Josh Duggar alleged sexual abuse - new developments

[ClaraOswin]

Yes, since Josh was the oldest of the Duggar children at 13, then his victims were 12 and under. I hope with all my heart that one wasn't a baby or toddler in diapers. We just don't know. One victim seemed to be saying that she couldn't remember what happened.. could be due to age, or just the trauma, or her being in bed asleep. We don't know most of the details, and we shouldn't know, I guess.

The abuse took place in what year? 2003?

If so, Joy was the youngest girl (born in 1997.) The next girl wasn't born until 2005.

[MalteseBaby]

I seriously don't think they'll be writing any books. Or that they should for the money.

This isn't a story, or another plotline for the show. This is a horrific case of abuse.

Just wanted to say how much I agree with this. No one should be looking at this as anything but a very personal horror for the daughters. This is not "" Flowers In The Attic", this is a huge part of their past, and if it's not been dealt with in therapy, then it's still a huge part of their lives.

[lookinggoodforjesus]

The fact that no one from TLC or the Duggars have said a word disgusts me. That further proves that it is true. I don't think TLC would have any trouble backing out. But the fact the response is so delayed makes me wonder if they're scrambling to save the show.

Sorry, but it's obvious that 19KAC cannot continue. I think that is very clear. Maybe a spin-off about the older kids would be acceptable.

Seriously, has there been a single reality show that has not ended with some sort of scandal?

[Fascinated]

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.

I would just like to state that I'm sure no one was suggesting actually filming counseling sessions. I certainly wasn't when I said that TLC could do a whole new type of show that could be enlightening and helpful by showing the family handling this in a truthful way.

[Snarkle Motion]

I can't imagine any scenario where Razing Ruth and the Duggars teamed up in the way you describe.

It's not that the concept doesn't kind of make sense, but once you are familiar with the ways things shook out, it just doesn't make sense for the situation. Here is the Razing Ruth archive: viewforum.php?f=88

Thank you for this. When I have the time I plan to go back and look through this. Any chance you or someone else could give a recap? I know there is a lot going on at the moment so no worries if not but thought I'd ask. ;) And its not that I think they "teamed up" as found someone vulnerable to pay off, discredit and disappear as a way of scrubbing the origins of the rumors.

[happy atheist]

And Defrauder Daughter, I hope.

What? That's not a user title here.

[theinvisiblegirl]

I wanted to think that it was just a "misunderstanding" on Jim Bob's part, that he overreacted to Josh and another teenager making out, having both consented to the act. I didn't want to believe that one of his sisters could have been a victim, let alone more than one. I'm disgusted. I just can't believe it.

[hollywood]

Josh, Anna, and Jim Bob and Michelle made statements. Josh admitted to it and resigned from his job.

[TXGirlInAMaterialWorld]

Josh, Anna, and Jim Bob and Michelle made statements. Josh admitted to it and resigned from his job.

Where did they make statements?

[twinmama]

So he likes even pre-pubescent girls, too. Friggin' sick beyond description.

I feel uneasy ascribing the feelings or a 13 year old to an adult. Of course young children are capable of horrific things and this kind of abuse is one of them, but they are juveniles, distinguished from adults for a reason. What Josh did is disgusting beyond comprehension, but we have yet to see evidence he is still a sexual predator. I hope no one interprets this as me going easy on sexual abuse, it is disgusting and wrong, but a 13 year old and a 25+ year old have such different mental capabilities that I have a hard time believing the things one did at 13 would also be done at 25.

[brittbritt]

Josh, Anna, and Jim Bob and Michelle made statements. Josh admitted to it and resigned from his job.

Where can I find this? Do you have a link?

[happy atheist]

Razing Ruth is not real. She had no inside information. Read the archive: viewforum.php?f=88

[theinvisiblegirl]

Josh, Anna, and Jim Bob and Michelle made statements. Josh admitted to it and resigned from his job.

Link?

