The Duggar Family is so Inspirational!!

[autumnnight]

I have done a good bit of reading today, and I was way off.

 

Apparently any so-called "counseling" that may have been done was a curriculum written by Bill Gothard (who himself has molested interns and those who worked for him). The curriculum is full of implications of the victims' blame in these situations.

 

And yes, it does seem like the parents rallied around the secret.

 

I do believe that those whose lifestyles and agendas are at odds with the Bible are taking particular glee in this fall. However, the bottom line is that a young man molested several children, including his own sisters, and the family's answer was to have him work on a farm and use a curriculum that spends more time shaming victims and accusing people of immodesty and defrauding while demanding forgiveness than it does actually dealing with the abuse.

 

In short, the Duggar son and his parents, along with their church, have a lot more to be ashamed of than I originally thought.

 

There's a website about spiritual abuse that illuminates a lot of Bill Gothard's guilt and manipulation tactics of legalism. I have found that any group who takes an all or nothing view of any book./guru/approach is generally a group to be avoided.

[xxoo]

 

I do believe that those whose lifestyles and agendas are at odds with the Bible are taking particular glee in this fall. .

 

I really hope that no one is gleeful about this situation Children were hurt, and basically everyone knows about it now. Awful.

 

I do understand outrage at the hypocrisy, and hope that I never have to hear judgment of my family values from the Duggar crowd again.

[writergal]

I have done a good bit of reading today, and I was way off.

 

Apparently any so-called "counseling" that may have been done was a curriculum written by Bill Gothard (who himself has molested interns and those who worked for him). The curriculum is full of implications of the victims' blame in these situations.

 

And yes, it does seem like the parents rallied around the secret.

 

I do believe that those whose lifestyles and agendas are at odds with the Bible are taking particular glee in this fall. However, the bottom line is that a young man molested several children, including his own sisters, and the family's answer was to have him work on a farm and use a curriculum that spends more time shaming victims and accusing people of immodesty and defrauding while demanding forgiveness than it does actually dealing with the abuse.

 

In short, the Duggar son and his parents, along with their church, have a lot more to be ashamed of than I originally thought.

 

There's a website about spiritual abuse that illuminates a lot of Bill Gothard's guilt and manipulation tactics of legalism. I have found that any group who takes an all or nothing view of any book./guru/approach is generally a group to be avoided.

 

RE: your comment about people who aren't religious are happy about the Duggars' dirty laundry being aired. Who are these people and what exactly is their agenda against religion and against the Duggars? Serious question.

 

Also, you are incorrect about Josh working on a farm. Josh Duggar never went to work on a farm, and was never admitted to the Christian treatment facility run by the Duggar family friend faith leader Bill Goddard. That was a ruse. Michelle later admitted that Josh went to stay with a family friend for support -- but that family friend was that pervy state trooper.

 

When Josh Duggar was 14 he was investigated as a minor for sexual assault in the forth degree. But his parents prevented those charges from being filed because the state trooper who made the report was who Josh Duggar stayed with (instead of what the Duggars told the press about the Christian treatment center). So the state trooper is the one who stopped the investigation. He's the same guy who is behind bars now for child pornography conviction.

 

In 2006 the Duggars were scheduled to appear on Oprah. But her executive producers found out about the sexual abuse from an email sent by a Duggar family friend who knew about it. So the Harpo student faxed the email over to The Department of Human Services, which is what prompted the Springfield police to open an investigation which was shut down by that state trooper friend of the Duggars.

 

The statute of limitations on that case was 3 years so now Jush Duggar can't be officially convicted thanks to his parents and the state trooper and their church's efforts to hide Josh's sexual molestation of his own 5 sisters.

Edited May 23, 2015 by writergal

[autumnnight]

Again, you say for the 2nd time that people who aren't religious are happy about the Duggars' dirty laundry being aired? Who are these people and what exactly is their agenda against religion and against the Duggars? Serious question.

