Josh Duggar alleged sexual abuse - new developments

[halcionne]

Didn't FJ determine that Razing Ruth was the originator of the rumor on the Television Without Pity boards years ago when she was using a different name there? I would be very cautious to accept this as fact until proven otherwise. Josh is an ass, but even he doesn't deserve to have false accusations of this nature attached to his name. It can have some really negative consequences for him, Anna, and his children.

I am buying what you're selling, MissBitters

the calls are coming from inside the house

[shedemei]

This again?

[Emkay]

As many of these stories include Josh's current goings-on and name his employer, wouldn't it be ironic if this led to people really looking at their beliefs and associations, and the downfall of their brand empire? Wasn't JB's loss of a state elected position blamed on the 'sin in the camp?' (Don't remember what's still rumor and what's been proven false, sorry). If this led to the end of their show, etc, Josh would really be the black sheep of the family!

As to the rumors, the only way I can see it being reported by JB is if it involved an extended family member, and he knew not only would it be reported, but it would also come out that he knew about it. If this was still in his political aspiration days, he definitely wouldn't want that mark against him.

[Firiel]

Okay, I'm working on a conglomeration of the earliest iterations of these rumors.

I have NO access to the defunct TWOP forums, so I have to go by what is reported on FJ about what was written on TWOP.

[Buzzard]

As much as I despise smuggles and his smug smarmy ass I just cant believe this. The levels of failure that would have to fall into place for the facts as reported to be true would equal divine intervention. Until someone produces a police report, an order sealing documents, or a statement from the reporting officer I refuse to believe any of it.

[mpheels]

Daily Mail citing citing InTouch, citing Radar, citing starcasm, citing anonymous sources (that are possibly/likely random FJ posts). It's just one big tabloid circle jerk.

[halcionne]

I think our best hope is that a long-time member will point us to where this topic was discussed on the yuku forum.

I went there and tried searching, but I'm not sure that function even works.

HALP.

I found this but I"m in over my head and don't have anything coherent to add.

http://freejinger.yuku.com/topic/372#.VVyiR0_BzRY

Alice looks like a C* persona to me, but so does everyone else on the internet

ETA link :doh:

[HarleyQuinn]

Daily Mail has been reporting a ton of Duggar shit lately. The comments are always hilarious. Everyone in the U.S hates them and no one in the UK knows who they are.

Either way, I'm looking forward to Josh or the other Duggars releasing a comment about this. I wonder if Pickles will get her source to go fetch some info on it?

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Daily Mail has been reporting a ton of Duggar shit lately. The comments are always hilarious. Everyone in the U.S hates them and no one in the UK knows who they are.

Either way, I'm looking forward to Josh or the other Duggars releasing a comment about this. I wonder if Pickles will get her source to go fetch some info on it?

I really doubt the Duggars will address this now. This rumor has circulated so long that the Duggars would have addressed it earlier had they seen the reason to.

[Firiel]

I found this but I"m in over my head and don't have anything coherent to add.

http://freejinger.yuku.com/topic/372#.VVyiR0_BzRY

Alice looks like a C* persona to me, but so does everyone else on the internet

ETA link :doh:

RIGHT?!?!?!

[NotALoserLikeYou]

But this is the first time it's been in a print magazine. He might address it. Especially if bigger outlets pick it up. It might be from a tabloid but that's where half of America gets their news!

[16strong]

Daily Mail has been reporting a ton of Duggar shit lately. The comments are always hilarious. Everyone in the U.S hates them and no one in the UK knows who they are.

Either way, I'm looking forward to Josh or the other Duggars releasing a comment about this. I wonder if Pickles will get her source to go fetch some info on it?

I'm always amused and confused that there aren't more leghumpers on the Duggar articles, given how conservative DM is. You description made me laugh, because it's spot on.

[Morrighan]

Before lending too much credence to Britain's finest newspaper I would review the following carefully:

http://www.shouldireadthedailymail.com/

First time poster!!

+1 million to this! The Daily Mail is nothing but a tabloid rag. I wouldn't use that paper to wipe my a*s!!

I hope these rumours aren't true. 1) being falsely accused of a crime like this will ruin Josh's life. I hate him as much as the next person, but this could do untold damage to him, to Anna and the kids. 2) for the sake of the alleged victim. If these stories turn out to be true, then there is a young woman out there somewhere, that no doubt has been told to keep her trap shut and was very likely blamed for "tempting" or "defrauding" Josh :(

[mpheels]

But this is the first time it's been in a print magazine. He might address it. Especially if bigger outlets pick it up. It might be from a tabloid but that's where half of America gets their news!

