In Touch Weekly is following up their exclusive Duggar Family reporting, because apparently their Freedom of Information requests are the terrible, horrific gifts that keep on giving. As we’ve learned over the past few weeks, Josh molested at least five minor girls (that we know of). He confessed to that to his father and at least partially confessed to one family friend, a state trooper who is currently in jail for child p0rn. This week’s In Touch cover story covers a wide range of information, some of which I’m assuming will be parceled out in the next day or two. Here’s the first part of this week’s cover story: chilling details about Josh’s systematic molestation of his sisters and a family friend.
Josh Duggar confessed to his father Jim Bob Duggar on THREE separate occasions to multiple acts of sexual molestation against his sisters and a family friend, according to a new police report obtained exclusively by In Touch magazine. The document also makes clear that Josh was 15 years old when he molested his 5-year-old sister and committed at least SEVEN acts of sexual molestation.
The new report is from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and was obtained by In Touch using the Freedom of Information Act. In Touch broke the story about Josh’s dark past and previously obtained and published a Springdale Police Department report about the molestations, also by using FOIA.
With fewer redactions than the first report, the Washington County Sheriff’s document makes it clear that despite Josh’s chilling confessions the Duggars waited at least 16 months before contacting authorities about the molestations, even though the behavior was continuing and growing worse. During that period they did not get professional counseling for Josh or his victims. Legal experts tell In Touch that Jim Bob and Michelle could have faced six years in prison for their inaction, if the statue of limitations had not expired.
“James said that in March of 2002 [redacted, Josh] who had just turned 14, came to him very upset and crying,” the new report reads. “James said that [redacted, Josh] had told him that he had been sneaking into [redacted, his sisters’] room at night and had been touching [redacted, his sisters] on the breasts and vaginal areas while they were sleeping.”
The report details that Josh went from sister to sister, stating, “Apparently all of the girls were sleeping in a common room at this time.”
The sheriff’s document also shows the extent of Josh’s abuse. “[Redacted, Josh] told James that this had occurred 4 to 5 times and had occurred as [redacted] was sleeping on the couch.”
As In Touch reports exclusively in its new issue, despite Josh’s confession, Jim Bob and Michelle did not get him – or their daughters — counseling from a licensed mental health professional for at least 16 months. They have said the children did receive counseling but refuse to say if it was court ordered after the Families In Need of Services and the Arkansas Department of Human Services became involved in the Duggar case.
Several legal experts tell In Touch that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar could have faced up to six years in prison for their actions and been charged with Permitting Abuse of a Minor (Arkansas Code 5-27-221). The new police report continues to raise questions about why Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar failed to act in alerting authorities despite Josh’s repeated confessions of sexual molestation and why they didn’t do more to protect their daughters.
By the time police launched their investigation in 2006, the statute of limitations had expired and police turned the matter over to social services. The Duggars did eventually take Josh to a state trooper Joseph Hutchens. But Hutchens, who is serving 56 years in prison, said in an interview from behind bars that Jim Bob and Josh told him about only one incident and that’s why he didn’t report it to the child abuse hotline. The new police report states only that Jim Bob said when they visited Hutchens Josh “had admitted to Cpl Hutchins (sic) what he had done.” The police did not independently verify that. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office turned their investigation over to Springdale police for jurisdiction reasons.
So Michelle and Jim-Bob just sat on their hands and let the abuse escalate over the course of a year (at least). I don’t have much to say about this ongoing horror show at this point. It just makes me sad – sad that the Duggar daughters went through all of it, sad that their parents didn’t seem to care (and still don’t), sad that Josh Duggar will never see the inside of a jail cell. Update: Oh, I made a mistake! Josh did tell his father, referred to as James in the police report. It’s not much better though, because the Duggars still sat on their hands.
The Duggars’ interview airs tonight. I’m sure it will be rage-stroke-inducing. I might need to get some alcoholic beverages to get through it.
Photos courtesy of Duggars’ social media.
Bloody hell!!!
I generally choose not to click/comment on these sick f-cks because I don’t want to give them any attention, but has anybody here read Under The Banner of Heaven by Sebastion Junger? The parallels are disturbing. Why these people were given a national platform to profit off their “lifestyle” speaks volumes about the sorry state of American entertainment culture.
It’s a fantastically scary read, but it’s by Jon Krakauer.
Ugh dumb, sorry I was just reading a book by Junger and got the early morning stupids. Thank you.
Very articulately put, Mimi F, thank you. Just sickened by this, and enraged. If the show continues in ANY form, I will boycott any sponsor, and let them know why.
Yes, great read by Krakauer! I feel sick to my stomach reading this post this morning.
It’s one of my favorites, and a horrifying looks at a true-crime story based on a scary sect of LDS. Truly, truly terrifying what people can do under the guise of religion. All religions should vanish because people use them as a shield for their personal monstrocities.
Yes. Great but disturbing book. What is it with religion and sexual abuse? I don’t get it. I know it happens outside of religion plenty, but religions almost seem to sanction it. Catholic priest, fundamental Christians, Mormons……religion is supposed to help people, yes? But it just seems so destructive. I’m agnostic, bu this is the reason I will never join any particular church.
Cindy
It’s not the religions (unless the religion is to do this terrible stuff).
It’s the people. It’s closed off from the world where those who gain power cannot be challenged without it it coming back on you so generally they go unchallenged.
And being so closed off with limited consequences for these quietly accepted crimes. Rape/assault a 5 year old, but don’t skip prayer service! That’s unforgivable.
It creates a society that breeds passive acceptance.
And these are isolated incidents with religion that makes news. Compared with the FAR more incidents taht happen within average households that may not be a part of any religion at all.
Toyour last point. People use the internet for horrible acts. Will you still use the internet being a part of something that has links to something terrible?
A church and religion or being a part of 1 does not mean you support what a small percentage do. Don’t use that as a justification to not join. It falls flat outside of an isolated theory. It seems insulting to those who are in faiths and are not creeps and deviants.
I read it, Mims. Pretty sure we have the same reading list.
@ FLORC-It’s not “isolated incidents” though. Over several decades, priests and lay members of the Catholic Church sexually abused THOUSANDS of minors.
What you’re describing in your comment is a culture that allows for that to happen and yes, that falls squarely on the shoulders of organized religion.
