JessaJessa]

I've been lurking here for about 6 months and I've read extensively about the duggars in that time. Background about me: I work with trauma victims in my day job and have long suspected the duggar girls were victims of sexual abuse based on things Jim Bob has said and Gothard's history. My other unrelated hobby/pastime is researching political scandals, cover-ups, and conspiracies.

So I came here long after the Razing Ruth scandal but for a long time it has pinged my radar - it looks a lot like an orchestrated disinformation campaign. I told myself I'd let my conspiracy theory hobby bleed into my other "fandoms" but I couldn't shake myself of this and almost wrote a post about it a few days ago. I wish I had since it would probably carry even more weight now. But essentially it has the components of someone like a fixer (ala Olivia Pope from Scandal) trying to get ahead of a political or PR crisis. Got troublesome rumors that need to be swept under the rug? Sometimes the only way to hide rumors is to openly have someone present this information and then discredit the person. Then whenever the information is discussed again it is dismissed as "that crazy person started that rumor" and people move on.

I don't know what this tactic is called but its essentially a version of two truths and a lie. Tell some things that are exactly the facts and something that's an outrageous lie and everyone dismisses all three things as outrageous lies.

My thoughts aren't very organized right now since I'm so horrified (even if not surprised) but I guess I'm curious where to get more info about Razing Ruth and how she was discredited. Where exactly is she now? Its possible that she knew inside info or stumbled upon it and incorporated it or that it was entirely coincidence but it shocks me how accurate she was about her allegations. I'm also curious if FreeJinger archives all old threads and how best to search these? :doh:

There is a link to all things Razing Ruth earlier in this thread. It's pretty extensive.

[Cleopatra7]

I don't know the answer to that, but if Bill Clinton can have an affair while in Office, lie about it, later admit it true and still remain in Office, then anything is possible.

As sleazy as Clinton was/is, the Monica Lewinsky affair was consensual and between two adults. Josh was groping his tween age sisters who were so sexually ignorant they didn't even have the words to describe what had happened to them. Maybe some of the more hardcore IFBers will still support the Duggars, since Josh confessed his sins to god/his parents, but I can't see their mainstream Christian audience sticking with them after this. Too many people (myself included) are tired of hearing abuse godsplained away, especially when the Duggars are campaigning to take away the rights of LGBT people and anyone else they disapprove of. Don't lecture us about the non-existent threat of rapists claiming to be trans to get into women's bathrooms when you wouldn't even protect your own girls from the monster in their own family.

[Aggie2145]

I'm surprised that it only takes 1 person's asking to have all the docs *destroyed*. What about the others? Wouldn't they need to ask for it to be destroyed, too? It's evidence of what allegedly happened to them, as well...

It is a Victim's rights issue. The case is archived and beyond any statute of limitations. The only thing that can come of these documents is revealing the victims names for crimes that happened 12-13 years ago. EVERY victim has a right to privacy and should have the right to destroy all documents from further disclosure. The other victims share in that right as the only benefit they have at the moment is their privacy - which they deserve.

Yes the internet is forever and if a redacted copy can leak, so can the original. The rights and interests of the petitioning victim match those of the other victims.

[azombieatemyshoelace]

I don't know the answer to that, but if Bill Clinton can have an affair while in Office, lie about it, later admit it true and still remain in Office, then anything is possible.

Bill Clinton didn't rape anyone. Also he's hardly the first president to have an affair. Not that it makes what Clinton did right. It doesn't.

[Furbabies]

I did this several hours ago, actually.

And Defrauder Daughter, I hope.

[twinmama]

He lied about consensual sex with an adult who wasn't his wife.

Josh molested his sisters and his parents covered it up. And have the audacity to lecture endlessly about gay couples destroying the family unit.

I don't know what will happen to the family after the show. But the show has to end now.

Not to get into Clinton stuff, but lying about his sex life has nothing to do with his presidential duties. A family putting themselves out there as the perfect family and the Way We Should Do Things, but has this shit going on behind the scenes has everything to do with their job!

[MisUndrstd]

:ew:

Folks, RazingRuth aint real. she can't do an exclusive interview because she doesn't exist. The only reason this information may at one time have appeared on her site because the woman behind the scam was a reader of this forum where it had ince been speculated that Josh had molested his sisters.

Thanks for clearing that up, I did not know. I had assumed she was real based on the way people talked about her. I'm glad to know she is not a real person in the since of being an inner-sider that could further destroy the girls. I'm just distraught that the girls are going through this.

[lookinggoodforjesus]

The thing is that I don't think that Cathy or Ben's parents would bring this to the media. It's not like they'd only be harming Josh and his parents, their daughters in law are just as harmed (if not more so) by this. It would be one thing if there was one sister out of the 4 oldest who were molested. Then there could be a chance if wasn't their daughter in law. But 4 girls were attacked, and I'm going to hazard to guess Joy was not one of them. Even if Joy was one of them, that leaves 3 out of 4 older girls who were assaulted. No matter what, people will see their daughter in law as one of the victims. And they'll talk about it, they'll speculate, many will blame the daughters, many will say "boys will be boys," etc. I mean we are already seeing that. Why would you put someone you're trying to protect into harm's way?

No. If it's an inside the family thing, I'm going to guess that either Jessa or Jill released it. And not without the other girls' approval.

You may be right. I firmly believe that this was not done single handedly. The anonymity of it is obvious that it was someone in or near the family. That instagram photo that Jill posted.... I know that Jill has a newborn and Jessa is pregnant, but they look very tired. Both have circles under their eyes slathered with concealer. Their eyes both look sad.

[Snarkle Motion]

Sorry and this is just my opinion but this smells like someone from the media trying to get RazingRuth to do an exclusive interview or something. I'm sorry, but I feel that Free Jinger should protect the girls who are the obvious victims in this case and not direct someone who may be trying to gain information that will further destroy them.

Hahaha I'm not from the media. :lol: I'm all for protecting these girls so I don't see how learning more about the Razing Ruth in any way affects them? If she was a scammer then she is completely unrelated to them. If she did have inside information and was silenced I'm curious as to why and if other people were affected or tried to speak out? I think if this situation has taught us anything its that ignoring and not following up on information is actually potentially dangerous when children are at risk. :naughty: I'm all for respecting the privacy of victims but not if other people are at risk!

[gemma]

No wonder Grandma took over the freaking laundry. Someone was being assaulted in there!

[DaysAgo]

The show must end. TLC has to take the moral high ground and cut all ties from this family.

The Duggar Kingdom was going to crumble, and it's too bad they let fame and fortune get in the way of the protection of minors.

Josh must get serious help, or someone please get his children away from him.

Has TLC released a statement? Have the Duggars?

[Sweet Fellowship]

Oh, my. I thought it would all be baseless rumour, but now the police reports come out.

My heart breaks for the victims. Boob and J'Chelle need to be held accountable too, if they've been covering this up.

[gemma]

I'm sure the girls have a book to write now. Might be very cathartic.