 

Also, you are incorrect about Josh working on a farm. Josh Duggar never went to work on a farm, and was never admitted to the Christian treatment facility run by the Duggar family friend faith leader Bill Goddard. That was a ruse. Michelle later admitted that Josh went to stay with a family friend for support -- but that family friend was that pervy state trooper.

 

When Josh Duggar was 14 he was investigated as a minor for sexual assault in the forth degree. But his parents prevented those charges from being filed because the state trooper who made the report was who Josh Duggar stayed with (instead of what the Duggars told the press about the Christian treatment center). So the state trooper is the one who stopped the investigation. He's the same guy who is behind bars now for child pornography conviction.

 

In 2006 the Duggars were scheduled to appear on Oprah. But her executive producers found out about the sexual abuse from an email sent by a Duggar family friend who knew about it. So the Harpo student faxed the email over to The Department of Human Services, which is what prompted the Springfield police to open an investigation which was shut down by that state trooper friend of the Duggars.

 

The statute of limitations on that case was 3 years so now Jush Duggar can't be officially convicted thanks to his parents and the state trooper and their church's efforts to hide Josh's sexual molestation of his own 5 sisters.

 

So it is even worse than I thought.

 

Have you seen that curriculum though? It is reprehensible! Of course, Gothard is also a molester, so it figures.

[xxoo]

.

 

Also, you are incorrect about Josh working on a farm. Josh Duggar never went to work on a farm, and was never admitted to the Christian treatment facility run by the Duggar family friend faith leader Bill Goddard. That was a ruse. Michelle later admitted that Josh went to stay with a family friend for support -- but that family friend was that pervy state trooper.

.

 

Can you point me to a source that shows he stayed with the trooper? Everything I read puts his meeting with the trooper after he got back from 4 months away.

[autumnnight]

Can you point me to a source that shows he stayed with the trooper? Everything I read puts his meeting with the trooper after he got back from 4 months away.

 

Of the dozen or so things I read today, the consistent story is that he spent several months/weeks with some friends doing manual outdoor labor. Then a trooper friend came and talked to him. There were also sources stating that the family DID use the curriculum I references. This curriculum blames victims for defrauding and being immodest and claims that being molested will make them stronger and give them special spiritual powers.

 

Gross.

 

Like I said, I read a dozen or so sources from a variety of "directions."

[xxoo]

Of the dozen or so things I read today, the consistent story is that he spent several months/weeks with some friends doing manual outdoor labor. Then a trooper friend came and talked to him. There were also sources stating that the family DID use the curriculum I references. This curriculum blames victims for defrauding and being immodest and claims that being molested will make them stronger and give them special spiritual powers.

 

Gross.

 

Like I said, I read a dozen or so sources from a variety of "directions."

 

That's what I read, too.

 

Quotes from Gothard even reference how brothers can be tempted by sisters if their clothing is too revealing

[writergal]

Apparently, I mixed up the family friend with the state trooper. The state trooper did talk to Josh Duggar but he is also responsible for thwarting the investigation from moving forward to a conviction of Josh Duggar.

 

Some websites that provide a timeline of the Duggar Disaster.

 

A timeline of the molestation allegations against Josh Duggar - The Washington Post

 

Josh Duggar Molestation Allegations: A Timeline of Events

 

The Web Has Known About Josh Duggar for Years. When Did TLC Find Out?

[OpenBook]

I know as a Christian I can't throw stones... but this whole thing just makes me want to throw up. :sick:

[xxoo]

This article tells the viewpoints of Bill Gothard regarding a situation where a male sibling molests younger female siblings. He was the Duggar's spiritual leader, and was investigated in 2014 for sexual harassment and molestation himself Anyone else sensing a disturbing trend among associates of the Duggars? What Did Josh Duggar?s Counseling Look Like?

 

Victim blaming:

 

4. Why did God let it happen?

Result of defrauding by:

Immodest dress

Indecent exposure

Being out from protection of our parents

Being with evil friends.