(note that I did not say PERSONAL religion)
Organized religion where men are easily forgiven by God for their heinous acts allows for a justification on the part of the perpetrator. Then you have a set-up where children are blindly trusting of these religious authorities because “Men of God are good people, role models” even. Now add to that an institution that values self-preservation and reputation over morality and you have a situation that is PERFECT for sexual abuse of minors. The protection will always be afforded to the molesters and the victims will always be shamed into silence.
The most horrific part is that these children should have felt safe in a Church, much like children should feel safe at school. These trusted adults were put in a position of authority and they exploited that under the guise of religion.
Yes, we could argue that molesters will find a way to molest, but you have to admit that religion proved to be a very handy tool in those cases. There was a very obvious reason why child abusers were drawn to the Clergy-they knew there was a structure in place that would allow them to continue harming children without facing consequences. If these men hadn’t had the protection of The Catholic Church, they may have been stopped much sooner. The CC is responsible for not only enabling them but also for covering up their transgressions.
If Josh Duggar is the clergy man who molested a minor, then the Church is Jim Bob and Michele.
@ Florc
You have the right to your opinion that religion plays no part in allowing for the sexual abuse of children. I have the right not join a religion and the right to criticize religions like the Catholic church who let molestations go on for decades… but thanks for the lecture.
They’re also being given a national platform by teabagging wingnut Republicans. Let’s call a spade a spade. Josh duggar was on his way to running, lobbying and supporting anti-woman, fundy, wingnut creepy candidates and had repuglican aspirations of his own. The whole family is a poster child for creepy and republican endorsed.
Kitten
In the larger sense more incidents happen outside of religion than within was my poorly phrased point.
Recently a pedophile ring was found in a somewhat nearby to me area. Cops, firemen, business owners all connected. And it seems very often i’m reading more and more cops are arrested with having that type of illegal material. And protect their own in cover ups. Now, does that mean because I don’t support molestation I should not support my local PD (which unfortunately had 2 former members arrested under this scandal)?
That’s an analogy, but my husband says i’m terrible at them so I feel I need to lable it an analogy.
Cindy
Since you thanked me You’re welcome.
I’m not happy structures protect their own rom within from crimes. I don’t support that. Your comment more read that you don’t and won’t join a religion because you don’t want to be a part of a group that molests children was how it came across. Not that you reserve the right to criticise. And it read as all faiths. Not simply catholics.
But you being agnostic is a larger hurdle to cross. You’d have to at least be athiest to consider worshiping a lord or god of sorts.
Where the hell is CPS? Many minor children still live in that house.
In a culture/family environment that devalues women under the banner of a religion (cult) as mere babymakers, THESE are the type of outcomes that one will commonly see. I am always quick to side-eye any of the platitudes that these types throw out there about “honoring” women and motherhood. When push comes to shove, these types seemingly always end up shoving the women/girls into the background to save face and protect the boys.
I wrote & deleted something similar in my OP, that these stories are, unfortunately, not uncommon at all.
There’s a bunch of reasons they didn’t tell, all having to do with the Patriarchal Gothard-IBLP Cult they belong to. 1. If reported, they could not have continued homeschooling with Josh in the home according to Arkansas law, and they were strictly following Bill Gothard’s ATI homeschooling curriculum. I’m sure it was through him and his religious assocations that any kind of “counselling” happened, and that “counselling” would have been all about how the females tempt the males to “stumble” through the lust they incite, so it’s the victims fault as well that they were molested because they weren’t being modest enough in the home and tempted Josh, and everyone knows men can’t control those urges that women incite. 2. Reputation and public image is everything to these people. 3. In Gothard’s cult the girls/women are second class and subservient to men. And children must be obedient and unquestioning. Questions and even frowning are seen as sinful and affronts to parents, so they must appear happy and content all the time or it’s THEIR fault and they need to pray more. 4. They is no way they wanted more secular people involved who might give Josh or the girls “ideas”. They kept those kids as isolated from the world and other differing worldviews and belief systems as possible, restricting everything from the internet to movies and tv (they could only watch old movies and sitcome from the 1960s and books had to be Christian. Everyone they associated with believed the same way and everywhere they went was essentially reinforcing their religious views, ie: Creationist Museum, etc. 5. And last, but not least, they didn’t want anyone telling the kids that sexual feelings and thoughts (and gasp…masturbation) was okay. These are all sins in their belief system. Thinking about sex is as much a sin as having sex. Purity is everything with these folks and they are constantly telling the girls that their purity is their own responsibility and that no one wants to marry someone who is like a used piece of chewing gun…no one wants a used piece of chewing gum. So I can only imagine how these girls felt about themselve after being molested …in their sleep some of them! Like it’s their fault and now no one will want them because they aren’t pure…they are gross, like a used piece of chewing gum! And they continuedf to say these thing to the girls on the tv show long after the molestation, even knowing what had happened. Nothing like enforcing those feelings of self-loathing and worthlessness!
So the girls really didn’t have a chance.
Nasty. It’s just plain nasty.
It’s plain nasty when you have also lived through this & read about it. I finally don’t feel alone. My brother did things to my sister & I and my family (mother) whitewashes it. Now I don’t bring it up anymore. He’s the golden child in our Southern f#cked up family.
I’ll live.
I know it’s not worth much from a stranger on the internet, but I’m really sorry for what happened to you.
I have a southern family too (not that these things are exclusive to southerners, at all). One of my earliest memories is my uncle showing me his penis and asking me if I knew what it was. I’ve never bothered telling anyone because nothing would be done about it. It was more than 25 years ago now. Also my cousin did something similar when I was in middle school. Honestly, I just try not to think about it.
I am so sorry that both of you went through this atrocity. My sister and I were molested by the same teen boy (I did not know it was happening to her) and it took years to move past it. My sister, who was 5, never really got over it. The sad thing is I didn’t even know it happened to her until she was in her 20s. I’d never told anyone and neither had she. Our abuse occurred in the 70s, and people didn’t talk about such things back then. Peace to you both.
I was also sexually molested and I’m shocked by the defenders saying things like the girls probably didn’t even know, or it was a long time ago so they’ve probably forgotten all about it.
