The Kelly File: Duggar Interview 2015.06.03

[Rina99]

I really, really don't understand why Jim Bob went against what's in the police report, like about one of the girls running to them for help. Does he think they won't get called out? Big mistake. They should've stayed on radio silence forever.

 

 

He probably didn't bother to read it, and apparently didn't have a PR person who read it either.  Yeesh.

[cmr2014]

I didn't watch, but from the comments it appears that no one asked the question I wanted answered -- "Why, when there was so much trouble in your family, did you go ahead and have 6 more children?"

 

I don't know whether Josh's behavior can be blamed on bad parenting, or if he was abused, or if he just has some faulty wiring in his head, but if a normal family had a son who molested children -- their own daughters! -- it would have been cause for some serious soul searching. No normal couple would have jumped in the sack and started "trying" for #14 or #15.

 

They are just awful people.

[NikSac]

As far as the under the clothes touching, JB said it happened but 'just for a few seconds '. So that makes that act not matter so much?

 

I made myself watch again to find this part. I still didn't make it past the first 20 minutes of the interview. Around 11:20 on my DVR (give or take 30 seconds because I think my DVR started early) JB says "...now all these again, this was not um rape or anything like that. This was like touching somebody over their clothes. There were a couple incidents where he touched them under their clothes um but it was like a few seconds..."

 

Also made myself listen for the mentions of the various incidents:

 

1. At just under 9 minutes in (according to my DVR ) JB's talking about the first time Josh came crying to them, "it was just the two."  (2 incidents)

2. Approx 20 seconds later, talking about telling the girls what happened, it was "after some other things happened." (How many more? I'll count 2 since he said "some other things" plural)

3. Approx 10 minutes, 25 seconds in JB says "there was another incident where, two different incidents where, girls were like laying on the couch." (and had their breasts touched while they were asleep) (2 more)

4. Around 11:20 JB says "there was a couple more times that he came and told us what he had done and we were just devastated. Now all these again, this was not um rape or anything like that. This was like touching somebody over their clothes. There were a couple incidents where he touched them under their clothes um but it was like a few seconds..."  "It was after this third time he came to us..." that they got help. (at least 2 more)

5. Around 14:20 he says there were "a couple" of incidents while girls were awake. (2 more? or are these the same ones from #2?)

 

So that's what, at least 8 that JB is flat out admitting to in this interview?

 

Annnnd I just remembered the part that made me turn the interview off. Michelle was talking about having to protect her daughters' hearts. I screamed at the TV: "How about protecting their breasts and vaginas from their brother and giving them a safe place to sleep?!?!?" Grrrrrrrrrrr! I couldn't watch any more.

[shannon612]

I may be in the minority, but I honestly did not think the interview was a complete train wreck, I was excepting much worse. I think the parents did not "care" for the girls as much as they did for Josh in the interview. Also, theres a lot of bash for Jim Boob and Mechelle not doing more like turning in Josh, but honestly what parents wouldnt protect their kid, I know it must be tough for parents to have to do something like that, even if you are the Duggars, so for that I dont blame them for trying to do deal with it on their own. I think the biggest issue here is that the police report was leaked, that is dispicible on the law

[Saylii]

In Arkansas, investigations that are done by the Department of Human Services records are exempt from the FOIA.

However, in this case it looks like the investigation was done by the Springdale Police Department and later forwarded to DHS, if the speculation is true that CPS was involved. It would have created a loophole for the records to be released. A regular lawyer advising the Duggars might have assumed it was sealed.

Nevertheless, whoever released the records would have to do some heavy legal research to see if it was okay and probably did have an ulterior motive.

[galax-arena]

The girls had no memory of the first two instances as they were sleeping.

You know what this made me think of? The Vanderbilt rape case from earlier this year. A group of male student athletes were convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious female student. She didn't remember anything and didn’t know what had happened to her - she even initially came to their defense when the investigation started - until someone showed her video footage of the assault. By golly, going by Duggar logic, I guess there was no reason to be upset because she didn’t even know what had happened.