I think the National Enquirer's coverage of John Edwards' affair back during the 2008 campaign really changed how public figures have to deal tabloid rumors. Before that affair, any reasonable person would roll their eyes and move on. Then the National Enquirer got the story right, and it was a huge story.

I expect the Duggars will watch and wait for now. If this dies down quickly, then no problem. If it gains traction, they and TLC will have to say something, especially following the Honey Boo Boo fiasco.

[tulip]

The fact that tabloids picked this up is disappointing to me. We've established (with the information that we've been given) that this is solely an internet rumor, and have stated that many, many times. I first heard about this years ago reading through various forums, and even then I was reading that this was just a rumor. I hope people who are reading these magazines get online and do some research, or that the Duggars make a statement and squash this before it gains any more momentum.

When I fist saw this today, I saw it on Pickle's page. Her caption, along with posting the In Touch article, was pretty much saying that the article was true and she believed every word of it. I'm also disappointed in that. For a person who claims to know so much about the Duggars, it's unbelievable that she'd buy into this too. IMO, she's just :stir-pot:

All the snarking is funny and there's obviously a large community that takes time to discuss these people and their lifestyle, but... this.. isn't funny anymore.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Every time this story comes back to life with a new set of details, I wonder why anyone cares. IF the story is true, which is a HUGE if because there has never been anything except false accounts and anonymous sources connected to any of the origins, the events happened when he was 15 years or younger. And, if there was really an investigation and he was found guilty, there would have been proof. Even if he had his records sealed, under the law he would have had to register as a sex offender until he turned 18.

If this iteration is to be believed, JB turned him in, which would mean there wasn't anyone being paid off to find him innocent. Which, IF this iteration is true, means he wasn't found guilty.

What I believe happened IF any of its true (and again this is a huge if) was Josh admitted to inappropriately touching a girl to his church congregation. This could mean ANYTHING fron accidentally touching a girl's boob to having sex. I don't believe that, unless it was an accident, the girl was an unwilling participant. She may not have been at his church when the confession was made because, even then, the Duggars traveled a lot, so her confession may not have happened (or at least not with his confession).

I don't believe he molested or raped anyone. I especially don't believe the allegations that once spread of him raping and molesting his sisters. And, I really think that we need to stop talking about this like it happened unless we have irrefutable evidence that it did -- or at least a victim coming forward.

[Mecca]

The Duggars do a whole lot of crap on open record that can be brought up and investigated, and yet it gets overlooked by the media daily. :think:

I admit I am VERY uncomfortable with the accusations of sexual assault in the "In Touch" article. Sure, there are times when the tabloids can be correct, even a broken watch can be correct two times a day, but that does not mean it is a true story given the rather sketchy information they are reporting. Allegations of sexual assault are serious and should be treated as such. It should not be used for tabloid fodder.

Unless something more concrete comes up, I am going to file this in the trash.

[Wenny]

Poor Anna and the kids. What happens 10 years from now when someone asks 15 old Mack if all of this is true.

[Buzzard]

Free Jinger - the voice of reason and logic since 2005

[twinmama]

If there is any truth to any of this...I hope it's just something like that. Josh and a girl (non-relative) around his age...messing around. But the parents freaked out because they are so messed up when it comes to sexuality.

The thing with that though is that despite their insane views on sexuality, they have to realize that it isn't ILLEGAL right??? I mean, if what JB saw (if he saw anything) was making out, or even sex between two teenagers, he knows that isn't something the cops need to know about!

It grosses me out and is super skeevy that this is coming up about something that happened when Josh was a minor. If it is true, of course it is worse for the girl, but we don't publicize things like this when they happen with minors.

[VelociRapture]

I understand that there are people who want to speculate on this story and what may/may not have occurred. It's a very serious accusation to make against someone, so I would like to urge people to try to be careful when discussing this matter. If the story is false then an innocent man has been accused of a horrible thing - be cautious in what you post so you don't unintentionally add fuel to the fire.

I also would like to urge people not to speculate further on who the other person involved may be. It is a huge invasion of privacy to be speculating on that when the person is alleged to be the victim of a sexually based crime. All the people mentioned here, and in the past, have a right to privacy and not be dragged into this story any further.

Finally, please take the time to consider the sources you are getting your information from. The tabloids may have gotten a bit of a reputation boost from several stories they broke that were true. . . however, the majority of stories they print are still fabrications and they have a well-known reputation for citing anonymous sources (which, as others have pointed out, can mean just about anyone - including a reporter who needs to fill space in the next edition and decides to make something up).