 

The article also includes this excerpt of a cited journal article on sibling molestation. Sounds a lot like the Duggar household

 

Abuse Obscured in Chaotic Families

Sibling sexual abuse victims often live in dysfunctional family environments that subtly foster incestuous behaviors and are not conducive to disclosing the secret. Sibling incest appears more likely to occur in large families characterized by physical and emotional violence, marital discord, explicit and implicit sexual tensions, and blurred intrafamilial boundaries. Emotionally and/or physically absent parents may empower older siblings to assume parental roles. In short, these families are chaotic and unlikely to recognize the significance of behaviors occurring between siblings. If sexual behaviors are noticed, they are likely to be minimized and misinterpreted as a normal aspect of childhood development. Lack of adequate parental supervision provides perpetrators with ongoing opportunities to offend and protects the secret, leaving the victim vulnerable to continuing abuse (Asherman & Safier, 1990; Caffaro & Conn-Caffaro, 2005).

[Tayla]

and of course everything is true on the internet.

 

Thank you XXOO for clarifying.

 

One can dislike the deed of this childs actions . Still on the fence on the parents somehow covertly letting this go on .

 

I think once they knew , they did take action, and perhaps listened to others suggestions ( much like ppl do on this support forum).

 

Maybe I refuse to be cynical and think that way about some families, and will eat my fair share of humble pie when all

the data comes to light. For now I lean towards deciphering what is factual verses what is media hype to simply get a story out.

[writergal]

This article tells the viewpoints of Bill Gothard regarding a situation where a male sibling molests younger female siblings. He was the Duggar's spiritual leader, and was investigated in 2014 for sexual harassment and molestation himself Anyone else sensing a disturbing trend among associates of the Duggars? What Did Josh Duggar?s Counseling Look Like?

 

Victim blaming:

 

 

 

The article also includes this excerpt of a cited journal article on sibling molestation. Sounds a lot like the Duggar household

 

Wow both those quotes are disturbing. Doesn't Jim Bob preach that women are men's property?

 

How The Duggars? Church Encourages Young Women To ?Submit? - The Daily Beast

 

Since TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting first premiered in 2008, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have amazed their less fecund audience members with their ability to “extreme parent” nine girls and 10 boys.

 

For 10 seasons, viewers—either in admiration or guilty-pleasure gawking—have watched the large brood live their lives according to evangelical Christian values, which include the total submission of women, sexual purity, homeschooling, and adherence to a particular sect known as the Quiverfull movement, which (among other principles) eschews all forms of birth control.

 

:sick:

 

Seriously, how do people live like that in this world??

[writergal]

and of course everything is true on the internet.

 

Thank you XXOO for clarifying.

 

One can dislike the deed of this childs actions . Still on the fence on the parents somehow covertly letting this go on .

 

I think once they knew , they did take action, and perhaps listened to others suggestions ( much like ppl do on this support forum).

 

Maybe I refuse to be cynical and think that way about some families, and will eat my fair share of humble pie when all

the data comes to light. For now I lean towards deciphering what is factual verses what is media hype to simply get a story out.

 

You are far more tolerant than I am, Tayla. I know we disagree on this but I always respect the way you express your opinions here, whereas I tend to come out guns blazing more often than not when I strongly disagree with people.

 

I just can't believe that Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar would allow their son Josh back into their home after they learned that he molested his own sisters. Why would they trust him despite the fact that he was 14 at the time? Who is to say that Josh Duggar hasn't continued to molest other young girls or boys for that matter, even his own children? The whole thing just makes me sick.

[johan]

Hey Deb, they are a beautiful family who hold Christian values dear. They are up to 20 kids now (?) and do a reality show of their family and how they operate. I agree with OP, they are truly amazing.

 

Wow. I've never heard of them, but I have to say that sounds really refreshing. Finally we can see some traditional values, instead of all those other awful and hedonistic reality shows. I need to find out about these people.

 

Google, here I come.

 

This is going to be great...

