In 2015, the Springdale Police Division in Arkansas launched a report alleging that Josh Duggar had molested 5 underage ladies between 2002 and 2003, when he would have been 14 and 15. Josh’s personal father, Jim Bob Duggar, first alerted police to the accusations in 2005 after his son had confessed to him. In line with the report, Jim Bob and spouse, Michelle Duggar, informed police Josh had confessed to fondling the ladies’ breasts and genitals.

After the report was made public in 2015, Josh admitted to the molestation and issued an apology. “Twelve years in the past, as a younger teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I’m extraordinarily sorry and deeply remorse,” he mentioned. “I harm others, together with my household and shut pals.” Months later, Josh’s sisters, Jill and Jessa Duggar, got here ahead to establish themselves as two of his victims.

Josh reportedly sought assist for his habits in 2003 when he attended a Christian counseling program. The household alerted the Arkansas State Police in 2005. On the time, the officer who took the household’s report, former state trooper Joseph Hutchens, reportedly solely gave Josh a “stern lecture” about his habits and let him go. Hutchens did not observe up with an investigation. Later, he was convicted on little one pornography prices and is serving a 56 12 months sentence.

The Arkansas State Police allegedly ended the investigation into Josh Duggar in 2006 believing that the three-year statute of limitations had run out.

The Duggar household reportedly believes that the boys of the household ought to be the breadwinners and that the ladies mustn’t work. However Jill Duggar runs her personal midwife service known as Labor Sit and reportedly helped ship her sister Pleasure-Anna Duggar’s son Gideon in 2018.

Nevertheless, many followers have questioned Jill’s midwife credentials. Jill reportedly has a CPM competency certificates, which requires much less coaching than a Licensed Nurse Midwife license. A CNM license requires a Bachelor’s diploma, one 12 months of nursing expertise and three years in a nurse-midwifery program and is typically thought-about the usual in her discipline.

In November 2015, pornstar Danica Dillon filed a $500,000 lawsuit claiming Duggar had crushed her throughout intercourse. In line with the go well with, Josh approached Dillon at a strip membership in Pennsylvania whereas his spouse, Anna Duggar, was pregnant with their fourth little one and provided to pay $1,500 for intercourse. Then Josh went to her lodge, and whereas issues began out consensually, “every part turned violent, and she or he was fearful of him.” Josh reportedly choked her and known as her demeaning names. He paid her $1,000 when he left.

On the time, Josh denied it and provided Uber receipts he claimed proved he wasn’t in Pennsylvania when the alleged incidents happened. In February 2016, Dillon dropped the go well with.

In August 2015, it was revealed that Josh was a paying member of Ashley Madison, the relationship web site that facilitates extramarital affairs. Josh reportedly paid virtually $1,000 on two separate Ashley Madison accounts between 2013 and 2015, which included a $250 “assured affair” price.

In response, Josh issued a press release on the Duggar household web site, “I’ve been the largest hypocrite ever. Whereas espousing religion and household values, I’ve secretly during the last a number of years been viewing pornography on the web and this turned a secret dependancy and I turned untrue to my spouse.” The assertion was later edited to take away the reference to pornography and a line about permitting “Devil to construct a fortress in [his] coronary heart,” after which was faraway from the web site completely.

 

In 2015, Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, requested followers to fund their mission journey to El Salvador. As soon as there, they reportedly left to fly residence on two events to attend weddings. Followers scrutinized the couple’s Instagram posts and determined that the donor-funded journey was extra of a trip than an support mission.

Jill and Derick responded that the marriage detours had been deliberate journeys and did not battle with their mission to assist the individuals of El Salvador.

In the identical 2015 police report that alleged Josh Duggar molested 5 ladies, it was additionally reported that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have used corporal punishment to self-discipline their youngsters. In line with the report, one of many Duggar youngsters informed authorities that Jim Bob and Michelle spanked their youngsters with a “rod” — reportedly impressed by Proverbs 13:24 — however not exhausting sufficient to depart bruises.

A viewer truly requested Michelle Duggar how they self-discipline their youngsters in a 2010 episode of 19 Children and Counting. Michelle didn’t affirm or deny utilizing corporal punishment however as a substitute targeted on optimistic reinforcement. “We have actually chosen to deal with praising our children for good character, for Godly character,” she reportedly mentioned. “And as we do this, we discover that we now have lots much less hassle with correction once we are consistently searching for methods to reward them.”

 

In 2019, Jinger Duggar’s minister husband, Jeremy Vuolo, admitted on Little Individuals, Massive World’s “Behind the Scenes” podcast that his cellphone does not have entry to the Web — apart from e-mail — in order that he can keep away from temptation. “I’ve had zero entry to it for the final 5 – 6 years on my cellphone. I do have e-mail, and I’ve a chess app and an MLS soccer app, however that’s it,” he mentioned. “I don’t need all that temptation in my hand. I need to keep purity in my ideas and in my eyes. It’s an accountability measure.”

