Dark Journey: The Shocking Allegations of Sexual Abuse Against Josh Duggar Revealed!
The history of Josh Duggar’s sexual abuse and molestation allegations has been brought to light in the new documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets. According to the documentary, his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, tried to keep the truth under wraps for years to protect their image and reputation. Despite their efforts, the false reality that they had been presented was completely shattered once everything was out in the open.
Josh Duggar’s Sexual Misconduct In 2002
Josh Duggar Is Sent Away For “Treatment” In 2003
Jim Holt urged Jim Bob that something needed to be done, and that Josh needed to legally face consequences. He brought up the point that as a State Representative, Jim Bob signed a sex offender bill holding criminals responsible for the same behavior his son was exhibiting. This was the time in which Jim Bob took Josh to speak to State Trooper Joseph Hutchens and confess his crimes. The only reprimand Josh received was a stern talking-to, and he was let go. It turns out that Trooper Hutchens was a good friend of Jim Bob’s.
This is the same year that Jim Bob and Michelle sent Josh to Bill Gothard’s facility for troubled boys in Little Rock, Arkansas. The facility was part of the organization that the Duggar family was involved in, Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). When a magazine approached Jim Bob and Michelle to do an article about their family, Josh wasn’t there, and they planned on giving the excuse that Josh was at the IBLP ministering. Not long after, they decided to check him out and bring him back home. He never faced any consequences or received any real treatment.
Josh Duggar’s Past Is Exposed In 2015
In 2015, Josh’s molestation and sexual abuse allegations are finally revealed. In Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, it all became public when InTouch magazine obtained a decade-old report detailing Josh’s alleged criminal activities. The report contained information about Josh’s past sexual misconduct and that when he was 14 or 15 years old, he forcibly touched at least five girls between 2002 and 2003. Some of Josh’s sisters were also named victims in the report.
The Duggars Speak Out In June 2015
The Duggar family spoke out about the shocking events surrounding Josh’s behavior and the allegations against him. Jim Bob and Michelle admitted that they were aware of their son’s alleged sexual abuse as far back as 2002. In Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, their interview with Megyn Kelly from 2015 was part of the documentary, and the couple shared that Josh did inappropriately touch his sisters while they were sleeping. They claimed that they felt Josh was a changed person after he returned from treatment at the IBLP, and they never felt they should fear for their other childrens’ safety while he was in the home.
Not long after their parents’ interview, Jill and Jessa Duggar also spoke with Megyn Kelly about the incident. They confirmed they were victims of their brother’s sexual abuse, but they felt their parents handled the situation in the right manner. In Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, Jill admitted she was obligated to lie about how she really felt in an attempt to save her family’s image and reputation. Speaking out about Josh as his victim, all while simultaneously sweeping it under the rug, meant that all eyes could be taken off of them, and the Duggar family could continue to portray a perfect lifestyle based on their Christian values and Biblical principles.
Josh’s Ashley Madison Affair Is Leaked In August 2015
In 2015, Josh faced another scandal, and this time it was for having an affair. The eldest Duggar child was outed for having an account on the website Ashley Madison, which is known for discreetly linking up people to have private affairs undetected. When the news broke that Josh had an affair, his wife Anna Duggar was pregnant.
A Federal Investigation Is Launched On Josh In 2019
In Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, an audio recording is revealed from 2019 when Josh was under a federal investigation. In the audio, the federal investigator identifies himself as being part of The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. As part of an ongoing investigation, Josh’s IP address led them to his car lot, where they obtained a video of child pornography and one folder containing 65 images of child pornography from his computer.
When Josh was arrested and indicted for possessing child pornography in 2019, it certainly raised eyebrows. When his brother-in-law Derick Dillard flat out asked him if it was true, he denied any wrongdoing. Jim Bob and Michelle went so far as to make a public statement to the media through their family publicist, Chad Gallagher.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution was able to pinpoint the exact moment Josh downloaded a child pornographic image. The agent in the case said that the images were in the top five of some of the worst he’s ever examined. In an effort to convict Josh, Jill explained in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets that she was willing to testify about her experience being one of Josh’s sexual abuse victims, but her testimony wasn’t needed. However, Bobye Holt did play a prominent role in the trial, telling the court everything that she knew about Josh’s past sexual abuse allegations.
When Jim Bob was called to the stand, he claimed he didn’t remember any of the incidents involving his daughters’ molestation from Josh. Despite everything, a guilty verdict was reached on December 9, 2021, and Josh was sentenced to 12 years of prison time on May 25, 2022. In the documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, Jim Bob’s sister, Deanna Duggar, felt that justice was finally being served.