[xxoo]

Maybe I refuse to be cynical and think that way about some families, and will eat my fair share of humble pie when all

the data comes to light. For now I lean towards deciphering what is factual verses what is media hype to simply get a story out.

 

I wish I weren't this cynical, but I've seen this sort of thing before IRL, complete with the child molesters in positions of power covering up for other child molesters. And then one by one, they all fall down

[johan]

Hm... Well, I'm staying away from that Google from now on. My eyes are burning from all the evil I read about. Thanks a lot for the recommendation, pureinheart.

[Michelle ma Belle]

As a survivor of child molestation, let me tell you that it doesn't matter how old the perpetrator was or what God they believe in or if they repented for their sins and never touched another person again, for the victim the scars are FOREVER! Period.

 

Unless you're a victim of molestation yourself do NOT try to justify or minimize the amount of damage that has been done to the victims, particularly the siblings.

[Noirek]

As a survivor of child molestation, let me tell you that it doesn't matter how old the perpetrator was or what God they believe in or if they repented for their sins and never touched another person again, for the victim the scars are FOREVER! Period.

 

Unless you're a victim of molestation yourself do NOT try to justify or minimize the amount of damage that has been done to the victims, particularly the siblings.

 

People have this funny idea that if they have experienced something themselves that they can speak for everyone who has been though that. This is very true for you and I am sorry for that. But not true for everyone.

 

IMO, age does make a difference in situations. He was a child. And if my son did such a think I would be heartbroken but still love him. He would still be my child. I can see why they wanted to protect him... And in their own way their daughters too. But I think they missed the mark on how to handle this. I agree with very little this family believes in to begin with. But I will not judge and get invested even in Josh Duggar now. He will be paying a steep price right now. And if he really is a pedophile, not just a sexually repressed teenager, barely more than a child himself mentally living in what I see as a very toxic enviroment, then I hope the law deals with it swiftly and he is put behind bars. Who knows, maybe this will break that quiverfull cult.

[writergal]

Josh Duggar is not 14 years old anymore. He's 27 years old, married with 2 sons and a daughter and another child on the way. At 14 years old, he knew right from wrong so there's no excuse good enough to justify his actions of molesting his own sisters against their will.

 

So many people in this thread are excusing Josh Duggar because he was a teenager, ignoring the fact that juveniles who perform sex abuse against other juveniles are in fact, sexual predators themselves. He wasn't just curious. It's totally abnormal for a 14 year old teenage boy to sneak into his sisters' room at night to fondle their breasts and touch their private areas.

 

I really want to know why so many people in this thread don't see the seriousness of what Josh Duggar has done to 5 of his own sisters' lives. To make light of it, with statements like "Oh he was just a horny teenager" is a slap in the face to Josh Duggar's victims.

 

And the law tried to deal with Josh Duggar 12 years ago after this happened, but his parents Michelle and Jim Bob made sure to thwart the law, so that Josh didn't get thrown in juvenile detention or jail. At 14 years old, he was 2 years away from being labeled a pedophile. He never received treatment for his behavior either, which I think is horrible because who is to say that he won't molest his own children now, if he hasn't already? Well, in my view, he is a pedophile, because he wouldn't have molested 5 of his sisters if that didn't turn him on sexually. I mean, it's not normal AT ALL to molest your own siblings.

 

If you read enough, you'd learn that the Duggars lied to authorities about when their son Josh molested his sisters, and lied about finding him treatment. That is reprehensible.

 

Since it happened 12 years ago and the statute of limitations was 3 years, Josh can't be convicted now as an adult which is unfortunate, especially for his 5 victims and his 3 children who could become his new victims.

 

I can't believe people are defending the Duggars and making excuses for Josh's molesting his own sisters. To think people dismiss the seriousness of what Josh Duggar did really appalls me.

 

People have this funny idea that if they have experienced something themselves that they can speak for everyone who has been though that. This is very true for you and I am sorry for that. But not true for everyone.