I was about 3 when the first molestation happened and I can remember those events soooo clearly;. In fact, they may be my earliest memories that I can remember which is pretty gross. I have lots of blanks in my childhood, but the molestation, I can remember. People think if you don’t tell or mention it then you’re fine and over it, but often it’s just too hard to talk about. It festers inside and has an impact that for many women lasts a lifetime and affects their future relationships, trust issues, mothering, self-worth, sexual issues, and so on. People have no idea how much it can affect the victims. They think…it happened when you were a kid, get over it. Not so easy, especially because it happened as a child when trust and safety issues are so important and your own identity and knowledge/feelings about sexuality are just beginning to emerge. It shatters a child’s feelings of safety and steals their innocence and replaces that with fear and confusion and shame.
And the girls were sleeping…I’ll bet some of them at least were terrified and only pretending to be asleep because they didn’t know what to do.
You’re definitely not alone, @Frankly Me. I went thru the same crap and my parents handled it the same way, and still do. I’m sorry we’re in this same f%$ked up boat, and i hope you have some support – i hope you and your sister are able to be there for each other abs that you each have a decent counselor. The best way to avenge yourself is go have a great life in spite of their BS. It still hurts, but at least it hurts while you’re doing what you want, how you want. <3
Any kind of abuse is nothing to get over. I am hurt by everyone of your stories and I have a lot of empathy for all of you. Abuse is not ok. So for the sake of all you I wish you all the best.
I am so, so, sorry that this happened to any of you – FranklyMe, Mala Malum, FurballFriend, Suzy from Ontario, Spurc, and all other survivors – you all matter. My heart breaks for your pain. I wish you all safe harbor and peace of heart.
Everyone’s comments on this thread have been so touching and the empathy I feel & other survivors are getting from you guys is much appreciated.
All we can do is keep on surviving and telling our story. I volunteer with victims of sexual assault & also am in therapy trying to figure out this mess the adults in my life allowed to happen. I am here for anyone on this site who needs an ear when no one else will/would listen…
I just wanted to thank you all for sharing your stories and send you all love. I hope you have good support systems.
@Suzy I agree with what you said about the defenders. A child wouldn’t forget that level of tramua unless they supressed the memory as a coping mechanism.
When I was 12 a man at my mums work would look down the back of my shirt and pants. He told me he was checking on my scar (I just had two major back surgeries). I felt so embarrassed and uncomfortable. It only stopped because my Mum realised what was going on. She and a colleague made sure I was left by myself in the office. (She was a single mother and I would sometimes go to her work.) She also told me that no one could come into my personal space without my permission. What I experienced isn’t on the same level as you- it’s more that I know from firsthand experience that children know if their boundaries are being violated; just that they don’t know how to express it.
*takes a shot for every cringe*
BAC level .45
10 by drunk am.
I feel bad laughing on this shit show of a story but that made me giggle.
Sometimes you just have to laugh, because it’s that or hysterical sobs.
Laughing, sobbing, or angry screaming.
I know I will be watching this hot mess of an “interview” on Faux News tonight with a goodly supply of booze. Copious ingestion of alcohol will hopefully stave off any strokes and/or cardiac arrests that I may experience from watching such wretched excuses for humans. I sure hope God has mercy on all of their souls because they will not be getting any from me!
I think you’re misreading and it *is* confusing because they refer to Jim Bob as both James and Jim Bob. I think the police record calls him James, so Josh is confessing to Jim Bob here. At any rate… these people should have their children taken away as they apparently have no ability to protect them.
It’s not lack of ability, it’s a conscious refusal to do so.
James is Jim Bob I’m pretty sure. Not that James went to Jim Bob. James is his given name and I think what was used in the police report instead of Jim Bob.
They sold their girls out to protect Josh. That’s just evil.
Yeah, I’m aware of that type of situation. And yes, it is pure evil.
They sold out their girls to protect Josh AND to protect themselves. It was about their reputation as the perfect parents and upstanding Christian family too.
@anname: Yes. This is ALL about them, about the ego, about the perception of them. Narcissism trumps every other factor at play here.
In a very real way, they weren’t overly concerned about protecting the welfare of the son at all; they did not get that sick child any sort of serious treatment or therapy, either. And keeping him out of detention saved their reputation, as well as their delusional images of themselves.
This is ALL about them.
As a mother I can’t for the life of me understand this shit show. They essentially allowed this abuse. Those poor girls. I just can’t wrap my head around the sickly awfulness of it all.
These people are nauseating. Why are they still on the air?
I think James is Jim Bob. Aside from that, I don’t think Josh came to his father on his own. Didn’t an earlier report say one of the girls told on him and when confronted he confessed? It’s just all so gross. I feel so sorry for those poor girls growing up in that environment.
Oh but he’s a victim of the liberal media, y’all!!
He should be in jail and anyone who’s in the cover up should join him in jail. I hate this family.
+10000
And the gays. Those are the *real* sinners, right?
And liberals. But aren’t all liberals, gays?
Ugh. This family makes me sick. Why do I click on these threads!
I’ll be with Kiddo below shaking fists and kicking feet.
*SHAKES FIST AT SKY, THROWS SELF ON FLOOR PROCEEDS WITH TANTRUM KICKING*
Exasperatedly bellows, “LIBERAL MEDIA, SCUM SUCKING GODLESS MUTANTS, BLAGH A FRASSER RI FUGING SUNMS!”
sorry, this too devastatingly sickening to comment on otherwise.
Okay all horrible horribleness aside, BLAGH A FRASSER RI FUGING SUNMS is the best thing you’ve ever wrote (and that’s saying something) and henceforth shall be my new mantra.
It makes the most sense out of anything I’ve ever said.
This is the appropriate response to the situation.
James is Jim-Bob.
I just can’t with this. I don’t think I’ll be watching the interview either. Still totally floored by TLC not cancelling this mess.
This is what I came here to say. I just can’t fathom it.
They make money on it. They will continue to make money on it. There are obviously many people out there, father and mother in this messed-up family included, who basically see nothing wrong in what he did.
As long as TLC is making money, they’ll keep it on.
James is Jim Bob… Why did I start thinking of Twin Peaks all of a sudden?