 

(Well, actually, the Duggars would probably say she bore responsibility for getting drunk, but I digress.)

Either way they can't win.

But this is a grave that they dug for themselves. 

[Sew Sumi]

Mechelle, staring gape-mouthed at JB, then whispering "under the clothes" was one of the creepiest  things I've ever seen in a TV interview. 

[HumblePi]

I may be in the minority, but I honestly did not think the interview was a complete train wreck, I was excepting much worse. I think the parents did not "care" for the girls as much as they did for Josh in the interview. Also, theres a lot of bash for Jim Boob and Mechelle not doing more like turning in Josh, but honestly what parents wouldnt protect their kid, I know it must be tough for parents to have to do something like that, even if you are the Duggars, so for that I dont blame them for trying to do deal with it on their own. I think the biggest issue here is that the police report was leaked, that is dispicible on the law

As a matter of fact, a criminal justice lawyer was on television talking about this and said that not only Josh was guilty of a crime but that the Duggars themselves and the other church members that they talked with also have committed a crime by not reporting this abuse immediately.

[CarolMK]

Thanks for the recap, I couldn't bring myself to watch it. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are delusional and it's frightening to hear that they thought that this was no big deal.

By the way, when I went to Twitter, it looks like supposedly Jana, Joy and Joseph all have Twitter accounts. They were listed as "official". Could it be true that they actually have Twitter accounts?

[NJRach]

 

He said their life would go on as usual.

 

That's classic! What life do they have outside of filming and appearances? Why go on a field trip, if red carpet won't be rolled out, and there's no personal assistant shepherding them through the place? Having to actually pay for two dozen people to go to Branson is going to be mighty expensive. They don't really have any hobbies or interests, other than cooking for 20 or holding bible time. I can see them psychotically narrating what they are doing as they go through their day, imagining the camera crew is still in attendance. 

Edited June 4, 2015 by NJRach

[CherryAmes]

I think the biggest issue here is that the police report was leaked, that is dispicible on the law

 

The police report though only confirmed what was apparently a pretty open secret.  The Duggars wouldn't be in the position they are in now if that report hadn't made it into the hands of the people at In Touch Magazine but that wouldn't have changed anything about what actually happened within that family.  To me that's the biggest, and the saddest issue here - that the Duggars are still heavily in denial that their son committed criminal acts and their daughters are the real victims not the parents.

[mywinston]

Just listening to JB and Michelle speak, with their canned answers and empty gazes when faced with a question they were even a little unprepared for, really underlines how stupid they are. They just don't come across as intelligent people, not even a little bit.

 

And I don't think I heard the word "molest" or any variation come out of anyone's mouth. "Improper touch" was sure tossed around a lot though, wasn't it? Just so gross, way to trivialize it. Anyone not aware of what happened could assume he merely hugged someone wrong.

[HumblePi]

Mechelle, staring gape-mouthed at JB, then whispering "under the clothes" was one of the creepiest  things I've ever seen in a TV interview. 

The whole interview was creepy the way they nervously defended Josh. They tried to make it sound as though Josh cried and repented and was sorry and so on. BUT they also said that they didn't do a single thing except pray with him, to protect those other girls. It wasn't until he came to them for a THIRD time that they sought some advice from others in their church. They tried to make it sound as though the only times that Josh molested those sisters was the times he came to confess to them. What about the other times he never came to them? Jim Bob says that the girls usually didn't even realize that something wrong was done. That's bullshit.

 

I had to edit to add one more thought. This whole thing and the lengths to which the Duggars tried to protect Josh, and to help him repent, and to "soften his heart" all reflects back to their rigid ultra-fundamentalist mindset about males in families being groomed to be patriarchs and leaders in their church. Their religion protects and defends males. They have more value of males. Females again.....are lesser beings and treated as such. The concerns, the tears and the hiding of the facts all prove this. Where were Michelle's tears for her four daughters and the babysitter having been sexually molested?  Did she cry for them too or only for precious male-child Josh and their own reputations as God loving Christians?