 

IMO, age does make a difference in situations. He was a child. And if my son did such a think I would be heartbroken but still love him. He would still be my child. I can see why they wanted to protect him... And in their own way their daughters too. But I think they missed the mark on how to handle this. I agree with very little this family believes in to begin with. But I will not judge and get invested even in Josh Duggar now. He will be paying a steep price right now. And if he really is a pedophile, not just a sexually repressed teenager, barely more than a child himself mentally living in what I see as a very toxic enviroment, then I hope the law deals with it swiftly and he is put behind bars. Who knows, maybe this will break that quiverfull cult.

[autumnnight]

The person who raped me was a teenager. I can testify that regardless of HIS "mental development," it sure did a crap job on MINE at the time.

[xxoo]

IMO, age does make a difference in situations. He was a child. And if my son did such a think I would be heartbroken but still love him. He would still be my child. I can see why they wanted to protect him... And in their own way their daughters too.

 

As a parent of a teenager, I do understand this. There is nothing my child could do that would make me not want to help them. I'd be terribly concerned for my teen who was found to be molesting younger siblings. I would aggressively seek qualified counseling, and get a professional opinion. And it goes without saying that the molester would never be unsupervised with young girls again, even for a moment. Ever. Ever. When this first happened at age 14, Josh was simply "punished" and then it came up again a year later with multiple accusers.

 

But dysfunction breeds dysfunction. The family whose environment bred this situation is not the family whose environment handles the situation effectively. They rely on their own support system (equally perverse, as history reveals), and sweep things under the rug. Keep it in "the family", literally and figuratively And with all the perverse "role model" circling the family, it begs the question if Josh himself had ever been abused, leading to his behavior

 

The whole set up is just not healthy. Extreme set ups are rarely healthy.

[Noirek]

As a parent of a teenager, I do understand this. There is nothing my child could do that would make me not want to help them. I'd be terribly concerned for my teen who was found to be molesting younger siblings. I would aggressively seek qualified counseling, and get a professional opinion. And it goes without saying that the molester would never be unsupervised with young girls again, even for a moment. Ever. Ever. When this first happened at age 14, Josh was simply "punished" and then it came up again a year later with multiple accusers.

 

But dysfunction breeds dysfunction. The family whose environment bred this situation is not the family whose environment handles the situation effectively. They rely on their own support system (equally perverse, as history reveals), and sweep things under the rug. Keep it in "the family", literally and figuratively And with all the perverse "role model" circling the family, it begs the question if Josh himself had ever been abused, leading to his behavior

 

The whole set up is just not healthy. Extreme set ups are rarely healthy.

 

 

This is my point. People go on and on about him knowing it was wrong. But that doesn't make him an adult. My 3 year old knows when he does something wrong and hides... And he too isn't an adult. Now Josh is an adult. And we can assume he should have came forward himself but really? I can't imagine his shame and I can't imagine anyone who has built an adult life doing so. And if he is a pedophile it was quite out of nature to confess it to Anne. Personally his parents were idiots to get in the public eye knowing of this skeleton. These things come out. And if he truly is a pedophile, as I said, now that this has been exposed more will come out.

 

So to explain an onjective no emotional look at this. We have children raised in a very repressed home. I'm not entirely sure one when they give sex ed and I can't even imagine what that lesson includes. So we have a young teenager with urges, largely unsupervised as the oldest and with a pile of siblings. Many 14 year olds, specially boys, are still mentally more like children. And I can imagine this toxic enviroment is the same. And so he discovers touching. But where are his parents? He had a few victims, some came forward and really his parents did nothing. They cling to and teach a very warped view of molestation... And they teach that to you minds.

 

So, yes, he knew right from wrong. But he was still not an adult and neither would I say he was a normal teenage boy doing a normal teenage thing.

 

The parents to me share the heaviest responsibilit for creatinf this enviroment first and then their terrible way at handling.

