REALITY TV SHOW 19 Kids and Counting, which charts the lives of the ultra-Christian Duggar family, has been pulled from American TV after one of its subjects admitting child molestation.
Josh Duggar, 27, is the oldest of the Duggar children who appear on the show. He says that he “acted inexcusably”.
In a statement, the show’s broadcaster TLC said it was “deeply saddened and troubled by this heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and victims at this difficult time.”
Duggar was accused of fondling five girls in 2002 and 2003 when he was 15.
Police in Arkansas began investigating Duggar in 2006 when officers were alerted to a letter containing the allegations that was found in a book lent by a family friend to someone else. The file has since been destroyed.
The report, originally published by tabloid In Touch Weekly, states that a member of Harpo Studios, the producer of Oprah Winfrey’s then show, received an email containing the allegations before the family was set to appear in 2006. The tipster warned producers against allowing the Duggars on the show and studio staff members faxed a copy of the email to Arkansas State Police.
Duggar himself issued an apology on Facebook:
Twelve years ago, as a young teenager I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. 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. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counselling.
I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life. I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.
Duggar had been working as a spokesperson for the conservative Family Research Council. He has argued that same-sex marriage was a threat to the American family, that Islam treated women poorly and that doing evil to children was “one of [evil's] worst forms”.
The family has been defended by US Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who said that the revelation had been done to discredit the family.
Those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins in order to discredit the Duggar family have actually revealed their own insensitive bloodthirst, for there was no consideration of the fact that the victims wanted this to be left in the past and ultimately a judge had the information on file destroyed, not to protect Josh, but the innocent victims.
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