The Duggars Respond to Reports That Josh Duggar Was Accused of Child Molestation

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people.com/article/josh-duggar-molestation-accusations-duggars-respond

I struggled with whether or not to post this link. Ultimately maybe I wanted a platform for discussion through a Catholic lens, not a the bevy of Facebook messages like, “Oh, you like family/their show? Ooh… Guess what?”

I want to avoid the schadenfreude of those who revel in gossip and any bad news surrounding public figures.

Ugh. What horrible news. However, it does appear to me the family is being transparent about this situation. As well, they did go to the police. Josh Duggar did reveal what he did before proposing to his wife Anna. Things can happen in any family. Not trying to justify the events. By nature it is easy for me to give benefit of the doubt.

Okay. Talk amongst yourselves while I get over some shock and vicarious sadness for the family.
 
I heard this on the news radio on the way home, im still wondering, how and why did the media get ahold of this? If he was 14 yo at the time, statue of limitations is long gone, so why would police even be involved? Plus, the family said he had been forgiven long ago for these actions…again, how and why did the media get ahold of this? Sorta feels like maybe someone wanted this story to get out there and probably has an ulterior agenda.

Something stinky about this imo, Somehow I dont think we are being given the entire story.
 
Glad he resigned no matter how long ago it was. There’s no place for molestation in Christian ministry.
 
mikekle said:
I heard this on the news radio on the way home, im still wondering, how and why did the media get ahold of this? If he was 14 yo at the time, statue of limitations is long gone, so why would police even be involved? Plus, the family said he had been forgiven long ago for these actions…again, how and why did the media get ahold of this?

Something stinky about this imo, Somehow I dont think we are being given the entire story.
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It doesn’t seem as if he is being prosecuted, but apparently the record is not sealed so it is out there for anyone to see.
The speculation is that four of the five victims were his sisters, so I hardly doubt they will come forward.

Me too. I think something is being left out of this story. I am wondering if the leaking at this time is political…maybe he was thinking of running for something, being in DC and all.
 
Sy_Noe said:
Glad he resigned no matter how long ago it was. There’s no place for molestation in Christian ministry.
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Apparently no place for forgiveness either. :rolleyes:

He’s now 27. The question is whether he’s repented, sought forgiveness, and made restitution. It sounds like all of this was done. His family has moved on. Why can’t others?
 
This old police report was certainly leaked by someone trying to hurt the Duggars, not someone sympathetic to them.
 
PaulfromIowa said:
This old police report was certainly leaked by someone trying to hurt the Duggars, not someone sympathetic to them.
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I agree. It was 13 years ago. Frankly, I am surprised that it wasn’t leaked before now.
 
This is shocking and sad. There is another thread on this topic. Maybe a moderator can merge them.
 
Being a victim of child molestation, it doesn’t go away for the victim. Mine happened 18 years ago. I saw him the other day. My best friend’s grandmother passed away and he was there. Seeing him made me stop in my tracks and had to internalize my anxiety.
Sure, let them repent and be forgiven by God, they still shouldn’t be around children and their victims will always remember. I would have to stop having sex with me husband sometimes because of what I went through.

This should not be let go.
 
Suudy said:
Even though the victims and his parents have said so?
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A family where adult children have to have approval by their father to even date a guy. A family where adult children have their texts read by their parents? A family where daughters are literally given away and go from dad’s care to husband’s care? Yeah, those sisters would NEVER go against what their parents have told them to say. Who cares what his parents have to say? They aren’t the victims and I don’t trust them. Those girls may not even be able to talk about the experience or express how it makes them feel.
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
Being a victim of child molestation, it doesn’t go away for the victim. Mine happened 18 years ago. I saw him the other day. My best friend’s grandmother passed away and he was there. Seeing him made me stop in my tracks and had to internalize my anxiety.
Sure, let them repent and be forgiven by God, they still shouldn’t be around children and their victims will always remember. I would have to stop having sex with me husband sometimes because of what I went through.

This should not be let go.
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Just before I saw your post, a friend who was also abused in the past mentioned to me the anxiety that she still feels when she sees her abuser. Unfortunately for her, it is a family member she sees very regularly. And when she does see him her stomach is always in knots.
Sometimes as christians we don’t realize fully that even after asking for forgiveness for an act we committed and moving on, unfortunately our victims may still be suffering. Kendra, I am very sorry this happened to you. I have no idea what this must be like but I empathise with you and the many other victims who have experienced something like this.😦
 
The guy needs to be monitored. It’s not the parents fault and the female sibling victims need to be supported and protected. This scourge of pedophilia can visit itself in even the most holy of families. The perpetrators need lifelong monitoring. I don’t think ‘sorry’ cuts it. They may be sorry for the past but they are still a danger for the future.

This is a serious worry for his own children.
 
I have never, ever cared for that show and never watch it. It is all about exploitation and money. It is like a contest to see how many babies that they can make. In this situation I sort of blame the parents because it makes sex and baby-making an occupation rather than a blessing. MY opinion and I am entitled to it.
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
A family where adult children have to have approval by their father to even date a guy. A family where adult children have their texts read by their parents? A family where daughters are literally given away and go from dad’s care to husband’s care? Yeah, those sisters would NEVER go against what their parents have told them to say. Who cares what his parents have to say? They aren’t the victims and I don’t trust them. Those girls may not even be able to talk about the experience or express how it makes them feel.
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This is probably why the parents are so protective is my conclusion to this. I would not criticism them for that. If the girls couldn’t talk about it then they would not have gone to the police.
 
I’m quite shocked, we watch the Duggar’s show here in the UK. My husband only said the other day that it’s strange how they are all implausibly cheerful and upbeat about every single thing - no-one seems to ever be angry, confused or upset (all normal human emotions, particularly when you’re a teenager).

Repressing normal emotional bonding is not a good thing, IMO (such as no holding hands until you’re engaged, not even a chaste kiss on the cheek or a proper hug between adults who are in a committed relationship). The ‘chaperone’ system they have seems to be telling them that they are not able to control themselves, in a way - when in reality, young adults are quite capable of setting their own boundaries in a relationship, without having someone else there to watch them.
 
The things that bother me most about this are:
  • The parents didn’t report it to the police for a year.
  • The policeman who investigated was a family friend who did nothing, and was later convicted of a sex offense himself.
  • The perpetrator never received any treatment, so there’s a good chance he’s at risk of re-offending.
  • The victims were essentially forced to continue living with the perpetrator for years afterwards.
I really feel the investigation and handling of this crime was severely botched… You can’t help but think that the celebrity of the family led to preferential treatment. I hope there is an investigation into how this case was handled, and the police and CPS are held accountable for sweeping this under the rug. They owe it to the victims.
 
Suudy said:
Apparently no place for forgiveness either. :rolleyes:

He’s now 27. The question is whether he’s repented, sought forgiveness, and made restitution. It sounds like all of this was done. His family has moved on. Why can’t others?
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For those who have been abused in any way, it’s not something that can easily be forgotten. It leaves emotional scars on a person’s psyche/mind for the rest of their life. They have been traumatized. It’s not something that someone just easily “gets over.”

Kendra, I am so very sorry for what has happened to you in your life. :console:
 
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