 

For a small aside, my very best friend growing up was touched by her brother (more than once) along with his friend. he was 13 and she was 7. She told me and me being the vocal person I am informed my mom. Who went to her parents. Social services investigated and in the end her brother was ordered to recieve therapy as well as the friend. The friend was no longer a friend but they couldn't unson their son. However, it never happened again. He grew up. She grew up. She knew because of how the parents handled it that she did nothing wrong and it was very wrong of her brother. And as over 30 adults they are still friends. All is forgiven.

[xxoo]

Personally his parents were idiots to get in the public eye knowing of this skeleton.

 

The parents to me share the heaviest responsibilit for creatinf this enviroment first and then their terrible way at handling.

 

I agree with your whole post, and especially these two points. I see the 14 year old as a victim as well. Victim and perpetrator.

 

And the parents were idiots for pursuing a tv show with such a secret and reality in their family. Greedy, arrogant idiots. The worst part may be that their pursuit of fame and power (they are politically active) ultimately sacrificed their children's privacy in this matter. Everyone knows who the "4 sisters" are.

 

I guess they really thought it would just "go away", and their daughters would never speak of it again.

[writergal]

Unbelieveable! The Arkansas police have destroyed Josh Duggar's police record. A judge ordered the destruction of the police record. Seriously?!

 

Despite the fact that the statute of limitations ran out, the cat's out of the bag. Josh Duggar can't hide the fact that he molested his own siblings when they were younger.

 

Josh Duggar: Arkansas Police Destroy Investigation Record

 

(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.)—Arkansas police have destroyed a record outlining a nearly decade-old investigation into reality TV star Josh Duggar, a spokesman said Friday, a day after the 27-year-old resigned his role with a prominent conservative Christian group amid reports about sexual misconduct allegations from when he was a juvenile.

 

The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which obtained the offense report before its destruction, reports Duggar was accused of fondling five girls in 2002 and 2003. Duggar issued an apology Thursday on Facebook for unspecified bad behavior as a youth and resigned his role as executive director for FRC Action, the tax-exempt legislative action arm of the Washington-based Family Research Council.

 

“I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions,” Duggar wrote. “In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.”

 

Duggar appears on the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” which stars his family. He is the oldest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children.

 

Springdale Police began investigating Duggar in 2006 when officers were alerted to a letter containing the allegations that was found in a book lent by a family friend to someone else.

 

The report, originally published by tabloid In Touch Weekly, states that a member of Harpo Studios, the producer of Oprah Winfrey’s then show, received an email containing the allegations before the family was set to appear in 2006. The tipster warned producers against allowing the Duggars on the show and studio staff members faxed a copy of the email to Arkansas State Police.

 

Springdale Police spokesman Scott Lewis said Judge Stacey Zimmerman ordered the 2006 offense report destroyed Thursday. Zimmerman didn’t return a request for comment on Friday.

 

“The judge ordered us yesterday to expunge that record,” Lewis said, adding that similar records are typically kept indefinitely. “As far as the Springdale Police Department is concerned this report doesn’t exist.”

 

Neither Duggar nor his father, a former state representative, returned calls seeking comment Friday.

 

Several Arkansas Republicans have rallied behind the Duggar family, which is still engrained in state politics. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar attended the kickoff event earlier this month for Republican presidential nominee Mike Huckabee, who supported the family in a Facebook post on Friday.

 

“Those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins in order to discredit the Duggar family have actually revealed their own insensitive bloodthirst, for there was no consideration of the fact that the victims wanted this to be left in the past and ultimately a judge had the information on file destroyed–not to protect Josh, but the innocent victims,” Huckabee wrote.

 

Arkansas Sen. Bart Hester said Josh Duggar, who he has known for about five years, has been open and honest about the incident with wife, family and friends. State Sen. Jon Woods, who has known the Duggar family since 2005, said the family had put the issue behind them.

 

“It’s between the family members and was addressed a long time ago but it’s new to the public,” Woods said. “The family had time to heal and now the public needs time to heal.”