Their son had molested his sisters. Yet he stays in the house except a few months. Not only that, the parents leave the kids in the house alone with him. When the five-year-old was molested, they were out to dinner I think with some of the kids, and they got the call to come home immediately. Josh had used reading a book to his little five-year-old sister so he could have her with him and then molested her. What was he doing home with sisters with the parents gone?
I can’t… this is too much. TLC has still not canceled! And if they think anyone wants to watch spinoffs — they are crazy! The spinoffs would focus on girls who were abused and never received any psychiatric help!
I don’t have a thing to say except sick family.
Sick people.
Sick sick horrible disgusting people.
There comes a time in every person’s life where they go from victim to abuser. That was Michelle’s time. I have. I have no sympathy for her and I’m sad to say I’m wary of the girls as well – will they protect their children from Josh or will that good ol cult faith make them close their eyes and hum when Uncle Josh comes to babysit?
Sick sick horrible people.
Um no. Not EVERY person changes from victim to abuser.
As stated above, James is Jim Bob. It was explained in other reports that his legal name was used in the police reports.
That pic of smiling Michelle and JimBob freaks me out so much. Those are the smiles of the monsters that didn’t protect their children. Hope there is some TLC cashed left for therapy. Why does there have to be a limitation on sexual assault?! The victims suffer forever.
I agree, there shouldn’t be a limitation for any type of sexual assault – and even if there is, this just seems really short.
I had this discussion with a nonlawyer friend who wanted to know why different crimes and torts have different statutes of limitation and why crimes like this even have statutes of limitation. I tend to agree that sexual abuse of a minor – like murder in most states – is the kind of crime that should not have a statute of limitation at all or a very, very long one for exactly the reason you state: the victims almost invariably suffer for the rest of their lives. BUT there are three big reasons our judicial system has statutes of limitation: 1) to encourage people to promptly report crimes/torts and cooperate with the authorities; 2) to ensure state and government actors (e.g., prosecutors) move forward with cases and respect defendants’ rights to speedy trials; and 3) to prevent potential injustices that may occur when offenses occurred so long ago that physical evidence or witness testimony is no longer available.
In this case, there was no way in hell the Duggar parents were going to rat out their son to the cops or child services, much less seek any kind of professional psychological counselling for their victim daughters. They never intended to help the state of Arkansas put Josh in prison or force him to seek secular mental health treatment, nor were they going to stand for any necessary family life modifications that child services might have demanded (like having Josh move out of the family home or have no contact with his victims). These parents plainly did not care about the injustices that would be visited upon the victims if they never got a day in court or never saw Josh punished for his crimes.
The more I read about the timeline of events, I am more convinced than ever that Jim Bob and Michelle consulted with an attorney fairly soon after the first molestation incidents occurred. I am positive that long before Oprah cancelled their appearance on her show in 2006, the parents knew that as long as everyone stuck to the script that Josh had not touched anyone since 2003, he would be in the clear. If you read the victims’ interview statements on InTouch’s website as I did, it certainly looks like the girls were heavily coached about what to say to the cops. I was frankly amazed at how consistent all of their answers to the investigator’s questions were, something that just does NOT happen in real life UNLESS people are lying through their teeth.
I cannot imagine how those girls must feel knowing that their pain and suffering were less important to their parents than protecting the Duggar brand and saving Josh from prosecution. And I have NO CLUE how the people who are defending these nut jobs sleep at night. Forgiving someone does not mean condoning his/her behaviour. It does not excuse a wrongdoer from atonement or GENUINE repentance or taking responsibility for his/her actions. It surely does not give anyone license to blame the liberal media or Oprah or InTouch Weekly et al. for revealing the horrors that have been visited upon at least five girls. Actions have consequences, and it is utterly ludicrous for these defenders to insist that the Duggars need not suffer for the choices they made to conceal Josh’s crimes and silence the victims because “God has forgiven them.”
Well, now I have given myself a rage headache. Off to find some Advil…and maybe some booze too.
@ bearcatlawyer, love your name. Thanks for your insight. I cannot say rational things aabout these people. Hope you get your drink on, cuz I’m getting my smoke on after this.
Yes this, absolutely this. Great comment BearcatLawyer.
It seems like Josh, at some point, knew that what he was doing was wrong. That was the point where the parents should have put all the kids in counseling and separated them from Josh. They could have all gotten help and Josh could have reformed.
Instead, Jim-Bob and Michelle sacrificed their daughters to their dogma and reputation. Despicable.
Yeah, I mean, Josh is a monster and all, but he could have been helped if his parents had done their job as parents and protected their children and gotten some real help for their eldest. But no, they were too focused on making more babies to neglect.
They are so disgusting.
And after 12 years, what might have been treatable when Josh was 14-15 is now a fixed part of his personality. And I don’t buy that premise that he never again molested. I think we’re going to learn that there were other victims besides the original five and that he extended his predations to girls from outside the Duggar household.
The unfortunate truth is that with all of those kids(and I said kids on purpose because who knows if he’s ever touched any of the boys) he didn’t/doesn’t really have to go outside of the family. This is a sad sad HORRIFIC thought but a true one.
On a separate note, forgive my ignorance but why do the parents feel the need to propagate the world. As a married couple, surely there’s nothing wrong with abstaining as opposed to literally rolling over and giving over yourself every time husband taps you on the shoulder. I don’t know about fundamental Christianity though, so maybe that’s their practice. It just seems weird that neither parent feels/felt a need to curb the sexual behaviors.
I have my torch and pirchfork ready.
I mean it.
These people are a sorry excuse for human beings.
There are so many people whose lives have been ruined bc they’re on the sex offender registry for pissing in public or normal consensual teenage sexual experimentation, yet this motherfucker and his shitty parents get to keep on trucking with no legal consequences whatsoever.
+1,000,000
Haven’t even read the post yet, the headline was enough to make me sick.
Once a child molester, always a child molester. This makes me absolutely sick. I had a very good friend who was raped by her step father and two brothers. This was back in the day, when it wasn’t taken as serious as it is now. (Unbelievable there was ever a time, I know). She was removed from the home (placed somewhere almost as bad) and the mother was told to remove the step father. She called her daughter a liar, but had step dad move out until her daughter was sent home, then he was back. It continued, of course. Five years ago, my good friend killed herself. I am seeing red, I am so disgusted. He should he locked up and the key thrown away. There is no rehabilitation for scum like him. Period. 😠😠😠
This story made me physically sick. Then I hit the part where you wrote she killed herself and I just teared up. How horribly sad. She deserved so much better in life.
