We’ve all heard about what Josh Duggar has done by now. He abused his sisters over a decade ago.
Do I agree with what he did? No, of course not. But I have to wonder why it’s just now that it’s being brought to light.
I have to say, the media gets it wrong. While I agree that what Josh did was wrong, the media describes him as a pedophile, he was only 14 when he abused them. The law says you have to be 16 to be considered a pedophile. Sorry to break it to you, media, but your definition is screwed up.
Now, am I discounting what Josh did? No, I’m not. Having someone in the family that was abused as a young child, I know the pain of knowing that they’ll have to live with the terror the rest of their lives. But I have to wonder: why is the media making such a big deal out of it? How do the girls feel about that terrible time in their lives being brought to light?
I understand that they’re a very popular family, and I know that nothing in a famous family is ever private, but some things just shouldn’t be made a big deal out of unless they want you to. These young women are being forced to relive that terrible time in their lives that happened over a decade ago by the media making a big deal out of it.
Sexual abuse is wrong, no matter how you look at it, and I agree it must be put to a stop. But I also have to wonder: would it help if the media didn’t force the victim to live that time in their life over and over again?
Hope for the Hopeless 
The reason why the media is making “such a big deal out of it” is because by hiding the incidents and trying to handle the situation themselves, the Duggars robbed the perpetrator as well as his victims the proper treatment to have a chance at a full recovery. When a child victimizes another child, there are complex issues that must be addressed. Not all adolescent offenders re-offend but there are traits and markers that professionals use to determine the likelihood of re-offending and they can tailor a treatment program specifically for the adolescent.
It saddens me deeply when I hear about families who don’t quickly and decisively report incidents of abuse because they think they are trained and educated enough to handle it themselves. They’re not. The Duggars may have meant well but I know from personal experience that you don’t just receive counseling and move on. Sexual abuse leaves physical, emotional and spiritual scars that last a lifetime and that’s with support and treatment. Don’t kid yourself that the victims are only reliving what happened because of the media exposure. Victims relive it every single day of their lives, especially if they are forced to keep it a secret and never received proper treatment.
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I didn’t mean that they’re reliving it just because of the media. I know for a fact that’s not true. I’ve made it no secret that my niece was abused when she was just three years old. Do I think she’s not reliving it because the media isn’t saying anything about it? No, of course not.
I agree that they should have done more than just a little bit of counseling, and I feel like Josh Duggar needs to be locked up. My niece’s ex-step-father was never punished for what he did, so it especially pains me to know that Josh Duggar is still out walking around on the street more than a decade later.
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