If the story is true then of course Josh needs to be held responsible, at least in the court of public opinion. If it's a lie though, and I strongly suspect it is, then Josh (as well as Anna and their children) is a victim and deserves to be recognized as such.

:twocents-02cents:

[happy atheist]

Concernedmom's post from the FACTnet message board Firiel linked to earlier, dated Monday, April 4, 2005

WOW! andyman! You are right on with all you say. I have attended a couple of basic seminars when I was a teen and young adult(somewhat awhile back). Like you stated previously, I took what seemed to be the good stuff and left the goofy. Then, about 6 years ago, I met my now best friend. Her husband was very interested in IBLP and ATI. They learned about it through a home church here in our area. The families mostly belong to ATI, some since the very beginnings of ATI. A few of the families actually see ATI as to liberal for them, are you getting the picture. I was actually excited the first year that this family went to the ATI conference and came back with their first set of Wisdom Booklets. They shared them with us as we are both long time homeschool families. But as I started reading through and preparing to teach my children, I found some things that disturbed me and gave them back. Around the same time, my husband and I attended this home church. It seemed so perfect with all of the bright eyed, well behaved children and the friendliest people I have ever met. My husband is the one who had the red flags blarring, so he told me to take a couple of weeks and really look at Gothard's teachings, which are taught in the church through video and other means. What great wisdom on his part, I found more than enough to warrant my own red flags, but we still really admired two of the families inparticular. We had seem them occasionally over the next few years at some social events and even helped with political campaigns. Here is where things get interesting. These ATI families hold high state offices and have run for high federal offices, also. These are not sit in the corner type people. They are seperatists though. A few years ago, unknown to my best friend, now out of ATI but still paricipating in the home church, the men of the church were meeting after church to discuss my friends teenage daughters apparel. They felt like their blouses were to tight and they should bind their chest up more, go figure. At the same time the son of one of these political men was touching one of my friends teenage daughters in a sexual way as she slept. This was found out and apologies were made although the boy was tempted by the girls tight blouses(lol). The boy was sent to one of the training centers to be punished??? My friends did not return to the home church for quite sometime after this. At this same time, the boy mentioned earlier was betrothed to a girl in the the group, both were 14 at the time. The betrothal was broken by the boys actions. Then about a year later, my friend decided to go back to the home church and see everyone again. She was appalled at what went on at that particular meeting. An eight year old girl was made by her parents to stand in front of the group and confess the sin of masturbation and ask for punishment(to cleanse her) and forgiveness. My first thought was that this girl had to have been abused if she was truly masturbating, but with the power of these families, what can you do. Just this last year the family of the young man mentioned before was highlighted on the Discovery Channel, at the time they had 14 children and were about to have another and the mom was receiving a mother of the year award from our governor. Since that time the same boy was betrothed again to the same girl. He was working very hard on a campaingn for U.S. Senate for the girls father. The father lost the campaign. He immediately began looking for "sin in the camp", as that could be the only explanation for the loss. He found that the young man betrothed to his daughter, had committed sexual sins(?) while on the campaign trail. The young man, now 16, was made to stand in fornt of the church and confess his sin. He was then told that the campaign was lost due to his sin. The weight of the world on this poor boys shoulders. I do not know what punishment the church gave but I do know that it was harsh enough for his mother to seek advise outside of the "group", but she did eventually give in to her husband and the group. The young man and young girls betrothal is now broken. I am I nuts to see this as abuse? And what do you think can be done? I think if DHS were called they would go and see a happy family who call the governor friend not just aquaintance. I know this post is long, but I tried to include the really important stuff as there is so much more that can be told.

[happy atheist]

Okay, I'm working on a conglomeration of the earliest iterations of these rumors.

I have NO access to the defunct TWOP forums, so I have to go by what is reported on FJ about what was written on TWOP.

I saved a record of what Ruth posted on TWOP under the name ofduggar. Going through it just now, this is the only reference to the Josh allegations.

I don't know how helpful that is. She probably had a bunch of accounts over there.

[gustava]

This speculation must stop. This thread is not snark. It is vile, disgusting innuendo, gossip, and rumor.

This is not the purpose of FJ. We are better than this.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

The thing with that though is that despite their insane views on sexuality, they have to realize that it isn't ILLEGAL right??? I mean, if what JB saw (if he saw anything) was making out, or even sex between two teenagers, he knows that isn't something the cops need to know about!

It grosses me out and is super skeevy that this is coming up about something that happened when Josh was a minor. If it is true, of course it is worse for the girl, but we don't publicize things like this when they happen with minors.

It's only this iteration that claims JB brought him to the police. Other iterations have him being punished with ALERT or his courtship being called off.