This post will be a
LONG READ, and I'll try to limit my commentary.
It is disappointing to read some (a very small amount of folks) on DU question why folks are discussing Duggargate. These folks have wrote in just, "There is a Piling On" occurring and so on and so forth.
However, as questions rightfully are raised about who knew what when in the Duggar household, more than a moment of reflection needs to focus on the
ACTUAL VICTIMS. Four of Josh's Sisters are those victims.
Jim Bob, Michelle and yes Josh are not in anyway more important than the
YOUNG FEMALE VICTIMS who were taught by their "parents" all Men are the head of the household and to
OBEY them.
Yes,
OBEY which means if Jim Bob refused (which it is likely he did) to allow these
VICTIMS who were his Daughters to have Counseling, Michelle Obeyed -- covered up this SICK PERVERTED behavior for not only her "Husband" but for Josh, the TLC Royalties, a new house (Built by TLC), fame and publicly. All of this at the expense of ignoring the
VICTIMS -- Jim Bob and Michelle's Daughters - who were taught to
OBEY, SHUT UP and SMILE.
These folks have no defense, period and should be charged with multiple crimes. Furthermore, I believe more than inappropriate touching likely occurred in the Duggar household and time will reveal the rest of this
SICK story.
Meanwhile, the report from Gawker is damning -- to say the least:
"According to the police report released by InTouch, Josh’s father Jim Bob (referred to in the report as “James”) first learned of Josh’s behavior in March 2002, when one victim approached Jim Bob and said that Josh touched her breasts and genitals while she slept.
Jim Bob appears not to have acted on the accusation. In July 2002, Josh, then 14 years old, admitted to the behavior to his father, prompting Jim Bob to “discipline” Josh but not report the incident to the authorities.
In March 2003, according to the report, Josh fondled a victim while he read a book to her. Jim Bob was made aware of this and several more accusations—victims accused Josh of touching their breasts and genitals while they slept, and sometimes while they were awake.
The police report suggests that four of Josh’s sisters were victims. In 2002, there were five sisters living in the Duggar house: Jana, then 12; Jill, 11; Jessa, 10; Jinger, 9; and Joy-Anna, 5.
In March 2003, Jim Bob met with “church elders” to discuss Josh’s behavior, and they decided Josh needed to enter a treatment program. He was sent to a “Christian” program consisting of “hard physical work and counseling” from March 2003 to July 2003. Josh’s mother Michelle later admitted to police that Josh did not see a counselor, and was instead sent “to a family friend who was in the home remodeling business” in Little Rock, Arkansas.
When Josh returned home in July 2003, his father and church elders took him to a state trooper to confess what he’d done. The trooper, Cpl. Hutchins, gave Josh a “very stern talk” but did not charge him with any crimes.
InTouch reports that Hutchins was later arrested on child pornography charges and is currently serving 56 years in prison.
Most of the rest of the world was first introduced to the Duggar family on September 6, 2005 with the one-hour Discovery Health special, 14 Children and Pregnant Again! The show followed the family as they prepared for their 15th child, Jackson, and paved the way for many similar specials, and, ultimately, 19 Kids and Counting on TLC.
According to the police report and InTouch, a Duggar family appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006 was cancelled after a “61-year-old woman” emailed Harpo Studios to warn producers about Josh’s sexual misconduct. Harpo Studios forwarded the information to the Department of Human Services hotline, which trigged an investigation by the Springdale Police Department.
It’s not clear who tipped Oprah off and how she knew about Josh’s misconduct, but Jim Bob and Michelle told police that when Josh was accused of molesting his sisters, a family friend wrote down the accusations in a letter that was then placed in a book in the Duggars’ home. Sometime during 2006, the Duggars loaned the book to another person and the letter was discovered.
Throughout the Springdale Police Department’s investigation, three more Duggar specials aired on Discovery Health in 2006: Raising 16 Children on March 13, 16 Children and Moving In on March 15, and On the Road with 16 Children on June 11.
In December 2006, Springdale police interviewed the Duggars about Josh’s behavior. Jim Bob would not produce Josh for questioning—per InTouch, “when police asked Jim Bob to bring Josh in for an interview in 2006, he attempted to hire a lawyer and refused to produce his son for questioning. At least two lawyers refused to take his case.”
Police ultimately did not file charges against Josh because the three-year statute of limitations had run out.
2007: Duggar message boards reveal Josh’s sexual abuse
Though Jim Bob and Michelle decidedly hid Josh’s misconduct from the press and protected him from arrest, the secret had gotten out. They told police in 2006 that “several members of their church were aware of the situation and had been supportive of the family.”
In May 2007, the allegations surfaced online in a comment on a blog about the Duggars. Commenter “Alice”—who has since been referred to on various Duggar message boards as the originator of the rumor—wrote (emphasis added):
Let me tell you something about the precious Duggars that you don’t know. ... In January, the whole family went to Chicago and taped Oprah Winfrey show. Oprah wined and dined them for one week. You know that had to cost some pretty pennies. As you may have noticed, that show never aired and it never will. Oprah was informed that Josh, the oldest son, had been molesting his sisters. Yes, this is the truth. Oprah turned them over to the Arkansas State Police Child Protection Agency and the Washington County Child Protection Agency.
They have been investigated to some length. Jim Bob Duggar told the producers of the show that he built a small church out back for his followers. HIS FOLLOWERS. GET REAL. THE MAN IS A FRAUD. In April, they were in court with their story. They have to report to Arkansas Department of Human Services every six months..
They have lied and lied about their son to protect him at their daughters expense.
For some unknown reason the boy is still in the home with the girls. God only know if this is still going on. In my eyes he is a CHILD MOLESTOR. HE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE HOME. What kind of parents cover up for one child and hurt the others. I do not believe that this is what God has in mind for them. Frauding the American people and taking their money and living off of it.They did not build their home by themselves. They hired it done. TheDiscovery Health Channel and the TLC channel wrote them a check for over $200,000. for the to build the house. Everything inside the house was given to them except the kitchen. They did buy that themselves. The rest is all free. ...
Alice added, “God’s honest truth that the molestation happened. It happened to four of his 5 sisters. The oldest daughter was not touched. The second daughter is the one who caught him doing this. There was no rape involved, but molested. I could go into detail, but I won’t. Of course, you can find nothing about the charges. The Duggar’s want to keep this hid. Wouldn’t you?”
Read More: http://defamer.gawker.com/the-web-has-known-about-josh-duggar-for-years-when-did-1706258269?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_twitter&utm_source=gawker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
There is NO DEFENDING this FAMILY and this is a story which should indeed be talked about!