 

Oh sorry, another edit. Someone here had posted a comment about how this report should never have been made public at all because the case was closed and documents sealed. But in reality, it was a whispered about secret for a very long time. There had been insinuations and rumors abounding because by 2006 there were many people who knew of this including several of their church members. So, to have the report become public knowledge brought a firestorm for sure, but it also brought the public's awareness of exactly to what lengths the Duggar's will go to protect their son and their own interests. People really need to be aware that this is a potential problem for everyone, not only the Duggar family. The awareness this case brings may just save a lot of little kids from being sexually molested through education.

Edited June 4, 2015 by HumblePi

[mousegirl]

I haven't watched any of this, I wouldn't survive it.  There's enough mental and emotional stress in my life right now.  I thank God for all the posters here who had the courage.

 

Throughout the Duggar debacle, a favorite line from Friends keeps popping up in my head.  Please note that I am presenting this without an iota of facetiousness.

 

"Can's open - worms, EVERYWHERE!"

 

It sounds like the interview with JB and Michelle just opened a whole pantry full of cans.  Sorry, folks, you will not only NEVER get the worms back in, you can't dress them up in pretty pink bows and make us think they're anything else except exactly what we KNOW they are.    

 

Just put the damn can opener away, hush up, go home and try to properly raise the kids you still have under your roof.  Show's over.   

Edited June 4, 2015 by mousegirl

[Iguessnot]

I must be in the minority then when it happened to my son his stepbrother did it to him as soon as I found out I called the police and reported it.

Was it a red headed stepchild? Sorry I couldn't resist.

 

I DVR'd the episode. After 11 minutes I just tuned out. Thanks for all the recaps, because I just can't listen to those two. I don't even know why they did this interview and the thought of Jill and Jessa doing an interview is rather revolting. Knowing how Fox berates non-Wasp guests, it was striking to see them use kid gloves on this incestuous case involving one of their own. 

[galax-arena]

From one of the posted live blogs (because I haven't been able to watch the interview myself):

Megyn asks the Duggars if the backlash is greater because of their Christian beliefs. Michelle says yes.

Oh, give me a fucking break. Do I think some of the anger at the Duggars is because for ages they’ve set themselves up as holier-than-thou arbiters of morality? Yes. No one likes hypocrisy when it comes to smug moralists. But they can stop acting like it’s some sort of ~agenda against people of faith. My Christian friends are just as disgusted about the Duggars as I am. But they never subscribed to the judgmental brand of Christianity that the Duggars adhere to, so they were never on the Duggar fandom train to begin with. Y'all ain't being persecuted, Duggars, so you can take several seats now. 

[natyxg]

The preview of Jess and Jill shows them, imo, sooo coached, repeating the thing about the police report.  But poor Jill. That's the first time she has looked to me like a real person and not like someone acting out scenes from Little House in the Prarie. I don't know if I'll watch that one, I think Jill may make me cry.

[SinInTheCamp]

 

Releasing the report was illegal. The law is crystal clear in Arkansas.  Sealed juvenile records are exempt from the FOIA without an order from a judge.  She did not have that.    It is claimed she consulted an attorney before she released it.  In that case the attorney should be disbarred.

 

For what it's worth, I used to work as a "Custodian of Records" for a police department in another state for six years. It was my job to determine which reports were releaseable under the law and to redact accordingly. This wasn't in Arkansas, and each state has its own codified rules, but I'd venture to say that they all operate under similar premises.

 

First, as others here have mentioned, a juvenile record refers to a record held by the court. The police department is a completely separate agency from the court. PD reports are generally not classified as "juvenile" v. "adult"; they are crime reports (with or without an arrest) or they are incident reports (not qualifying as a crime at the time the report was written).