[sense and nonsense]

I think this might be the catalyst for a lot of fans seeing the truth about this family.

From what I understand, most leghumpers are young teens who didn't understand the true ramifications of Gothard/quiverful. (The second type of fan would be other fundies of course)

But molestation might be an issue they actually view as horrible. I just can't see younger viewers looking up to them as a happy family anymore.

[southpaw33]

If one of the girls interviewed was going for her GED in 2006, then I'd put my money on it being Jana NOT Jill. Jill would have been around 14 then. And, Josh may have not bothered Jana because she was older, closer to his age, and more likely to tell. :(

[SassyPants]

Those poor girls and all this emphasis on purity. Holy crap.

To know this went on within your own family, yet to sell your family to the media and speak this language og purity and modesty standards. Can you imagine what those girls must think? And then Jinger's words and Jana single at 25.5...shite on a shingle.

JB- you're a complete failure and utter buffoon.

Michelle- ditto.

[jerkit]

Statement was made on people.com

I can't get the link to work from my phone. But people posted it on their fb page which is where I saw it first.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Got to agree - those situations are apples and oranges.

I still wonder if something happened to Josh. We know he was getting a ton of mixed signals early in life - sex is bad, but his parents boinking constantly, and talking about it openly. That can certainly confuse a kid, but I just can't shake the feeling there is something more.

Then again, maybe he's just broken. There certainly are cases of people coming from normal homes that do this crap, for no apparent reason; they're wiring is just crossed somewhere.

Hard to say, and I don't think either is an appealing choice.

I really wish this wasn't real. There's enough to hate about the Duggars without this.

The thing is that sexual abuse can happen at any time from anyone, particularly someone trusted. None of the families are really screened and sexual abuse is dismissed as a girl's actions bringing it upon herself or the devil entering a person.

It's very possible that one of the families that they "fellowshipped" with had a person Josh trusted who took sexual advantage of him. Whether JB or Michelle ever found out is a question. But, Josh's abuse of his sisters and this other girl may be rooted in abuse he faced at the hands of someone outside his family.

I'm not excusing what he did, of course, but it is possible.

[Yoshimi]

Link?

http://www.people.com/article/josh-dugg ... rs-respond

[happy atheist]

Josh's statement:

"Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends," Josh, 27, tells PEOPLE in a statement. "I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life."

Josh has resigned from his position at the Family Research Council as a result of the accusations becoming public, but his family has stood behind him.

http://www.people.com/article/josh-dugg ... rs-respond

[gemma]

I guess they finally did something bad enough to make you stop loving them. Too bad it had to be something this bad to make you stop liking them. Siding with a guy like Bill Gothard should have been a massive red flag to stop your love. I just hope the other Duggar leghumpers finally see the light too and demand this family is taken off television.

ETA: It just makes me so mad that the conservative Christian community gave the Duggar a pass on all the other horrible stuff they did and it took something this awful to make them question.

You know what it is formergothardite (and i'd love to understand the source of your username. Was your family involved with that freak Gothard?), my family was insanely freaking liberal, but the same bs happened. I think most of us who had insane experiences growing up tend to turn away from the belief system we were raised with. Forgive me, but today I don't even know what to think. My kids admire the Duggars and, since I picked them up from school, I've tried to explain that we can't watch the Duggars anymore. There will be some discussion over dinner tonight.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

One of the victims was sitting on Josh's lap getting a story read to her, I believe. That makes me worry that at least one victim was quite young.

I thought the girl was reading the book and one was sitting on the couch while the other was on the arm of the chair. That's why she dropped the book when she ran away.

[bringonthetrumpets]

Josh's statement:

http://www.people.com/article/josh-dugg ... rs-respond

Ruin HIS life? WTF!!! HE ruined 5 women's lives!

[HuggleMonster]

Holy crap.

I wonder if TLC will cancel the show now.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

So March 2002 makes Josh 14

Jana 12

Jill 10

Jessa 9

Jinger 8

Joy 4