[writergal]

Josh Duggar and the Purity Lie

 

Josh Duggar and the Purity Lie | Religion Dispatches

 

Josh Duggar, the oldest son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, stars of “reality” TV and the real life conservative movement, has resigned his position as executive director of FRC Action, the political action arm of the Family Research Council, after In Touch magazine reported that he sexually abused young girls, including, apparently, his sisters, as a teenager.

 

In a statement to People magazine, Duggar, now 27, said:

 

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. . . . 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.

 

Ruining his life.

 

According to the police report, Jim Bob and Michelle, paragons of parenting, hid Josh’s crimes from the police and the public. In Touch reports, based on the police report it obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, that:

 

Josh Duggar was investigated for multiple sex offenses — including forcible fondling — against five minors. Some of the alleged offenses investigated were felonies. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were interview [sic] by the Springdale Police department on Dec. 12, 2006. The report says that James told police he was alerted in March, 2002 by a female minor that Josh — who turned 14-years-old that month — had been touching her breasts and genitals while she slept. This allegedly happened on multiple occasions. In 2006, Jim Bob told police that in July, 2002 Josh admitted to fondling a minor’s breasts while she slept. “James said that they disciplined (redacted, Josh) after this incident.” The family did not alert authorities.

 

The police report reveals that Jim Bob Duggar “met with the elders of his church and told them what was going on” rather than contacting law enforcement. Josh was then sent to “Christian counseling” for three months, which, according to his mother’s admission, was not any sort of licensed counseling facility:

 

Asked about the training center that Jim Bob said Josh was sent to, Michelle told police, according to the report, “it was not really a training center. Det. [Darrell] Hignite asked if the guy [redacted, Josh] talked to was a certified counselor. She said no. She said it was a guy they know in Little Rock that is remodeling a building. Det. Hignite asked if the guy was more of a mentor. She said “kind of.”

 

In their own statement to People, Jim Bob and Michelle say that “when Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong,” that “each one of our family members drew closer to God,” and that they “pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family.”

 

But the Duggars and their supporters have very deliberately marketed them as a perfect family—or if not perfect, at least pure, and in particular, sexually pure.

 

The first episode of their “reality” television show aired in 2008, two years after the police interviewed family members about the sexual assaults that had taken place in 2002 and 2003; the statute of limitations had already run and the police could not pursue charges.

 

In 2010, the Family Research Council, Josh’s future employer, gave Jim Bob and Michelle the “Pro-Family Entertainment” award, describing the family as “outspoken ambassadors for Christian values in a secular world.”

 

On their television program in 2009, Josh Duggar was portrayed as devoting himself to a “courtship” with his future wife Anna, rather than dating, which was derided as part of the “divorce culture:”

 

Tonight, Anna described her husband to People as “someone who had gone down a wrong path and had humbled himself before God and those whom he had offended.”

 

This week, a recap of their television show on their blog discussed how Jim Bob and Michelle “encourage their kids to take a chaperone along on all their dates so they have someone to keep them accountable and ensure that they stick to their courtship standards.” In their family, they police sex outside of marriage. In politics they police sex between consenting adults, sex between people of the same sex; they are “pure” and “godly” because they police and condemn other people’s sexual lives. But now the public knows that this family which enforces “purity” has covered up the sexual predations—against children, even their own children— of their star son.

 

The Duggars haven’t shied away from “protecting” children in other contexts. As Right Wing Watch reports, last year Josh Duggar “led a successful campaign to defeat a LGBT nondiscrimination measure in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which he said jeopardized the safety of children,” and that his mother “also ran a robocall pushing for the repeal of the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance, which she warned would empower ‘child predators’ to threaten ‘the safety and innocence of a child.’”

 

The Duggars are no ordinary spokespeople for the religious right; they are super-spokespeople. For years, they have been held up as exemplars of biblical living, of devotion to Christ, and of, especially, homespun honest living and sexual purity. It’s long been obvious to many that this is a product of marketing and packaging, not reality. But now no one can pretend anymore.