 

Crime reports without a suspect were always releaseable in my agency. Those that did have a suspect who had not been arrested were also releaseable, but certain personal info had to be redacted (like name, DOB, DL #, social, etc.). One weird exception was that addresses were considered public information. To me, that seemed personal as well, so I always took the extra step (on my own best judgment) to redact street addresses and release only the city name and zip code. However, if I'd ever been called out on it, I would likely have been forced to reveal full addresses--unless I could prove that releasing them would put someone in clear danger. I'm figuring that Arkansas has a similar mandate, since I read the Duggar report and saw that Josh and the victims' names were redacted, but not their addresses.

 

Now, witness names in my state do not require redaction. Again, it seems their public information act allows this, since Jim Boob and Michelle's names are there. Unfortunately for this case, that gives away the identity of the suspect and victims. If it were me, I probably would have again taken the extra step of redacting their names as well because they all live at the same address, but it's certainly not illegal to include them. 

 

Since this case did not result in an arrest, it becomes eligible for public release. The law says that the public has a right to view these types of police records (again, these are not court records). The last step I would take in releasing such a report would be to check with a detective/involved officer/supervisor to ensure that the investigation into the alleged crime had ended. Ongoing investigations are ineligible for release. If the case had been passed on to the DA's office, I would call and check with them as well. Since there were no arrests made in the Duggar case, it wouldn't be necessary to call the DA/court. If the case was of an unusual nature (perhaps involving a well-known citizen, as in this case), my department did have an attorney that I could contact just to get an extra "okay" to protect myself. But I normally made these decisions myself and, as a non-arrest report with no ongoing investigation, I would have personally felt it necessary to release it in compliance with the law.

[leighroda]

The teaser with Jill broke my heart, she gets a lot of flack, but those tears were genuine.

Meanwhile Michelle's voice is on overdrive to where my dog could only hear her, as she was forcing herself to cry and trying to hyperventilate. I have to watch it again to remember what exactly but they were clearly memorized answers, at one point Michelle started to answer a question and messed up her line and verbatim started over.

Ps I can't believe she worked in "purposed" that was not a word I was expecting tonight... And "share" was the underdog that swooped in for the lead in most used digger ism.

[Sew Sumi]

So, according to JB, the "last step, " right after Smuggar got back from Little Rock, was taking him to the Kiddie Porn Cop. 

 

But they all had therapy. Which is the last step again? 

 

I'm calling False Dichotomy. Both can't be true. Same goes for over/under touching. 

 

They know. They're just coached. 

[wanderwoman]

Jim Bob: "None if the victims knew what Josh had done."

liar, liar, liar

Is he really this fucking stupid? I don't know if he's willfully spinning fallacy or if he is deluded. We have read the police report. Redacted or not! It's clear that at least two of the girls were wide awake and told Mom and Dad before Josh could. Have they really rewritten history so effectively that the truth is irrelevant? I'm watching this with my husband, who is in law enforcement, and he is sitting here telling me that, if Jim Bob were answering questions like this, we these mannerisms and obviousl fallacies, he would immediately stop the interview and Mirandize him. Jim Bob's body language is sketch as hell. Josh was 14 when it STARTED! 16 at the end.

[SinInTheCamp]

 

I think the biggest issue here is that the police report was leaked, that is dispicible on the law

 

Once a police department determines that a report is eligible for release under their Public Records Act, it cannot be considered "leaked." It is then public record, which means that every member of the public has an equal right to view it.

[mywinston]

 

From one of the posted live blogs (because I haven't been able to watch the interview myself):

 

Oh, give me a fucking break. Do I think some of the anger at the Duggars is because for ages they’ve set themselves up as holier-than-thou arbiters of morality? Yes. No one likes hypocrisy when it comes to smug moralists. But they can stop acting like it’s some sort of ~agenda against people of faith. My Christian friends are just as disgusted about the Duggars as I am. But they never subscribed to the judgmental brand of Christianity that the Duggars adhere to, so they were never on the Duggar fandom train to begin with. Y'all ain't being persecuted, Duggars, so you can take several seats now. 

