The Duggar family has faced several scandals over the years ranging from molestation to child abuse; Credits: The Hollywood Gossip
The Duggars were never the sort of people you would count on to become sexual offenders. Despite the 19 kids in the family and that there is always someone who is bound to go awry, the Duggars turned out to be a lot with pretty serious allegations marked against them. Countless people were shocked to see a myriad of scandals surface about the famous family as many viewers of the reality TV family first thought them to be incredibly mature and responsible.
The family has a lot of drama going on, but nothing would top the worst of it all - the child pornography accusations that were labeled against the family's oldest son, Josh Duggar. The accusations were later proved to be true. He was first convicted of the crime in December this year.
Reality TV families have a long list of things that went wrong over the years, and with 19 children around, it was given that some of the things could go wrong. But usually hidden behind the facade of a perfect wholesome family is a deep well of scandals and crimes that managed to tarnish the family name and image forever.
The family had come under hot water when it was revealed that Joy Duggar and her husband associated with people who justify child abuse. In 2018, the couple invited Michael and Debi Pearl, famously known as the authors of the book To Train Up a Child. The book justifies parents hitting their kids, spanking them, asking the children to touch hot stoves, and even asking mothers to pull the hair of their nursing babies if they bite while the mother is breastfeeding.
Now that we know that Josh did stoop to the level of child porn, it is almost not much of a shocker to hear that he molested some members of his own family. Regardless, the accusations were very grave, but Josh Duggar had discarded them off by just putting them off to being a kid and immature.
“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” Josh Duggar had said in his statement after his sisters spoke about his various crimes. “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."
He added, “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.”
While the TV personality had vowed to stay away from the path of wrongdoing five years ago, he had once again made headlines when it was revealed that he was cheating on his wife on an online dating website.
His wife, Anna, chose to stick by his side through thick and thin and did not leave him, and Josh easily got off. He had said, "I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly, over the last several years, been viewing pornography on the internet, and this became a secret addiction, and I became unfaithful to my wife."
Only a year after the drama in 2016, he was again linked to an adult film star, Danica Dillon. Apparently, the two had agreed for a meet-up but Josh proceeded to include her in activities that she had not consented to. The star had dropped her charges but last year, in 2020, shared in an interview that at the time, she had feared for her life and thought Josh Duggar would kill her.
One of the tame Duggar family scandals was the disappearing charity amount they were receiving from their mission trips to fund their future mission trips. But, no one got to know where they were spending the money, and their church also withdrew their support, stating they did not back the couple. No one is still sure about the lost charity money.
Along the way, there are too many scandals about how the Duggars brought up their kids as some time ago Jim Bob had let out that he monitors the phones of all his kids, including the adults. In fact, he also abstained his daughter Jana from getting too close with her female friends lest she formed any attachments. Then there are Jinger and Jeremy, who also monitor each other's phones, so they know who they are talking to.
The most famous scandal, of course, has to be Josh Duggar alleged and convicted of possessing child pornography materials. “A Springdale man was arrested yesterday for receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children,” the statement of arrest claimed.
“According to court documents, Joshua James Duggar, 33, allegedly used the internet to download child sexual abuse material. Duggar allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, in May 2019.”
After he was finally indicted of the crimes earlier this December in 2021, his parents had said, "Today was difficult for our family. Our hearts go out to the victims of child abuse or any kind of exploitation. We are thankful for the hard work of law enforcement."
Josh Duggar's wife is quite distraught amidst his child pornography conviction; Credits: In Touch Weekly
They added, "Nobody is above the law. It applies equally to everybody, no matter your wealth, status, associations, gender, race, or any other factor. Today, the people of the Western District of Arkansas made that clear in their verdict."