Exact reaction Jayna. To think that her own mother didn’t have her back. I know these types of people are out there in the world who are so selfish, they f#ck up their childrens’ lives for their own selfish reasons, but every time I read/hear a story like this it jolts me to the core. I’m Jamaican, and I recently heard a story of a mother actually HOLDING HER DAUGHTER DOWN so her stepfather could rape her. Just awful.
May your friend RIP, whatevs.
Yes.
He may get away with these past crimes, but he is going to slip up one day (my heart is sad for his future victims) and maybe he’ll get slammed away then.
It’s amazing to me that kind of documented admitted crime can be ignored by government bodies, by the CPS, whatever. That TLC and these bizarre parents continue on in blissful self-love and smugness, cashingthe checks and their victims are just …nothing.
Frankly, when you start to add this kind of cult behavior to the Scientologists’ clan creepiness …. and it all gets the big blind eye, even when documented and and admitted to and written about. Police reports get tossed. Victims silenced and discounted by these creepy people. Infuriating..
Originally, there were 5 victims, and the statute of limitations ran out on them. The only hope that he’ll be prosecuted is if a sixth victim comes forward to accuse him. Since this 6th young woman was not among the original victims, her case would be treated as a new accusation, and not be subject to the old statute of limitations.
PortlandJan, the statute of limitations typically starts running on the day the offense occurred. It depends on what crime is alleged to have been been committed and how the law defines the limitations period for that particular crime. So unless a new victim who was molested by Josh AFTER the new, longer SOL for child sexual abuse took effect in Arkansas comes forward AND the SOL has not already expired, Josh could still avoid prosecution.
Even if other victims exist, I cannot say I blame them for not reporting him to the authorities. The Duggar defenders would eat them alive and do everything in their power to destroy them forever. I also wonder if the Duggars used some of their ill-gotten gains since 2006 to pay off other victims so they would not seek to prosecute Josh. Given what we now know about their absolute commitment to protecting their brand and their income stream, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they bought his victims’ silence.
I’m so sorry for your friend. I know this is cowardly, but I just can’t read any more about these people. It’s just too sickening, and I multiply what happened to these poor girls, and your friend, and the way it was (wasn’t) handled by millions and millions of beautiful children who weren’t protected. I just want to crawl in a hole and never come out.
It’s not cowardly.
And they want to tell other pepole that they are going to hell. FIVE years old is a serious serious issue, for him to walk around the room molesting all his sisters is beyond disturbing.
Indeed, and seem to ignore the fact that Christianity does not teach you to judge others. I seem to recall something about being concerned about being judged yourself, and an additional point about allowing those things to be handled by a higher authority. My alarm bells always go off when “Christians” start speaking judgmentally and talking about who is and isn’t going to hell. That’s as sure a tip off as you can find that you’re not dealing with people who have any real understanding of their religion.
As someone who has been in the victim’s place at 8/9, there isn’t a whole lot that can leave me speechless, or at a loss for a response…but this, the parents shielding their son rather than the victims….I can’t, I just can’t. F(iretr)uckers!!!
I’m just too saddened for words that the parents treated this like it was a minor aberration, swept it under the carpet and went on breeding more victims. When will the FCC step in to get that effing show off the air?!?!?
I know we’re all nauseated and most of us feel like we can’t take anymore of this, but the story NEEDS to be covered, over and over again until TLC gets it, until the Duggar fan base gets it, until Fox News gets it, Huckabee gets it, and any other person who thinks it’s ok to defend a child molester and the family that enabled him GETS IT.
I feel the same way. Every story is just more and more sick, but it needs to come out and remain in the news cycle until some things change.
Their fan base will never get it. I have never encountered such stupid people in my life. All they will do is hide behind their “God has forgiven him, let those with no sin cast the first stone” shield forever.
Exactly!!.Their fan base is comprised of the sort of people that would join a cult given half a chance. So,there’s no hope of them ever understanding what has happened. But as for me?, I’M deliriously happy that they were finally shown for the cult they are. That they were shown to be as far from REAL Christianity as they can get without being satanic worshipers.
Jesus chased money traders out of the temple with a whip. He would straight up best josh half to death. He said “suffer the little children to come unto me “. It wasn’t a command to make children suffer for f’s sake. I hate them so much.
^^^
SO. MUCH. THIS!!
I cannot believe they are not cancelled yet. You just KNOW they are waiting to see how this Fox interview is recieved. It’s beyond sickening. I can’t even….
They allowed their little girls to be repeatedly abused over the course of a year and they run public hate campaigns claiming gays a danger to children!!!!!!! The hypocrisy, ignorance, shamelessness and immorality of them.
It’s not surprising though, these people only have more children than they can care for and raise themselves because they don’t care about raising happy, functional people. It’s all about them and the attention they get. The kids are objects to them.
I feel physically sick.
Well their religion always seems to have someone else to kick around and it always seems that god forgives the sins of those people but never anyone outside of their group. Sad.
Wow. Just wow. I can’t decide if their inaction is the product of deep, deep denial or they think it’ll go away if they ignore it or they really just don’t care. I’m inclined to believe it’s a mixture of the first two, and these people and their doctrine are woefully unprepared to deal with anything of this kind.
As horrid as that is, wouldn’t that explain their actions or lack thereof? Their religious fervor is so focused on things that aren’t actually important that when something truly awful happens they don’t know how to deal with it. Repress, repress, avoid, avoid, repeat. That’s their mantra on everything, from sex to the theory of evolution to women wearing pants to child molestation.
It seems like they have nearly the same punishment for everything, and they are so restrictive that everything is a “sin”. It’s hard to differentiate right from wrong when almost everything is wrong. And why bother curbing inappropriate behavior when there’s no difference between “we don’t approve of this” and a crime? You’ll be punished the same anyway.
Out of this awful mess I hope one thing becomes clear, calling everything “bad” and making no distinction between levels of inappropriateness and severity of transgressions (not to mention a healthy dose of victim blaming) you end up with this. A child molester and his parents who don’t really appear to grasp the severity of the situation and seemingly can’t quite understand what everyone is upset about. Repression, it never works.