 

 

Preach. If you're gonna talk the talk, at least ATTEMPT to walk the walk.

 

"This is not something we wanted to come out, but if people can see that Josh who did these very bad things when he was young person, that God can forgive him for these terrible things, then I hope other people realize that God can forgive them and make them a new creature.”

 

Because that's what's important here. That shitty people everywhere know that they have a champion in Jim Bob Duggar. Give me a break.

 

How could Michelle compare transgender people to child molesters? “I think that protecting young girls and not allowing young men and men in general to go in [women’s bathrooms] is just common sense.”

 

IS IT, Michelle? IS IT COMMON SENSE? I don't believe that she has anything but the loosest grasp on what common sense means, and I definitely don't belive she actually has any herself.

[Quilt Fairy]

So, in the Duggar World, at age 15 you are still a child and not accountable for any actions.

Considering that his parents are doing the interview for him, in the Duggar World Josh is still a child at 27.

 

Did any part of the interview touch on Josh leaving his job at the FRC?

[SometimesBites]

So many things to rail about but I will just say: JimBob says that after the 4th or 5th time (I think), they started talking to other families. And SO MANY had these same problems or WORSE, so Joshie is not so bad, I guess. I assume these are all Fundie families. Odd; I think I could poll a zillion of my heathen or mildly religious friends and find that none of them had molesting sons. I could be wrong...

And he'll be so confused and offended when people are kind of horrified by this. They really are clueless. The entire situation is shining a klieg light on the depth of their ignorance and self-righteousness. Michelle can claim "agenda" and "attack" all she wants, but it isn't just liberals or the LBGTQ community or black Santa Claus up in arms now...there are LOTS of former supporters who identify as Christian who are sickened and pissed about the way this has gone down. I hear taps playing.

[SinInTheCamp]

 

Anyone not aware of what happened could assume he merely hugged someone wrong.

 

Front-hugging! DEFRAUDING!!!

[WhitneyWhit]

For he first time in my life something from Fox News was on my DVR, and let me tell you, it will be the last. I couldn't make it through this because I was scaring myself with how angry I was getting. Jim Bob and Michelle are subhuman, they're lower than low, the fact that have been able to have so many children is one of the great tragedies of our time. They trot those poor girls while their fat ass pervert of a son gets to hide, please.

 

As for Megyn Kelly, well I've always known she was your typical Fox News BBAH (Bleached Blond Air Head) but really? The backlash was worse because they're Christians? First of all, stop referring to them as Christians because they're not, secondly, the backlash is because their son sexually violated his sisters, as well as other girls, and they covered it up.

[JoanArc]

 

Did any part of the interview touch on Josh leaving his job at the FRC?

FRC was never mentioned.

 

Josh was kind of secondary to the whole thing. The victim's suffering was hardly mentioned. There's safeguards, you see. Plus the 5yo was confused, so it's all cool.

[galax-arena]

“I think that protecting young girls and not allowing young men and men in general to go in [women’s bathrooms] is just common sense.”

IS IT, Michelle? IS IT COMMON SENSE? I don't believe that she has anything but the loosest grasp on what common sense means, and I definitely don't belive she actually has any herself.

I think it’s common sense to realize that men who want to molest little girls in bathrooms aren’t going to let the pesky defeat of an anti-discrimination ordinance deter them. It’s not like they’re going to go, “Wait, you mean men aren’t allowed in the women’s bathroom? Well, that’s that, then!” and go on their merry way. There aren't any bouncers waiting to eject men from the bathroom.

 

But I imagine that our definition of common sense is very different from Michelle’s….

[xls]

The teaser with Jill broke my heart, she gets a lot of flack, but those tears were genuine.

Meanwhile Michelle's voice is on overdrive to where my dog could only hear her, as she was forcing herself to cry and trying to hyperventilate. I have to watch it again to remember what exactly but they were clearly memorized answers, at one point Michelle started to answer a question and messed up her line and verbatim started over.