Jinger Duggar can be reportedly in command of his social media accounts.

Jill Duggar’s husband, Derick Dillard, has a historical past of attacking and purposely misgendering Jazz Jennings, the transgender star of TLC’s I Am Jazz. “I pity Jazz,” Derick tweeted in 2017 about Jennings, who was identified with gender identification dysfunction at age Four and transitioned from a male to a feminine. “Four those that make the most of him so as 2 promote their agenda, together with the mother and father who permit these sorts of choices 2 be made by a baby. It’s unhappy that ppl would use a juvenile this manner. Once more, nothing towards him, simply unlucky what’s on TV lately.” Derick’s Twitter followers accused him of bullying, however he replied that he was merely “expressing [his] view.”

In response, TLC determined to drop Derick from the 19 Children and Counting spin-off, Counting On. “We need to let our viewers know that Derick Dillard has not participated in Counting On for months and the community has no plans to characteristic him sooner or later,” the community mentioned in a press release. “We need to reiterate that Derick’s private statements don’t mirror the views of the community. TLC is proud to share the story of Jazz Jennings and her household and can proceed to take action.”

Apparently getting fired did not cease Derick from expressing views, and he once more posted transphobic feedback about Jennings in 2018.

Pleasure-Anna Duggar was accused of getting her first little one with Austin Forsyth earlier than they had been married — in truth, she even moved the date of her wedding ceremony 5 months sooner than it was initially deliberate. She introduced her being pregnant three months after tying the knot however appeared additional alongside — about 4 to 5 months pregnant.

 

As reported by Radar in Might of 2015, the Duggar household staged a charity occasion in an Arkansas thrift retailer all for the sake of their actuality present.

In 2015, the Duggar household Tweeted that they had been going to be donating meals to “households in want” on the Compassion Middle in Springdale, Arkansas. However on the day of the occasion, in line with an onlooker, the Duggars confirmed up half an hour late with a manufacturing crew in tow. When actuality present producers realized {that a} crowd had solely gathered to see the Duggars and to not obtain meals, they requested individuals within the crowd to let the Duggars give them meals as if it had been for charity. “Let’s go over this … you’re actually joyful that the Duggars have introduced you this meals, you really want this for your loved ones,” the witness claims to have overheard.

The Duggars proceeded at hand out containers of “junk meals” to the gang of onlookers, repeating the method thrice earlier than they had been glad with their footage. And as soon as the cameras stopped rolling, the Duggars took the meals again.

The Duggars are all staunchly pro-life, and so they’re not shy about expressing their political opinions. In 2012, they campaigned for presidential candidate Rick Santorum due to his pro-life stance.

However in July of 2013, Michelle Duggar caught loads of controversy when she joined a pro-life rally exterior the Texas legislature, which was debating Home Invoice 2, which might have supplied among the strictest abortion laws within the nation together with a ban on abortions after 20 weeks. As reported by Radar, the mom of 19 informed the gang that abortion is a “child holocaust,” evaluating it to Hitler’s tried eradication of the Jews throughout World Battle II.

The invoice in the end handed and was signed into regulation.

 

Michelle Duggar is as anti-LGBTQ+ rights as she is anti-abortion. As reported by Radar, a 12 months after weighing in on Texas’ abortion invoice, the Duggar matriarch inspired the residents of Fayetteville, Arkansas to vote to repeal a regulation defending LGBTQ+ residents towards discrimination.

The regulation — known as Ordinance 119 — devoted a metropolis worker to fielding complaints from residents who had been denied equal service in housing, employment and different civic issues. It additionally would have allowed trans women and men to make use of any public restrooms.

In August of 2014, Michelle Duggar, whose son Josh later apologized for molesting 5 underage ladies when he was an adolescent, lent her voice to a robocall marketing campaign dedicated to overturning Ordinance 119. “The Fayetteville Metropolis Council is voting on an ordinance this Tuesday evening that will permit males — sure I mentioned males — to make use of ladies’s and ladies’ restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping areas and different areas designated for females solely,” Duggar mentioned within the robocall. “I do not consider the residents of Fayetteville would need males with previous little one predator convictions that declare they’re feminine to have a authorized proper to enter non-public areas which are reserved for girls and ladies. I doubt that Fayetteville mother and father would stand for a regulation that will endanger their daughters or permit them to be traumatized by a person becoming a member of them of their non-public area.”

In December of 2014, Fayetteville voters repealed the ordinance.

On February 28th, 2015, Derick Dillard posted an Instagram video that began off as enjoyable household day within the snow however shortly took a disturbing flip. As reported by Radar, Derick could be seen within the video sledding down a hill and purposely aiming his sled at a cat saying, “Transfer, cat!” as he barrels downhill towards it along with his household laughing within the background. Fortunately the cat did transfer and was unhurt.