Why isn’t CPS involved since there are still minor children around? I know the statue of limitations has passed and they can’t be prosecuted but in my home state CPS would have grounds to investigate and potentially monitor the family.
I hope Josh, Mommy and Daddy burn in Hell- and contrary to what they believe, I hope Hell is on Earth. I also hope nothing exists after they die because f* them.
I’m not prepared to take the State Trooper’s word on anything. The man is spending the rest of his life in prison for multiple offenses (as in he was caught again and again) of possessing and distributing child prOn. The images included scenes of “oral and vaginal sex”. The children he got off on watching being raped were as young as two.
THAT is what Pa Duggar took his sick son to for a “stern lecture”. I can’t imagine that it did anything but make the situation even worse and more twisted than it already was.
Oh god! that is so revolting. My stomach literally turned.
I do wonder; how did Jim Bob know which state trooper he could trust to just play along?The cop identified with Josh more than he wanted to help the girls, that’s clear.
I am feeling quite sad for Josh’s wife. She was raised to be a robot wife/mother, and has had no choices in her own life. Now she is tied to this awful man for the rest of her life. With all these revelations, she must be worried about her own children?? I am sure there are lots of people with resources to help her out of her situation, but is she capable of realizing she can escape that life?
I was thinking about her too. If this is all news to her I really feel bad for her. She married a monster.
Isn’t it possible that this is a learned behavior? I would have to wager that in most families an incident like this would have gone nuclear and would have elicited some real action by the parents. In this case, there was a very subdued reaction and really no steps were taken to make it cease immediately. I also find it passing strange that out of all the LE officers they could have reported it to, it was reported to an officer “friend” that was later convicted on charges of child p**n.
Possibly learned behavior but more likely the result of being raised in a screwed up religious cult that keeps adolescents completely in the dark about their own development and teaches followers that women are the property of men and little more than baby making machines.
From what women who have left the cult have to say, sexual abuse is rampant. Salon has a great article up about it and Wonkette recently covered what the father of the cult had to say about sex ed. Also too, put ‘ATI religious cult’ into the Googlizer and sit back for hours of disturbing reading.
Re the Salon article, it mentions an ATI woman who refused treatment for breast cancer because she saw the deadly disease as God’s way of saving her from an abusive husband and the unimaginable strain of raising too many children. Sad stuff.
Yes, it’s very possible it’s learned. One of the first inquiries when you have a child or adolescent who is acting out sexually against other kids is to consider whether the perpetrator was abused. A very high percentage of kids who abuse are victims, so yes, your question is totally appropriate.
There’s also the possibility that it was a misguided but innocently motivated behavior. I’ve met people who grew up in extreme abusive theologies like this one. Most of them were never permitted to view a textbook, film or anything else that explained human anatomy to them. I actually had to explain to grown women that you do not pee and birth through the same hole (yes, really). The only contact they have with their own genitals is to clean them (and that is done very briefly and with minimal contact). The first time they will see the body of a person of the opposite sex is on their wedding night. They have NO clue. It is entirely possible that Josh was really curious about the female form and decided, very stupidly, to try to compel his sisters to let him see. It does happen.
If the situation had been handled right, Josh would have met with a child psychologist and/or social worker who could have possibly gotten to the bottom of it – was it genuine curiosity? Something malicious? Something else? But Jim Bob and Michelle probably had no interest in letting Josh see an actual professional, since any one worth their salt would have recognized their teachings as abusive and probably assigned primary blame to them.
I was curious about the opposite sex when I was a little girl. So, I played doctor with boys a couple of times. Then I knew, and lost interest until I got much older. You get to a point where you know what there’s to know, and only continue if it really tickles your fancy.
There is actually a good thing to come out of all this, which is that these freaks won’t be able to adopt. I have only seen one or two random episodes of this show but recall Michelle (whose uterus had crapped out by this time) going on and on about how they “had a heart for” adoption. I remember thinking that no respectable agency would ever place a vulnerable child in such a huge family, but now I feel sure that they will never, NEVER be allowed to adopt. I know this isn’t any help to the girls who were victimized, but I feel glad in my heart that all this publicity will protect any other kids getting thrown into this maw of neglect.
Imagine if the tables were turned, and someone had molested their five year old? I don’t think they’d settle for just praying about it.
*Their, as in Josh and Anna’s.
In full disclosure, I teach progressive sex ed within my church, so I’ve held back from commenting until much more came out. So here goes:
This is not shocking. In the least. Very sad, but not shocking. The environment the Duggars raise their kids in basically almost ensures that something like this would happen. The combination of sexuality as an evil that must be stamped out plus the toxic male supremacy basically is the perfect brew for this kind of thing. I am not absolving Josh of his responsibility in the least, but casting more responsibility on the parents.
The first thing that jumped out to me was that Josh started to offend around age 13-14 – basically, the age at which sexual feelings and curiosities tend to start becoming pronounced for a lot of young men. Now imagine you’ve been raised in an environment that tells you that those feelings are wrong, sick, sinful, etc. These are people who refuse to dance at their own weddings for fear of inciting lust in others and will not go to the beach ever for the same reasons. Any sexual feelings in a young person would inherently be cause for great alarm, confusion and anxiety. I have no doubt this happened to Josh. Now also imagine you are a boy being raised in an environment that teaches that you hold all the power in your relationships and that all women, including your female relatives, should have a duty to submit to male authority. Well, that’s a blank check. You combine these and yes, the Josh situation looks far more easy to foresee.
The thing that gets me is that there are still a lot of kids in that house, and they are getting the same education and upbringing Josh and the female victims got. This has a very high potential to repeat, so I hope that the younger kids are being monitored in some way. Now that the cameras are gone, I worry about what exactly goes on in that house.
ETA: For self-professed Christians, they seem to cherry-pick the Bible a lot. Didn’t Jesus say “render unto God what is God’s and render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s?” Meaning, you should obey the laws of the land and submit to the secular authorities when a crime is committed? I seem to remember that part, but obviously the Duggars forgot.
Insightful comments. And now it’s got me wondering if other boys in the family have done the same thing. 🙁
It also makes me wonder if Josh extended his predations to his younger brothers.