Ps I can't believe she worked in "purposed" that was not a word I was expecting tonight... And "share" was the underdog that swooped in for the lead in most used digger ism.

I thought her eyes were going to pop out and fly accross the room when she talked about the "safeguards"put in place.

[HumblePi]

Not to mention that two of them have to be dragged out to an interview to forgive their molester; who gets to hide behind his parents defending him.

Josh Duggar and Anna watched the interview of course. Why wasn't Josh there with Megyn Kelly instead of his parents. He's a grown up, he can speak for himself. If Megyn wanted to get the real story, Josh is the only one who could really give a true account of it.

[natyxg]

Well, i think I saw an edited interview because it was 34 minutes, but hell no I ain't gonna go watch the full one.

 

My impression is... creeped out. Very creeped out.

 

Very creeped out by the creepy things that were lurking under the surface. By Michelle and JB's obsession with protect Josh, but not even being able to show remorse for not protecting their daughters. It was like the actions were taken to stop Josh from becoming a pervert, not to protect the daughters, who in their minds weren't even that affected because they didn't know what happened.

 

Creeped out by Michelle's robotic.... everything. Like she couldn't get real emotions out, or real tears out or even her real voice out.

 

Creeped out by the reminder of how man-centric their culture is by JB basically doing all the taking.

 

Creeped out by the idea of sisters and brothers basically not allowed to play freely or spend any time alone together because of fear of incest. ick!

 

Creeped out by the image of Michelle and JB watching Josh like hawks fearing that he would do the same thing again. Ick!

 

Just creeped out. So creepy, y'all!

 

And LMAO at the lesbian agenda comment from Michelle.

[VioletNevermind]

What a ridiculous, softball interview.  The choice of FOX's Megyn Kelly for the first and only interview thus far was not a coincidence.

 

* I kept waiting for Jim Bob and Michelle to admit that the girls came to him in tears, seeking help with what Josh had done.  That never happened.  The prevailing fiction is that the girls were asleep and otherwise unaffected during all but two of the incidents.  They bent over backwards to frame Josh as a repentant, reluctant fellow victim.  It was around the 14-minute mark that I first wanted to put my fist through my television screen.

 

* We could have made an excellent drinking game of how many times either Jim Bob or Michelle uttered the words "over their clothes" or stressed Josh's tender age at the time of the incidents.  I'm sorry, but 14 or 15 is damn well old enough to know not to fondle your underage siblings' genitals.

 

* With any other interviewer, the Duggars would have been asked why their religious teachings tell them to basically lay some of the blame on the female victim(s) of sexual abuse.  I'd have paid $1,000 to see how they'd have responded to that question.

 

* Michelle needs an Oscar for her tearful performance at the 22-minute mark.  She was dabbing her eyes as if her life depended on it.

 

* I was sickened by Jim Bob and Michelle's focus on Josh as opposed to their daughters.  The tears and emotions only flowed when they were talking about their precious, fallen boy.

 

* I'm going to need to see some receipts for the visits the girls had with licensed, accredited counselors.

 

* Did anyone else consider the behind-the-scenes aspects of tonight's interview?  Just picture it: 25-year-old Jana and her younger sisters were upstairs, watching their siblings just like usual, while Jim Bob and Michelle sat downstairs, trying to keep the boat afloat.

 

* Megyn's factoid about how teens who touch children rarely re-offend was pretty transparently pro-Duggars.

 

* I'm slightly horrified that Jessa and Jill are being trotted out on Friday to share their recollections and feelings.  You know they'll toe the party line along with their parents.

 

* As angry as I am after watching the interview (and the rebroadcast airing now), I know enough to hold my breath for the real anger that's coming on Friday when I watch the girls' interview.

Edited June 4, 2015 by SuzyLee

[HundFan]

 

And I don't think I heard the word "molest" or any variation come out of anyone's mouth. "Improper touch" was sure tossed around a lot though, wasn't it? Just so gross, way to trivialize it. Anyone not aware of what happened could assume he merely hugged someone wrong.