Followers had been instantly livid. “Gross and inappropriate,” wrote one Instagram consumer, including that it “it’s merciless to scare animals and probably trigger them hurt.”

“Wow. Are you critical?! This makes me f–king sick,” wrote one other. “I’m and have all the time been watchers of the present and the truth that GROWN ADULTS suppose it could be humorous to try to sled right into a cat is f–king sick.”
PETA obtained concerned and demanded Derick apologize. “Would possibly doesn’t make proper, however that’s the message you’ve despatched to scores of impressionable younger youngsters and constant followers. I hope you’ll publicly apologize to your actions and remind your followers that Jesus’ command to ‘do unto others’ contains all of God’s creatures,” PETA mentioned in a press release.

Earlier than she made headlines for opposing LGBTQ+ and abortion rights, Michelle Duggar was opposing a extra native challenge, a close-by enterprise’s proper to promote alcohol. As reported by Radar, an area EZ Mart utilized for a license to promote beer in 2009, and Duggar joined a protest to attempt to cease it.

“Personally, I don’t suppose alcohol must be handy,” Duggar mentioned on the time. “I feel it must be positioned in a spot the place adults can get to it and they’ll have a option to get it. However our kids shouldn’t be bombarded with that. It’s so near residence.”

Native residents weren’t impressed. “Have to be good to be a one-woman killer of another person’s livelihood,” one wrote on the native information website 40/29. “Why ought to the comfort retailer proprietor have his earnings restricted due to her say-so? Does she not belief that the indoctrination that they’re giving their brood isn’t sturdy sufficient and her youngsters will likely be alcoholics? Possibly she sees them going that approach already? Nobody’s taking the meals out of their 21 huge mouths, why is it her enterprise to take the meals out of the exhausting working retailer proprietor’s mouth and his household?”

Along with his two Ashley Madison accounts, Josh Duggar was additionally revealed in 2015 to be an OKCupid consumer whereas married to his spouse, Anna. Like many on-line daters, Duggar misrepresented himself whereas searching for companionship. However not like many on-line daters, Duggar obtained taken to court docket over it.

Duggar reportedly used a photograph belonging to a Hollywood DJ named Matthew James McCarthy as his personal OKCupid profile picture. (Duggar was additionally accused of utilizing the picture on Ashley Madison and on Twitter.) Duggar apparently discovered the picture as a result of it was one in every of Google’s high outcomes for “random man.”

In 2016, McCarthy sued Duggar for utilizing the picture, alleging that it broken his private {and professional} fame and brought about emotional misery. However in 2017, the decide sided with Duggar noting that the case had been filed in California and never Arkansas, the place Duggar lives.

As OK! reported in 2017, Jill Duggar’s husband, Derick Dillard, posted some scripture quotes about adultery that raised eyebrows. “He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself,” Dillard wrote, referencing Proverbs 6:32. A day later, Dillard wrote: “Say 2 knowledge ‘U r my sister’& name perception your intimate good friend, 2 hold u from the forbidden lady, from the adulteress w her clean phrases,’” a reference to Proverbs 7:4.

Followers instantly questioned if these posts had been the product of a responsible conscience, noting that Derick had not too long ago posted a video of himself dancing with a few of his worldwide college students.

The Duggars are reportedly followers of the “Christian Patriarchy,” typically often known as the “Quiverfull Motion.” In line with Patheos, the Christian Patriarchy emphasizes a hierarchical household construction that locations males at a place of absolute authority and requires ladies quit their ambitions and autonomy.

Biblical Patriarchy presents an outwardly healthful picture, however in recent times, scandals have challenged this. In 2014, the previous president of Imaginative and prescient Discussion board Ministries, Doug Phillips, admitted to committing adultery after which resigned.

Phillips can be reportedly a good friend of the Duggar household. In 2010, Imaginative and prescient Discussion board Ministries awarded Michelle Duggar their “Mom of the 12 months” award.

On 19 Children and Counting, it was revealed that the Duggar household homeschooled their youngsters utilizing the Superior Educating Institute. However the ATI additionally has ties to a company known as the Institute for Primary Life Ideas, which is led by the controversial Invoice Gothard.

Amongst different beliefs, the IBLP requires ladies to undergo their father or husband. It additionally requires ladies to put on clothes as a substitute of pants and to put on their hair lengthy. In an interview with In Contact, one former member of IBLP described the group as a cult.

In 2014, Gothard was positioned on administrative depart after staff accused him of sexual harassment and after he reportedly didn’t report little one abuse allegations. He later resigned. In 2016, 10 ladies filed a $500,000 lawsuit towards Gothard over the allegations, however in 2018 it was dismissed.

Because the allegations got here to mild, some members of the Duggar household have tried to distance themselves from Gothard.