I was reading about the Quiverfull movement and how they justify their belief of having many children by quoting Psalm 127, verses 3-5:
Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.
Yet they seem to gloss over the first 2 verses:
Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves.
If you are not protecting your children, isn’t that having children in vain? If you are assigning older kids as surrogate parents to the younger kids, why are you having children then? Cherry-picking happens a lot. It is the norm and I blame that on the human condition. It’s psychology; see: confirmation bias. Unfortunately it is not just with religion, though that’s where cherry-picking bothers me the most. Please don’t quote me scripture when you aren’t reflecting on it.
No, you’re right. Having children is a blessing to me, but its also an awesome responsibility. The Bible directly admonishes parents to raise ethical, moral kids. I’ve always wondered how the Duggars could possibly model this when they barely raise their kids. I am all for older kids having chores and helping to keep a household, but the older Duggar kids are workhorses. I’ve never seen them get any time to themselves to read, just hang out or pursue their own unique activities. They’re always cooking, cleanings, schooling the younger ones, etc. To me, that doesn’t fulfill the Biblical demand. You’d be better off having fewer kids and raising them better!
What people forget about the Duggars and Quiverfull is that its a political movement – the whole point is to breed an army that can vote as one and will eventually sway the nation to their views. And in some weird way, they might actually be right – religious people have a lot more kids than secular people, and the more religious you are, the more kids you make (if you want to see an example outside of Quiverfull, look at Haredi Judaism – they double their population every 20 years while secular Judaism is nose-diving). They aren’t really invested in quality child-rearing. They’re just going for numbers at this point, and they seem to be doing quite the job at it.
Sam, we on the same page. I hope you know I was referring to the “don’t quote me scripture” with respect to the Duggars, not you <3
And if the kids are so busy doing chores and taking care of other kids, how will they ever be knowledgeable in religion? There's more to life than doing chores. SMH.
Your last paragraph is exactly my problem with it. It's all about the numbers.
So Joy-Anna was the five year old?
Megyn Kelly has already made comments about this being made political so expect a farce that tries to cleanse the Duggar name.
It’s Fox!
As a parent your instinct is to protect your children. But they should have used that instinct to protect their daughters NOT the son molesting them. I couldn’t even fathom turning a blind eye to someone, especially one of my own children, molesting anyone. And if that act was perpetrated against my other children, let’s just say my reaction wouldn’t be pretty.
I have to say this though. As horrible as this is, its ripping away a festering wound and letting the light in to heal. Not just for the Dugger girls but this has opened up a discussion from many people who were abused. Perhaps for some, the only way they can finally tell their story is by writing and commenting. And then there is this, the political fallout will be enormous. Hopefully people who vote will keep in mind what these kind of people are really like, and remember who they support politically. The anti Tea party/ ultra-conservatism fallout. Our country has become too politically vicious and angry and it a direct result of that crowd and their hate.
I meant the people will see the Tea partiers for what they are…those are the anti Tea Party.
He was MORE than old enough to know it was wrong. Went to his father crying because of what he had done, and his parents did nothing.
They wanted to protect their image above all else. Not their daughters. They didn’t want to get professional help for their son. Nope, just about their image.
I’ve been boycotting TLC for years now. They’re a disgusting channel. Does anyone remember when one of the TLC editors on Kate Plus Eight was found to be guilty of child porn???
This probably goes deeper than most people know.
This struck me, too. It seems that he knew he was doing something wrong, literally begged for help, got none, and inevitably offended again. This suggests he has a compulsive behavior. The family should be fearful of him with his children and his many young siblings.
I never want to see these creatures again. am so sorry for his sisters. My hope for them is that they all leave this cult, and get some therapy and live the amazing and free life they were meant to have.
I would hope that it’s not normal for police to OK ‘just one case of molestation’ and not do anything about it.
It’s interesting that the Duggars’ police friend is into child porn and their counseling friend was accused of sexual molestation of women and girls. What kind of person and parent do you have to be when your circle of friends are predators and you think it’s a good idea to take your predator son for absolution to people who turn out to be predators themselves? Birds of a feather?
TLC should just cancel this show already. Fox News is for nuts. Duggar daughters shouldn’t get their own show because they probably thoroughly believe by now that part of it is their own fault and that their continued silence is a gain for the promotion of Christianity. All the Duggars seem to believe that if you don’t think like them then you’re going to Hell.
I saw a list of TLC shows that have been scandalized by crimes, mostly sexual. Who the hell is at TLC who keeps picking sicko people?
Anyhoo…
It was a great idea to have all these kids and then not supervise or raise them, because you’re out doing media for yourself.
This all just makes me sick to my stomach. I’m disgusted by these people. I hope those girls can get some help, but frankly I doubt they ever will in that culture of denial and victim blaming. So sad
TLC is shameful for not cancelling their cash-cow show in the interest of money. Those girls abuse means nothing to everyone in their family and at TLC. It’s gone too far, the illusion of a perfect Christian family is over. Jim Bob and his massive EGO are probably begging and pleading to keep his family in the spotlight It’s a mess and needs to be officially cancelled.
I wouldnt be surprised if the victims don’t even know about all this press and statements of support due to how sheltered they still are. So achingly sad.
Hopefully Jill and Jessa have seen it (they go online, they’ve got instagram), so hopefully they will pass it on to the other girls.
Are we surprised that the interviewer is deflecting and dancing around the big M word?
This is about violation of very young girls that continued. They were allegedly sexually abused, period. What does that have to do with one’s political or religious leanings? Deflection via faux news.
The females in this family are seen / treated as baby makers, nannies, and maids. They’re not respected or taken care of the same way the men are. It doesn’t even seem like the parents love their own children, they just pop them out so they’ll have little people to do their house work and child care for them. I was never interested in this family or show but it’s just sad.
This thread needs a thousand protest posts. Perhaps when someone searches “The Duggars”, Celebitchy may come up at the top of the list. People deserve to know that rational, educated, compassionate, yet willing to call out severe depravity and indifference and outright child abuse when we see it for crissakes, exists. We are the majority! Right? It’s not rocket science. These people are horrible examples of humanity. These people are NOT the majority!