            Yes to this. An "improper touch" is a volleyball foul. NOT a synonym for sexual molestation.

[HumblePi]

The teaser with Jill broke my heart, she gets a lot of flack, but those tears were genuine.

Meanwhile Michelle's voice is on overdrive to where my dog could only hear her, as she was forcing herself to cry and trying to hyperventilate. I have to watch it again to remember what exactly but they were clearly memorized answers, at one point Michelle started to answer a question and messed up her line and verbatim started over.

Ps I can't believe she worked in "purposed" that was not a word I was expecting tonight... And "share" was the underdog that swooped in for the lead in most used digger ism.

Having the two girls sit through an interview about how they were molested, whether or not they've forgiven and moved on, is only reintroducing trauma again and re-victimizing them. It was a mistake for FOX to interview Jessa and Jill.

[Darknight]

This was a disgusting interview. The duggars hung themselves. JB saying it's not molestation because he only touched them over their clothes for a second and said parents aren't mandated reporters. The fake ass tears from J'chelle. JB trying to talk around megans questions. I did like when Megan told JB how he felt about his daughters not Josh. Sick people.

[Rhondinella]

I may be in the minority, but I honestly did not think the interview was a complete train wreck, I was excepting much worse. I think the parents did not "care" for the girls as much as they did for Josh in the interview. Also, theres a lot of bash for Jim Boob and Mechelle not doing more like turning in Josh, but honestly what parents wouldnt protect their kid, I know it must be tough for parents to have to do something like that, even if you are the Duggars, so for that I dont blame them for trying to do deal with it on their own. I think the biggest issue here is that the police report was leaked, that is dispicible on the law

 

You're not alone.  They presented a much stronger case for their actions than I expected, honestly.  Still not saying they did the best thing possible, but I'm at least sympathetic to the fact that they didn't want to turn their own son into the police, especially if they believed (erroneously) that this was something that could be "fixed" and probably wouldn't happen again.  Not defending everything they did or everything they believe and are, and there certainly were problematic parts of that interview.  But as a parent I do have some sympathy for the extremely difficult decision they had to make.

 

Having said that, though: the part that made me mad was the suggestion that since the 5 year old didn't know what was happening she wasn't damaged by it.  I was only a little older than that when I was molested (which was also largely inappropriate touching) and although I certainly didn't know about sex at that age, I had no doubt in my mind that what was going on was wrong.  And it definitely traumatized me.  So for that I want to tell JimBob to go screw himself.

[Darknight]

Having the two girls sit through an interview about how they were molested, whether or not they've forgiven and moved on, is only reintroducing trauma again and re-victimizing them. It was a mistake for FOX to interview Jessa and Jill.

Anything to get the show back.

[HumblePi]

Anything to get the show back.

That may be the case, but that makes FOX a perpetrator of re-victimizing those two women.

[Darknight]

Jim Bob: "None if the victims knew what Josh had done."

liar, liar, liar

Is he really this fucking stupid? I don't know if he's willfully spinning fallacy or if he is deluded. We have read the police report. Redacted or not! It's clear that at least two of the girls were wide awake and told Mom and Dad before Josh could. Have they really rewritten history so effectively that the truth is irrelevant? I'm watching this with my husband, who is in law enforcement, and he is sitting here telling me that, if Jim Bob were answering questions like this, we these mannerisms and obviousl fallacies, he would immediately stop the interview and Mirandize him. Jim Bob's body language is sketch as hell. Josh was 14 when it STARTED! 16 at the end.

So why is Jessa saying she was molested and why is Jill crying?

[xls]

Yeah, Michelle, you are right, there are people out there who "tist and slander to hurt" like YOU when you slander about gay and trans-people. That's why people can't stand you!

[natyxg]

I think it's kind of ironic how they keep talking about the released records as if rather than a police report it was the records from something else. I think in their quest to point the finger to others they are inadvertently confirming that there were court proceedings or something, and there is more to this than we know.