We must ALL stand up and object even if it means posting on the internet for the first time, or e mailing websites, or writing to our elected officials to say NO MORE ABUSES! NO MORE EXCUSES!
This crap has GOT TO STOP! Ban TLC and all advertisers and all who support this bullcrap submissive women view.
Damn Jim Bob and Michelle to hell. Damn them! /rant over…sorry/not sorry.
….And Jim Bob’s smile is the creepiest f*king thing I have ever seen. For real. That’s the stuff of nightmares right there….
Jim Bob is creepy and his wife looks medicated.
When I first heard Michelle Duggar’s voice, I thought it was a phony voice for the cameras.
Forget the voice.
Her entire family, their lives, etc are a sham.
So tragic especially knowing young children are involved.
He looks just like one of those televangelists who always turn out to be massive tax evaders, and has a) three wives or b) picks up male prostitutes. It’s the straight grooming paired with the aggressively broad smile and hungry stare. Yikes.
When the F is TLC gonna cancel this show?!!!?? I want the Duggars off the air now!! No spin off for Jill and Jessa. I don’t agree with their fundamental views of Christianity but that’s not why they shouldn’t be on tv. It’s beyond disgusting to keep this show running in light of Josh’s confessions. 3 confessions to his parents who didn’t think his behavior was that great of a concern?!? No way should this program continue in any way, shape or form.
I feel so bad for the victims. I want the Duggars girls who were sexual abused by their by their brother to live in peace with their new families. Get these young women the proper counseling their parents denied them. But definitely no more cameras in their life. Allow them to heal from the years of trauma they’ve had that they may not have addressed at this time. I won’t give Megyn Kelly’s interview the time of day by watching Jim Bob and Michelle gloss over what their son did to their daughters. What a crock that is. Forget about the money. TLC has got to do the right thing for once. Cancel 19KAC now.
Why is that sub-human’s wife not divorcing him?
15 years old is old enough to know exactly what you are doing, and that it is wrong. Had he been younger, I would still have said he needed counseling, but knowing that he was the age that I was when I was with my first boyfriend and considering having sex with him, but waited until I was 16 – it just gives me the creeps.
It is completely disgusting that there is a statute of limitations on the parents crimes. They should be in jail, as should he.
Those girls needed protecting. I can’t imagine what they think knowing that their parents did nothing to stop them from a sexual predator. Had the parents not known, it would be excusable, but the parents KNEW and knew it was getting worse! Why was Josh not shipped off to some boys’ camp permanently to get him away from his sisters, since they obviously weren’t going to do anything to get him to a competent mental health professional to attempt to help him with his sick impulses? Ugh!
What a disgrace!!! This couple makes Kate Gosselin look like Parent of the Year!
And that’s pretty damn hard to do!
This should be a political issue now….. How about a Duggar law that states zero statue of limitations on child molestation?
Secondly, where were the good parents? Obviously having sex and making even more babies, potential victims for their sick criminal son.
I think both parents and the son should all be accountable!
Food for thought: it would be interesting if TLC continued to air a show ABOUT 19 and Counting… reporting every single development and charge honestly. Interview experts on cults, sexual predators, enablers, treatment, odds of rehab, victim support resources; discuss what the laws are, what people can do if they suspect this is happening, how to report and where to go for help. Discuss how this is often hidden, how cycles of abuse work generationally and laterally, how silence and religious + family pressures help perpetuate them.
For a bonus, they could devote an episode to the media’s role in this entire mess: financial, ethical, social, moral, political, etc. For extra credit, they could also discuss how advertisers screen or do not screen the shows they support, how and when they suddenly decide to withdraw, how companies like TLC and advertisers balance profit vs. backlash, who draws the line when & where, just how much it takes for scandal to tip from profit to outrage (threat to profits), when ‘any PR is PR’ turns bad…
THAT would have a chance at being a reality show about reality.
Kaiser, I admire you fortitude. Please let us know just how much alcohol is needed to numb the pain of having to listen to tonight’s “interview.” I look forward to your report. I’m ski[pping the interview and going straight to the alcohol myself.
It appears that the five year old wasn’t abused until 2003 ,while he was reading her a book.So if the parents had got him help in 2002, she would have never being victimized.Also I wonder why the parents of the family friend he molested on the couch never went to the authorities.
I can barely read or hear any more about this family. To all of you who have suffered through the kind of pain and humiliation these young girls have experienced, my heart goes out to you and commend you for having the courage to share your stories here. Continue to stand tall and be all that you can be that’s good and kind in this world.
Gee, maybe the Duggars didn’t notice what their monster kid was up to since he’s only one of their 19 spawn? I am surprised they know all their names…or that they have more than 30 seconds to pay attention to any of them.
This family needs to be off the airwaves now. They are environmentally irresponsible and there is nothing positive to be said about them. They shouldn’t be famous.
There are certain crimes that should be without a statute of limitations. This is one of them. Also, TLC really needs to yank this show off the air.
I agree with both of your points, except I’d go a step further and wish for the death of the TLC network.
There are five victims.
Based on the information, especially the fact the fifth victim won’t be named, was the fifth victim Michelle Duggar?
Did Josh Duggar sexually abuse his mother?
The fifth victim was the daughter of a family friend.I just watched this BS interview.I have to go take a shower and go to sleep.TLC better cancel the show now.These people are dangerous.
TLC line up includes the 600 pound life and big fat hips show- I don’t know what they are exactly since I channel surf past them but the point remains- TLC is a giant circus side show.
These people truly sicken me.
If things happened as reported, Josh was begging to be stopped by confessing to his parents at an early age. And yet they apparently did nothing that would actually stop him? What was going through their heads? At the very least, they should have removed opportunities. I guess in a sense, they tried- they probably got even weirder about dress codes etc. in response. But that was assuming that the girls were tempting him and obviously that’s not how it works. I would have at least locked Josh in at night, that’s how they do it in werewolf movies…. Usually it’s advised to move the molester out of the house, having him stay with someone responsible who does not have children in the house. Otherwise he needed constant supervision.
I do think their relative inaction was due to ignorance and misguided advice from their dubious church sources, though. I doubt that they wanted the abuse to continue or that they didn’t care about their daughters. They just thought they could pray it away.
I hope these people lose everything, the son should rot in jail. This is why I’m an atheist.0