[Darknight]

That may be the case, but that makes FOX a perpetrator of re-victimizing those two women.

Fox doesn't care neither. JB or huckabee probably push for the girls to talk. They want sympathy so they can get their stupid shoe back. The girls need to get off tv and get therpay. And stay away from JimChelle they're toxic.

[Sew Sumi]

Ugh, Michelle, whatever your kids supposedly ";poured out their hearts" to in counseling is NOT revealed. Do they even know that? I think they believe that what the girls said to counselors is "out there." Well, that's easy to assume, since you can lie about it, since there was likely no professional counseling, the records of which ARE SEALED. 

 

Again, I don't think they know what's really in the public domain and are obviously operating off of more paranoid pretenses. 

[KAOS Agent]

 

That may be the case, but that makes FOX a perpetrator of re-victimizing those two women.

 

So is any network that gives victims a platform to speak out revictimizing them by allowing them to speak? Should all victims be forced to sit down and shut up because the networks/media knows what's best for them? That's not right. I don't know if Jill or Jessa feel pressured to be interviewed, but they are both adults who can make decisions for themselves. If they choose to go out and talk about it, that's their choice. It's not the media's decision. They should absolutely have the platform to speak out. [snip]

Edited June 4, 2015 by Rhondinella
possibly inflammatory remarks toward another

[maggiemae]

Why on earth do they believe Josh the Blessed was totally honest with his "confessions" over clothes while the girls slept.....oh on the couch too, and oh - in the laundry room too? Or how often or how long this was going on?

[JoanArc]

 

* Megyn's factoid about how teens who touch children rarely re-offend was pretty transparently pro-Duggars.

YES. Given all we know about the case, how molesters behave/develop, and 'treatment' Josh got, this was a complete crock. The opposite of what Kelley said is the truth. It's a lifelong problem, like addiction.

 

EDIT: Also, hearing Jim Bob say 'breast' was the lowest point of my life. So.very.creepy.

Edited June 4, 2015 by JoanArc

[NJRach]

I'm thinking back to when I was 15 - almost able to drive, babysitting, participating in high school clubs, and being given increased responsibility. I was mature enough to know NOT to feel up my siblings in their sleep. I think any 15 year old knows better. Thinking back to my peers at that age, anyone who resorted to molesting their siblings would have a huge "ick" factor. Boob can yammer on all he wants about Joshie being a child, but a 15 year old knows better. People can argue that Joshie was curious, and unable to find any info in his sexually repressed household, so he checked out his sisters. I don't buy that. Any 15 year old is savvy enough to know he could have snuck a peek at books in the town library, or found an internet connection and looked up some anatomical info. Heck, my own kids spent way too much time observing the naked statues in museums. The info is out there. You do not use your sisters for research. That factor, combined with his smug attitude indicates something very disturbing with him.

Edited June 4, 2015 by NJRach

[galax-arena]

We could have made an excellent drinking game of how many times either Jim Bob or Michelle uttered the words "over their clothes"

I hate how the Duggars and their defenders try to minimize the abuse by saying it was over the clothes. I get that there are degrees of abuse/assault but the implication is that the harm is minimal because hey, it was just over the clothes. I was the victim of a very mild form of abuse where for the longest time I didn’t even think it qualified as abuse because it’s so tame compared to the horror stories that other people come out with. Even now it’s something that I sometimes feel embarrassed/silly to talk about - and I was tempted to put “victim” in scare quotes above - because it was just this or that, and omg shouldn’t I be over it by now? Honestly, I think that fucked me up more than the abuse itself. 

 

God, I hate the Duggars and everything they stand for.

Edited June 4, 2015 by galax-arena

[Maharincess]

Watching this made me nauseous, then I made the mistake of going to the interviewer's Facebook page and the nausea turned into full on throwing up.

I couldn't believe the people defending them. I had to leave that page fast.

I've never cussed, yelled and been more pissed off watching TV show in my life.

These people are disgusting.